Chris, congrats.... that is one heck of a job and a lot of work.

And now that it's almost done, I would like to ask, was it worth it?

_________________
2006 Liberty Limited CRD, Deep Beryl Green, Yeti tune, Arp studs, new cams, rockers, lifters, TB. "Green Monster"
2005 Liberty Sport CRD, Deep Beryl Green, GDE Hot Tune, ARP studs. "Rocket"
1982 Fiat 124 Spider Convertible. "Fiona"

I doubt you are going to find anyone to make custom gears for the front end. Finding someone to make custom gear ratios for a vehicle like a subaru which is mass produced is hard enough, let alone a single oddball gear ratio for a relatively low production D30a.

This means if you want 4wd 3.55 will be as high(numerically lower) as you can go.

Used 3.55s gears are essentially worthless for the 8.25 rear end as lots of XJs had them and they have been pulled out, if you want to setup used gears there are plenty of cheap 3.55s out there.

And you can actually find 3.55s for the front end.

I don't know exactly how different the R&P is for the D30 vs D30a, but if they were similar enough you might be able to do some machine work to get the D30 gears to work in a D30a, which would mean you could get 3.07 without an issue.

I know there was someone out there at one point who was machining the D30 sold axle off to replace the center section of the D30a with the all steel unit. If this ever came to fruition that would be one possibility to get 3.07 gears.

If you really wanted to get your RPMS down in 2WD you could go with a lower gearing, like the original 3.73s, and then run a doubler/reducer for 2wd only. Also lots of custom work.

Like I said, I think the only way this jeep will be 4wd again is with 3.55s.

_________________
http://www.Colorado4Wheel.com
"Its not about what you can DO with your Jeep, its about where you can GO with your Jeep."
Knowledgeable - But Caustic

Good work, You mentioned the second gear problem? Much discussion about the troublesome gear change on theses. It can be improved by replacing the gearbox oil with a fully synthetic auto transmission oil. Improved mine.
Link to a Merc forum same gearbox but with cable linkage. Might be helpful
http://www.mercedes.gen.in/WP35/poor-fi ... vito-cure/

_________________
2005 KJ RENAGADE 2.8 CRD 6 SPEED NP242 FULLTIME 4X4

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner!!

http://jeepinbyal.com/liberty-2002-2007 ... l-ifs.html

Now why didn't I think of that?

_________________
2006 CRD Sport
GDE FT ECO tune, GDE TCM ECO tune, ARP studs, HDS-001 203F T-Stat, 3.7L nylon fan & Hayden 2905 clutch, Carter P76148M in-tank pump, Racor 245R122 filter head & 2 micron R25S fuel filter, Provent 200, Samcos, Fumoto F-102, Litens 920834A de-coupler, PML rear diff cover, OEM trans pan with welded in bung, JBA UCAs, full skids.

The Dana 30 has a shorter pinion than the 30a, but that is the only difference, I believe they even use the same carrier. The steel Dana 30 axle kit exists, built by JBA Offroad, but it's pretty pricey. I'll just keep crossing my fingers for the time being.

The question of whether it's worth it or not.....hard to say. I do enjoy driving it more now, but it's definitely a hassle and there are still teething issues. I'm a cheap sensored word at heart and I plan on running this thing til the wheels fall off (then putting the motor in a real jeep), so there may be better upgrades in the future like the JBA axle center, but it's just too much to throw at this thing currently. I may also consider a better transmission, like the 5600, if this one ever grenades. As far as the sticky 2nd gear, I filled it with conventional MTF when I installed it and ran for 500 or so miles to get her guts cleaned up and try to re-anneal the gears. I've had Royal Purple Syncromesh in it for almost 1500 miles and I'm just going to hope that it cleans up before I end up burning the synchronizer out.

What flywheel and clutch did you use? Stock 4.0 L fit?

Oops I should have read more carefully. Where did you get the flywheel and clutch. I have sourced everything else, just having a hard time finding those.

