Bulletproofing the AW4

[99CherokeeGuy]

After some searching, I haven't found anything regarding beefing up the AW4 to handle the increased power of a stroker.

I am planning on a 4.9 stroker this summer for the XJ. I know there are various t-case & axle upgrades, but I can never seem to find anything in regards to an AW4 upgrade. What (if any) are my options?

Those of you with 300+hp, how has yours held up?? I would sure hate to upgrade axles, tcases, engine, fuel pumps, and everything else, just to have the trans be the weakest link

Any experience, tips, pointers, or links would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks everybody

Jay

[FOXxX]

I have only heard good things about the AW4 and haven't heard of anyone Upgrading/Modding for the Stroker - however I have ran across a few articles about throwing a Turbo 350 under for sh!z and grinz and it costing a few dollars. I just threw an Extra cooler on mine and it handles very well.

[92tank]

i read somewhere that the aw4 is capable of handling 450 lb/ft of tourque stock and up to 650 with aftermarket clutch packs. thats probly why we dont here to many complaints about them

[99CherokeeGuy]

i read somewhere that the aw4 is capable of handling 450 lb/ft of tourque stock and up to 650 with aftermarket clutch packs. thats probly why we dont here to many complaints about them

Awesome! Glad to hear this...where you get the clutch packs?

[amcinstaller]

theres another thread here about the AW4, and the only real upgrade discussed was a shift kit, and thats only in the toyota supras, i dont think ive heard of many people doind any real upgrades on them in jeeps.

[amcinstaller]

the search function is your friend:

http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewt ... +shift+kit

and i was wrong, lots of jeepers doin it too

[92tank]

i dont know where to get the aftermaket clutches. from what ive heard there hard to locate. not to mention the price

[99CherokeeGuy]

the search function is your friend:

http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewt ... +shift+kit

and i was wrong, lots of jeepers doin it too

Thanks, but I was looking for more than a shift kit

[99CherokeeGuy]

http://www.importperformancetrans.com/toyotaauto.shtml

God look at the price tho!

[dingo151]

Try,

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/aw4- ... up-273048/

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthre ... w4+rebuild

http://supraforums.com/forum/showthread ... 655&page=2

[metalman]

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthrea ... le+shifter

this dude puts all those guys to shame, his forum name is "the poi", he actually put paddle shifters in his volvo and built a complete control box for it as well, but other guys have run the paddle shifters off the stock TCU I believe, and before anyone wonders what the point is, the "aw4" as jeep calls it actually wound up in a boat load of vehicles from the Supras to quite a few volvo's (such as the one in my driveway, somehow I've wound up with two I6 powered vehicles) amongst trucks and other things. If you dig through that forum, there are quite a few guys looking to keep this trans alive and they're making power in the same range as guys here, the supra crowd unfortunately doesn't have to crank up much boost for this trans to be way in over its head, so from what I've seen they usually wind up tossing it out before they put much work into them.

I'm actually getting ready to pull mine out of the volvo in a few months for a t56, and the jeep is already manual, but good luck with the trans, I think they are kind of under rated largely because the vehicles they came in tend to also be frequent manual swap candidates.

One last side note, I've found quite a few of these have failed lockup solenoids, its something to watch for because the TCU doesn't always catch it, not sure if it affects the jeeps, but on the volvo's thats usually the first thing that goes in the trans, usually around 200k, I think thats where some of the reputation comes for the trans running hot.

[racing89]

the Aw4 will go down in history as being one of the toughest autos ever. I have no idea why anyone would consider a "conversion" with any other trans. Been racing one for many years with a paddle shifter, stall converter, and 400ish h.p.

[99CherokeeGuy]

Thanks for the info guys...got some reading to do now

[4.whoa]

Been racing one for many years with a paddle shifter, stall converter, and 400ish h.p.

Where did you get a paddle shifter for it? Any pics?

[racing89]

Believe it or not, a heater fan control switch out of a 90 ish lumina is sequenced perfectly to control solenoids #1 and #2.(it is a ratcheting, rotating switch with 2 buttons). Although I realize a controller, used in conjunction with 2 inputs( upshifts and downshifts) would be neater and more high-tech, the switch has performed flawlessly. Never tried running #3 solenoid( lock-up) though, as it is not necessary for racing. Keeping both hands on the wheel is!