'04 2WD WJ Laredo to '04 4WD "Limited" Build

[JeepsOLot]

Just a little background on the WJ. This is an '04 WJ that I bought for my wife in Feb '08. It's an Inferno Red Laredo with less then 24K on it when we got it, but, it has 59K right now. The engine is the 4.0L I6 with the 2WD 42RE auto. It has the standard AM-FM-Cassette-CD radio, power driver's side seat, cloth interior, and no cross bars for the roof rack.





With all the Cash for Clunker Jeeps hitting the junkyards, my wife and I got to thinking, why can't we upgrade to the various features we would like? Everything's pretty cheap through the yards, and they would be OEM, so fitment wouldn't be a problem. The features we want to add are: 4WD (242 T-Case), Rear Factory Hitch with wiring, Overhead console with the Homelink (garage/gate opener buttons), '02-'04 White Gauges, Factory CD Changer, Crossbars for the roof rack, Radio Controls on the steering wheel, Leather Seats and Power Passenger Side Seat, Fog Lights, and anything else that I can find that'll work, :thumbsup: The uses for this WJ include: mall crawling for the most part, very mild off-roading (dirt/gravel roads and some beach sand driving, taking the fam out on the beach), and use the Full Time 4WD for bad weather and snow (for whenever we get out of FL and move to NC).

What's been put on so far: Hitch with wiring (all bolt in and plug and play), Roof Rack Crossbars, the EVIC Overhead Console with the Homelink (Plug and Play), the CD changer, steering wheel radio controls, wood accents on dash, 4WD shifter, '04 electroluminesent gauges, and the rear 12 volt power outlet.

A couple of months ago, I got the 4WD Shifter because the tranny shifter sliders were broken, so, I upgraded!


2WD Shifter, complete with rust, have no idea why it's so rusty!!

Here's the 4WD Shifter for the 242 installed. Now, the shifter plate was in great shape, considering the Jeep was a '99 model and God knows how long it was in the yard.

I got a set of '01 White Faced Limited Gauges. All was good until I tried to swap out the odometer, it was easy if it was a '99-'01, but, the '02-'04 odmeters are totally different, :brickwall. I tried to swap out the individual gauges into the '04 cluster, but, while the tach and speedo worked fine, the four smaller gauges went crazy. I could put the whole '01 cluster in and everything would work, except the odometer would read 151K miles from the previous Jeep, instead of the 59K miles that are on ours, BIG problem!

I got a CD changer as well as the cover that goes over it in the cargo area. I also got the plug that goes into the changer, but, I'm still waiting on the plug that goes into the radio, it's different from the '99-'01 WJ's to the '02-'04 WJ's.

I then installed the steering wheel radio controls, :thumbsup: Wife likes these REALLY well!! After the CD changer and gauge wiring issues, I'm looking for only '02-'04 electrical parts, as there seems to be major wiring changes in '02. Here is a price comparasion between the factory price (Info from WJ Jeeps.com), and what I paid at the junkyard. To convert the steering wheel for radio controls, I had to buy the radio switches and a harness that has both sets of plugs for the radio switches and the cruise control switches. At the junkyard, I paid $4.70 out the door for the harness and both switches. If I got JUST the harness from the stealership, it would have set me back $165, PLUS $39.70 for EACH switch!! As far as the install, It went great, I did have to drill out the holes for the switches on the steering wheel, but, other then that, it was plug and play, everything works, :thumbsup:

Next was the Spartan Burl wood dash trim pieces that I found in an '01 Limited in good shape. I swapped my brushed aluminum trim Laredo pieces out for these. I also swapped out the bottom center bezel with the cubby hole with the one from the '02 Limited that has the drop-down ash tray. Figure it's better for holding things then that stupid cubby that, everytime you hit the gas, they slip out, and go on the floor under feed, which isn't good. Another reason why I got that was the constant power outlet on the '04 Grands has a plastic cap that you have to pull out when you want to use it. On the one from the '02, it has a flip down cover for that outlet, easy to use, and it looks better,

Jerry

[JeepsOLot]

Ok, here are the pics for the Mods that have happened so far. I listed the year and Trim Level of the WJ that I got these pieces from, for anyone that is interested.

Factory 2" Receiver Hitch from a '99 Limited


Sunvisors with lighted Vanity mirrors, and slide-out shades for extra sun coverage from an '00 Laredo, as well as the EVIC (Over head console computer) with the Instant MPG feature and Homelink buttons from an '01 Limited


CD Changer box and Rear 12 Volt Outlet, the Changer box, as well as the changer itself, are from a '99 Limited, and the 12 Volt Outlet is new from the stealership


Dash with Spartan Burl Accents from an '02 Limited


Center and Passenger side Dash with the Spartan Burl Accents


Driver's Side Vent with the Spartan Burl Accent


Radio Bezel with Spartan Burl Accent


Radio Bezel with the original Brushed Alunimum Accent


Passenger Side Dash with Spartan Burl Accent


Center Lower Dash Section with Ash Tray and Flip-Down cover for the 12 Volt Outlet, from an '02 Limited


Center Lower Dash Section with Cubby Hole and plugs for the outlets, Original '04 Pieces



Jerry

[JeepsOLot]

OK, these are my Electroluminescent Limited gauges I got from ePay for $80, :2thumbsup:. These were from an '04, so, I could guarantee that they wouldn't have an issue with my '04 WJ. Here is how they look in the dark


Here are the '04 Limted Electroluminescent Gauges in the daytime.