I went the fleabay route and ordered the LUK clutch/flywheel kit from the UK. It all works fine and the only thing you won't get with the kit are the clutch bolts, flywheel bolts and a clutch alignment tool. If you're going to hit the local parts depot for any of those items, you're SOL on the clutch tool and flywheel bolts. Most alignment tools made for the correct shaft size/spline count configuration have the wrong diameter shaft nose. The flywheel bolts are a fine thread 10mm and will require a socket head to fit the recessed holes in the flywheel hub. Otherwise, piece of cake. Best of luck.

Just in case anybody still reads this shyte, after almost 15k miles on this transmission swap, nothing has broken. I finally finished the wiring harness and removed any sign of an automatic transmission. Other than a few tuning issues, the only problems I have are from this thing being a liberty (abs, traction control, general shoddy workmanship and engineering, etc.). So, anyone that may consider this route, I can tell you every way to not do it.

I'm glad you came back to post a follow-up. Funny since you started this, I actually picked up a CRD and I'm reminded once again while I'm not much a fan of auto's. I love the Diesel engine, but really wish I had the control to put the transmission in the gear I choose. I do think I'm going to get the transmission tune from GDE to help, but I really wish it was a manual.

I remember you went with some pretty tall gearing to get the RPM's down, but you were having trouble sourcing a front differential to match that? Did you fix that? If not, do you regret that change?

If you got the front differential sorted and can use 4wd, have you found issues with the 242 transfer case since the manuals never came with that transfer case and I've read conflicting stories about full time 4wd causing issues with the manual.

_________________
2005 Liberty for sale - viewtopic.php?f=35&t=86570
05 Liberty CRD - GDE Eco/Hot Tune, ARP studs, Weeks EGR/FCV delete, Flowmaster DBX muffler, HDS Thermostat
00 VW Beetle TDI - Stock
11 Mini Cooper - Wife's
Motorcycles:: KTM 650 ADV (Katuki), 05 BMW 1200GS, 08 Yamaha WR250R

I wouldn't say that I regret the taller gears, because nothing that could've been a matching set would get the revs down to a happy medium. The smallest factory gear ratio for the liberty is 3.55 which would've had me over 2krpms pretty much all the time and this thing sees about 6 cross country trips a year. So, as you would've guessed by this point, the front diff is still just for looks. I'm planning on pulling it and doing something similar to what JBA does with a custom long-pinion D30. I'm hoping to have mine out in the next month or so after this next road trip and when I do, I'll leave the t-case engaged and see if the center diff slips. I don't think it will just based on the principles of function...you'd have to be really abrupt with gear selection while also giving the tcase ample time to slow. This POS doesn't see any heavy offroad work, so I don't foresee any major issues. The most I do is thrash it down some firebreaks like I'm Colin McRae, but that will get less frequent until I finish building my coilovers. But anyhoo, if I missed something, feel free to hit me up.

If you got the front differential sorted and can use 4wd, have you found issues with the 242 transfer case since the manuals never came with that transfer case and I've read conflicting stories about full time 4wd causing issues with the manual.

I have been running with 242 and manual gearbox for more than 10,000 miles now, with no issues?

_________________
2005 KJ RENAGADE 2.8 CRD 6 SPEED NP242 FULLTIME 4X4

Cool, good to know.

_________________
2005 Liberty for sale - viewtopic.php?f=35&t=86570
05 Liberty CRD - GDE Eco/Hot Tune, ARP studs, Weeks EGR/FCV delete, Flowmaster DBX muffler, HDS Thermostat
00 VW Beetle TDI - Stock
11 Mini Cooper - Wife's
Motorcycles:: KTM 650 ADV (Katuki), 05 BMW 1200GS, 08 Yamaha WR250R

So I currently have the front end out and I'm going to try grafting in a C200F from a GC at some point, but I'm just running 2wd at the current. I got sidetracked with trying to make a Liberty look less like something a unic would drive. I lifted it and stuffed 32's on JK wheels under it. My next order of business is to build a 3.07 LSD rear end for this to compensate for the bigger wheels. I also started having issues common to the euro manny CRD's where the dual mass flywheel would cause driveline shutters during a decel coast. Any slack between engine and trans mounts exacerbates the problem quickly. I found the p/n for the factory trans isolator for this combo and that has helped a bit, but I still need to finish making my adapter to just run the solid 3.7 clutch and flywheel.

