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I'm having trouble with the pictures, so everything is copied here for now https://imgur.com/a/bOzqS Hi all! I recently finished the process of converting my 2008 Wrangler Unlimited from 4x2 to 4x4 so I figured I'd do a writeup to help fill any holes in the existing literature. A lot of the advice I read when starting this journey said "trade it in- it's not with the cost or effort", but after having completed the project for beloved vehicle, I can say the experience was very rewarding, not too difficult (8 months ago I hadn't even changed a tire), and with some patience can be completed for as little as $1000 in parts.This is what a 2WD wrangler looks likeFrom 2007-2010 Jeep made 2WD wranglers… Coolest minivan ever! But seriously, the year I spent wheeling this thing after college with training wheels (or lack thereof) taught me that a Jeep really is what you make of it. Nevertheless I wanted to spend this Christmas dashing through the snow in Big Bear, and prior experience taught me that 2WD was less than ideal for the task. Without further ado, here's my parts list homework:You're going to want to get the axle, driveshafts, and transfer case off craigslist/a forum/other owner. Stick to 2007-2011 parts to ensure compatibility (or do lots of research). Try a jeep dismantler for everything else. I paid 450 for all that other stuff at the dismantler vs 1200+ from mopar. Before I chronicle my experience, here is a list of resources that you might want to review to become more familiar with the inner workings of your JK.REFERENCESTruck Tech: Wrangler Re-do 2WD to 4WDWatch this first for the high level visual walkthroughAdvanced Adapters Rubicrawler installation instructionsThe rubicrawler is an alternative to the 4WD adapter and thus these instructions are great for getting a detailed feel for how things work. http://www.advanceadapters.com/downloads/RUBI-TJ241A.pdf You'll also want to watch tons of youtube videos and google the 2WD conversions of Jaker and 2BIGTJOVERVIEWOnce again, I'm inexperienced in the world of wrenching, so none of this is gospel, but here's how I would split the job into 5 work sessions over two weekends. This is my daily driver so the process took a couple months while I gathered parts. Assuming everything goes smoothly, this could all be done in 10 hours or so, but we all know that isn't happening.Day 1 Weekend 1Remove 2WD front axleMount 4WD front axle and apply RTV gasket if applicableDay 2 Weekend 1Complete front axle installationDay 3 whenever (before transfer case install)Remove center console and install 4WD shifter and shifter cableDay 4 Weekend 2Test fit, Disassemble 2WD driveline, apply RTV gasket to 4WD adapter and hopefully mount transfer caseDay 5 Weekend 3Mount transfer case, mount driveshafts, and testdriveDETAILSRemoving front axle:Nothing too exciting here. Chock and jack up the front end of the jeep. You'll need at least 4 jack stands - 2 for the Jeep, and 2 for the axle. You may also want to get a pair of spring compressors to make installing the new axle easier. Once you begin, make sure to support your brake calipers once you remove the rotors, and be gentle with the speed sensors. My 4WD axle came with knuckles, but if yours didn’t, you'll want to do more research on that part. My understanding is that it involves a BFH (which I'm not personally a fan of). After that, just start unbolting things (making sure of course that the axle is supported by jack stands). I rented a tie rod puller from my local auto parts store to make removing that part easier.If you're following this, that means your jeep is 7-10 years old, so the interior of your wheel bearings have been exposed to the elements for quite a while. Before assembling the 4WD front axle, check that your axle shafts will fit easily into the wheel bearings, and clean up the wheel bearings if necessary. I used a wire wheel.Installing front axle:Now do everything in reverse. You'll want help from a buddy to position the new axle until you get it bolted to the 4 control arms. If you don’t have spring compressors, I was able to get them compressed by placing my floor jack one end of the axle so that it flexed, and installing the spring on the opposite side. Next you will install axle shafts, followed by the brake dust cover, wheel bearings, and axle shaft nut. Make sure your brake dust shields go in before your wheel bearings, because its really annoying to have to undo everything. Tighten the 36mm nut as much as you reasonably can while the Jeep is in the air, but to meet the torque spec, you will need to have the Jeep back on 4 tires and go through the opening in your wheel's centercap.Installing Shifter:Figure out how to remove the shift knob from your shifter first. It requires lots of force, or possibly some sort of squeeze and twist method. Personally I just drilled mine off and installed a personalized one.Remove the 4 T30 screws from the center console (2 on each side). You will need to adjust your seats to access them. There are two pieces that make up the center console section, so you will need to separate the top applique from the base piece. There are just a bunch of snaps holding them together. You'll also want remove the bottom most panel of your dash (under the heater controls) which also prys off. Pull the E-Brake all the way back ( and I mean really far). Maneuver top applique off of the base and over the E-brake, then lift the entire center console over the E-Brake (bringing the storage area with it). If you can't get these things over your E-brake, then the E-brake isn't back far enough.Console removedCable routingShifter mountedFirst you'll want to route the shifter cable. The metal end goes in the cabin, while the end with the boot goes under the jeep. There is a circular hole under that lower dash panel which should have a plug in it currently. I found it easiest to rout the cable from under the jeep through that hole. This is arguably the most difficult step of the conversion as I imagine Jeep installs the shifter cable before bolting the dash on. Once you finagle with that for a while, make sure the rubber seal which is part of the shifter cable fills the hole properly. You can then mount your shifter and attach the cable. I then wedged the transfer case end of my shift cable in the vibration isolator hole for the 2WD tailshaft for safekeepingDriveline Dissasembly:TEST FIT EERYTHING! This phase of the conversion is a real bolt up job so you should make sure all your sources are compatible. If you bought a transmission core you'll want to disassemble that first and make sure you can pull the output shaft off. Tried for over an hour with pry bars and whatnot, but was able to pull it in less than 10 seconds with a slide hammer and the proper threaded attachment.2WD undercarriageRemoving 2WD Extension housingAfter removing the driveshaft you'll want to come up with some sort of solution to use jack stands on the transmission pan for when you remove the crossmember. Personally I used the stock jack in the back of the JK to hold up the pan with some wood on top of it, and a regular jack stand in front of it to catch the transmission if the jack failed. All the rest is pretty straightforward from watching the truck tech video. I couldn’t believe it myself, but the transfer case is in fact cantilevered!If the years of exposure is too much for a little PB blaster to overcome (and you can't seem to force the driveshaft out using the supplied punch hole) for driveshaft disassembly like mine, you might try to separate them by unbolting one end of the driveshaft while leaving the other end connected and giving the jeep a little gas (with the brakes applied), then flipping which end is secured and using the vehicle to apply sufficient torque again.Driveline assembly:This parts pretty straightforward as well, though there are some very tight clearances. After partially tightening your 4WD adapter bolts while the RTV is setting youll want to bring them to proper torque spec by using a large extension (especially on the top bolts which you won't be able to see). Around 10 inches of extension (or however long you need to clear the 4WD adapter) will make this part a piece of cake.This is what the transfer case mounts to. It isnt fully sealed like you might think.You will NEED a buddy to mount the transfer case. Might even want to have a third person around if you can. Its just a really awkward object, and pretty heavy considering the confined range of motion you will have. Once you slide it on to the 4WD adapter, you can use the 14mm flex wrench to tighten the 6 nuts. This is probably the second hardest step in the install so just be patient (especially on the upper passenger nut). Once your transfer case is in, it’s a piece of cake! Install your driveshafts, then put your crossmember back in and you're all done. Go for a testdrive!Here's some after pics from big bear just cause:If anything is unclear please let me know and I'll try to improve my writeup