Here is the Laredo-turned-Limited Dash, :thumbsup:


I think it turned out ok.

Just so you guys know the difference in the gauge clusters, here's a pic of all three, the '04 Limited Electroluminescent gauges are on the top, the '01 White-Faced gauges are in the middle, and the '04 Black-Faced gauges are on the bottom.


Jerry

[JeepsOLot]

Ok, here are the pics of the 4WD items I got along with the prices:

The NP 242 T-Case ($175):





The OD Unit for the 42RE Auto ($20.00):




Here are a gear and ring that were on the output shaft of the tranny, they just came right off.


Here is the vent line I got for the 242 (Free):


Here is the wiring for the 4WD light ($2.00):


And here is the shifter cable for the 242 ($1.00):


Like I said, all I need now are the two drive shafts and the front D30, :2thumbsup:Go figure, the tag says New Process, but, the labels on the top of the 242 say "NVG", for New Venture Gear, I would guess, LOL!

I want to let everyone know that DJJordache's thread on converting his 2WD ZJ to 4WD was my inspiration in doing the 4WD on the WJ, since they both used the same tranny-t-case combo. Thanks go to him,

This isn't going to be too bad, I think!

Jerry

[DJJordache]

Thanks for the thanks, but you still have a ton of work ahead of you. It can be done in phases though. I did the transmission part first and then the D30 a few weeks later, so it does not have to be done all at once.

curious about the 4wd switch for the idiot light on that 242, it's hard to tell from the pics but is that a 4 wire or 2 wire setup?

[JeepsOLot]

Thanks for the thanks, but you still have a ton of work ahead of you. It can be done in phases though. I did the transmission part first and then the D30 a few weeks later, so it does not have to be done all at once.

curious about the 4wd switch for the idiot light on that 242, it's hard to tell from the pics but is that a 4 wire or 2 wire setup?

I think it's a two wire setup. The 242 is under cover, so, not right here at the moment.

You're right, I'm going to do it in phases. When I get the rear drive shaft, I'll swap in the OD unit and t-case, then, I'll tackle the front when I can get a D30 and front drive shaft. I'm just so glad that on hers, and I assume all WJ's, there is a blank plate where the t-case shifter cable goes through. I can just unbolt that, slip the cable through the hole, and use the plate that's on the cable to cover the hole, and done, . I won't have to do any cutting at all on the body, woo hoo!!!. I can't wait until I can get a drive shaft, I'm itching to get this done!!

DJJordache, my wife LOVES your avatar!! Do you know anyone that can make a decal of that? That's hilarious!! She wants that on instead of the Trail Rated badges I was going to get, LOL!!

Jerry

[DJJordache]

about the sticker PM ddeadserious on here he used to make them. here is a post he made on another forum about them: http://www.greatlakes4x4.com/showthread.php?t=89766

but I also found these at cafepress that are funny too!
http://www.cafepress.com/+mall_rated...ers_4,12939204

[JeepsOLot]

about the sticker PM ddeadserious on here he used to make them. here is a post he made on another forum about them: http://www.greatlakes4x4.com/showthread.php?t=89766

but I also found these at cafepress that are funny too!
http://www.cafepress.com/+mall_rated...ers_4,12939204

Thanks for the links, . My wife wants them more then the Trail Rated Badges I want to get for the WJ. Maybe I can put the Trail Rated badges on the correct areas on the front fenders and the Mall Rated ones on the rear side glass. They should make them with a H2, or H3 on them, but, with big rims instead of big tires, LOL!!
About the 4WD light switch, it's a 2 wire plug, I blew up one of the pics I took, and that is what it is, 100%.

Jerry

[bigbluezj94]

haha thats sweet! you are going to have a 4wd limited for what you paid a 2wd laredo. im diggin that.

[Jeeptech01]

Lookin good. What are your plans for tires and suspension?

[JeepsOLot]

Lookin good. What are your plans for tires and suspension?

Sorry it's been a long time since I looked at this thread! I'm getting a 1"-2" BB and getting General Grabber ATII's, most likely the 245/75 R16's. Can't do but so much, it's the family cruiser, and my wife's DD, so, she's got to be able to get into and out of it, LOL!!

Still looking for drive shafts, both front and rear, to get this thing started. To put the OD unit and t-case in, I NEED the rear drive shaft. That's Phase 1, Phase 2 consists of swapping out the front axle beam with the D30 and the front drive shaft. Can't have it down too long, the wife would kill me, LOL!!

Jerry

[Jeeptech01]

Sounds like a plan.