I read some ware on a different forum that you can have the DMF welded to create a solid flywheel. Might be an easier way than converting a 3.7 flywheel. I recently replaced my DMF the springs and bearing was shot. See how it goes and when problems arise will look into a solid flywheel.

_________________
2005 KJ RENAGADE 2.8 CRD 6 SPEED NP242 FULLTIME 4X4

That is definitely a possible fix as long as I can get it to balance out after. The issue thoug is that those clutch kits and flywheels are not readily available in the US. The plan is to use the original flexplate hub and flexplate to add the 30mm neeee to compensate for the engine adapter plate, while maintaining the starter engagement. The idea is either to machine a flywheel to bolt to the flattened hub or machine a new hub that will have the correct bolt pattern for a 3.7 fly; then it's just off the shelf parts. I haven't gotten that far into it yet, but I'm going to pull the old parts out of the shed and get a flywheel and pilot bearing from the local parts shop to start measuring and scratching my head. Hope your new DMF holds up this time.

I need to have this figured by next year since my dumb booty didn't consider clocking my DMF for the holding pin when I do my timing belt. So next belt change, I'll be yanking the trans too, yay for me.

First of all nice job!
I have been looking CRDs recently and puzzling over this same conversion.
I have just done a single mass conversion on a 2006 3.7L with the NSG370 using the single mass flywheel from a 2004.
On the 3.7 applications, total height of the dual mass flywheel plus pressure plate is almost identical to the older solid flywheel plus pressure plate. Yes the dual mass flywheel is thicker but the external fingers on the pressure plate are bent in more to make up the difference.
The springs in the dual mass flywheel system are in the flywheel. In the single mass system

_________________
2006 KJ 4x4 6MT H&R lift, Bilstein shocks, Mopar tow package, Skidrow Gas tank skid. 4:10 gears.

Continued...
I'm the single mass system the springs are in the clutch plate. If you welded the dmf and added the smf type clutch your total stack up would be too thick.
I have found a company in Australia called NPC who makes a single mass version and clutch for the 2.8 CRD liberty/Cherokee but it is not cheap. I was quotes AUS $1700 plus shipping which was another $500 to Canada.
Any idea on the crank flange bolt circle? It looks like a symmetrical 8 bolt? Is there anything off the shelf that fits?

_________________
2006 KJ 4x4 6MT H&R lift, Bilstein shocks, Mopar tow package, Skidrow Gas tank skid. 4:10 gears.

If I were to do this in would consider one of the heavy duty version of the ax15. There are some that are supposed rated to 420ft-lb. I have a dead NSG370 that got replaced with a low mileage nsg370. The original popped out of gear, would go into second when cold unless double clutched and started makin horrible rattling noises.
When I replaced the DMF with a SMF I noticed it was broken and rotated freely quite a bit. I dont know if the bad flywheel killed the NS370 or not but it was trouble for the whole 35k we put on it. If the second one goes I will look at the ax15 terminator or equivalent. For your needs the ax15 has a taller top gear like the nv3550.

_________________
2006 KJ 4x4 6MT H&R lift, Bilstein shocks, Mopar tow package, Skidrow Gas tank skid. 4:10 gears.

I'll agree that the NSG has some issues, but I think they all do unless you buy a built version. The terminator is supposedly a mean piece of equipment, but there are companies doing cryogenic gear treatments, synchronizer upgrades, and gear ratio changes. There's a few versions of the NSG that have different ratios.

As far as the flywheel interchange, I haven't seen anything readily available that would bolt to the VM crankshaft. The stock 3.7 flywheel is 30mm thinner than the dual mass because the DMF has to account for the 30mm thick trans adapter plate. The only issue with welding stock DMF's for me is that they aren't available here, so I have to order them from Europe. Getting rid of it is definitely high on my list, but it'll have to wait and I'll have to deal with all the quirks it has with decel shutters, rough idle vibration and chattering engagement.