When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I am working on a conversion on my 04 jeep tj, and trying to decide if I should use the 5.3 motor with the 4l60e transmission or use the jeep Ax15 manual trans.
I’d probably go the easier and cheaper route whichever that is.
That is what I am trying to figure out.
I do have the 4L60e and 5.3 motor, also do have a complete 97 TJ with the ax15, so i can use whatever that is needed on the Tj
That is what I am trying to figure out.
I do have the 4L60e and 5.3 motor, also do have a complete 97 TJ with the ax15, so i can use whatever that is needed on the Tj
I think this and a GM bell housing is what you need to use an ax15. Adapter
When I first LS swapped my 98 Wrangler I used a AX15 from a 6 cylinder Wrangler. Bought all the parts from Novak out of Logan UT. Worked well but I got tired of shifting when plowing snow. So again using Novak parts I adapted a 4L60E to a 241R transfer case. Novak supplies the output shaft, tone ring for the trans and the adapter between the 4L60E and a 241/241R. The 4L60E has to be disassembled to install the trans output shaft.
If using a "stock" 241 TC most Jeep sites would say add a wide chain kit and short output shaft kit to the transfer case. Because I started with a 4 cylinder TJ I replaced the rear axle with 8.8 Explorer rear with 4.10 gears. Kept the stock front axle. Novak LS radiator.
It's been a great swap. Been 15 years and zero issues. It's my mall crawler.
Good luck with your project.
When I first LS swapped my 98 Wrangler I used a AX15 from a 6 cylinder Wrangler. Bought all the parts from Novak out of Logan UT. Worked well but I got tired of shifting when plowing snow. So again using Novak parts I adapted a 4L60E to a 241R transfer case. Novak supplies the output shaft, tone ring for the trans and the adapter between the 4L60E and a 241/241R. The 4L60E has to be disassembled to install the trans output shaft.
If using a "stock" 241 TC most Jeep sites would say add a wide chain kit and short output shaft kit to the transfer case. Because I started with a 4 cylinder TJ I replaced the rear axle with 8.8 Explorer rear with 4.10 gears. Kept the stock front axle. Novak LS radiator.
It's been a great swap. Been 15 years and zero issues. It's my mall crawler.
Good luck with your project.
Nice build. How is it with the 4l60e compare to the ax15?
advance adapter has a kit for the 4l60e to the Tcase that doesnt require opening the transmission
I think the 4L60E is "faster" than the AX15 shifting wise.. And if the 4L60E is built properly it will stand up to much more torque than the AX15. I have a 2000 stall converter in mine. Basically a 2002 Camaro converter.
One of the reasons I went with Novak is because my sales area included Logan UT. Went to their shop and spoke with them at length about LS conversions.
Pic of my 98 TJ with it's first LS. 4.8 with the AX15. Truck FEA. 4.0 Wrangler radiator. Hydro clutch. I ran it like that for two years. Again zero issues.
Also a couple pics of the same TJ with the LS6/4L60E work in progress.
And while it wasn't available when I did my LS swap Novak makes a TC shifter that is mounted off the TC only. The stock TJ TC shifter uses a frame mounted pivot that I had to mod to make it work. I used a Lokar cable shifter for the 4L60E.
Just a comment. I was over on the Advance Adapters site and it looked like if you go with their 4L60E to 231/241R TC kit you will have to install a new trans output shaft that requires trans disassembly. Looks like its a similar kit to the Novak kit. Most likely you can't wrong with either company.
I reread the Novak kit details and they are using 300M steel for the output shaft. 300M is much stronger that regular tool steel.
Just a comment. I was over on the Advance Adapters site and it looked like if you go with their 4L60E to 231/241R TC kit you will have to install a new trans output shaft that requires trans disassembly. Looks like its a similar kit to the Novak kit. Most likely you can't wrong with either company.
I reread the Novak kit details and they are using 300M steel for the output shaft. 300M is much stronger that regular tool steel.
With the Advance kit you do not need to touch the gm trans if it's a 4x4. You just need to mod the tcase shaft. I like Novak but their applications have too many pieces, too many points of failures and are over priced.
06-04-2024, 05:20 AM
LS 5.3 with AX15 or 4l60e 
