Megadan

Thanks for making that observation. That supports my suspicion that somebody did some sort of work to this thing not too long ago. I've never dealt with a chain driven TC before, so it's a learning experience. Think I can skip replacing that chain then? I still want to do all of the bearings and seals for sure, but not needing a chain cuts the price of my rebuild in half.

Ok, I am posting this here mainly to get more results than my project thread, so forgive me up front for being a post lady of the night...it's not intentional. Anyway, I decided to open up my recently aquired 242 and inspect the insides. The results were surprising considering the XJ it came off of had 165k miles on the odomoeter and the fluid poured out in a very dark brown/back color at the wrecker. The magnet at the sump side was actually stuck to the chain, which leads me to believe that someone has taken this apart before and didn't put it back together correctly. That being said, there wasnt a horrible amount of metal stuck to it. The filter is pretty plugged up, but not completely blocked. The chain has a bit of slack in it, but it's definitely not stretched badly. With the magnet out of place it almost leads me to believe that somebody replaced the chain at some point in the past and that's why the magnet was not where it was supposed to be in the case. You be the judge. My plan is to put in a new chain anyway. A bit pricey, but nice insurance that I won't have to pull the thing apart anytime soon. Most of the bearings roll freely but do have a slight gritty sound to them, so I want to go ahead and do an overhaul/rebuild of this T-case. So that brings me to the second part of my title. What are recommended brands of kits and/or individual parts for both bearings/seals kits and the chain? I'm willing to spend more to get quality, but obviously if there are good parts that are priced reasonably I am willing to go that direction. I should also note that this would be my first T-case rebuild, so if there are any write-ups, vids, or resources I could reference online it would be handy. Searching google just brings up thousands of posts asking "is the 242 worth rebuilding?" and people responding with "no, use the 231!"

That's the part I wasn't sure on. Thank you for clarifying that.

It just depends on what you want and what kind of budget you have to work with. Locking it in place is the easiest and cheapest solution. Or, finding a set of axle shafts from a non-CAD Dana 30 (early 90's and later XJ) and just making/buying a block-off plate is another option. I like my Posi-lock for now, but I am looking to upgrade to a non-CAD axle, or upgrading axle shafts here soon.

Here is another, and better, DIY Cable setup. http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/home-made-posi-lock-write-up-595515/

I'm sure there is a DIY how-to or two floating around, a quick google search netted this result. Not super detailed, but it gives a good idea of what you can do. http://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/homemade-posi-lock-78838/ I dropped the coin on a Posi-Lock setup myself: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pos-920?seid=srese1&gclid=CKqQ7ZH1iswCFQcLaQodP4AHEw As mentioned before, some people just permanently engage the front axle. There is a write-up on that here on this forum.

How much money do you have to play with? No matter what option you go with, and a wide variety of factors, to add any notable power to said vehicle is going to cost you at LEAST $2000, and that is being generous. That would be using used parts or finding great deals and finding creative solutions while doing all of the work yourself. Otherwise, there are small bolt-on things that can be done, depending on the engine, that won't really net you a whole lot for your money. Ironically, the easiest and most affordable way to get more power from your 4.0L is to build a stroker like somebody else mentioned. That requires replacing your engine. :thumbsup:

The 3 or 4 lines that run to the axle from the transfer case are part of the central axle disconnect system. When you put your transfer case into 4wd mode, that switch on the transmission sends vacuum from the engine to an actuator on the axle that slides a collar over to engage an inner axle stub with the outer axle for the passenger side. This fully engages your front axle giving you 4wd. If they are broken, then as it sits right now your front axle doesn't engage. If you search a bit you can find solutions to this, from locking it in place, using a cable (what I am doing), or replacing all the vacuum lines. The vacuum hoses on the firewall near the AC and Heater Core are part of the HVAC system, and if i remember correctly they control a door that blocks off the heater core completely. Not really a big deal

If I remember correctly, the transfer case from the wranglers is clocked a bit differently from an MJ/XJ/ZJ. Might want to look into that a little more.

$550 is an OK price if it is an MJ unit. I would try to talk them down a little though. Does it come complete with shafts, brake, and all?

^Everything he said. Welcome, and sounds like you found a good solid project. I'm a picture lady of the night, so feel free to show us what you got! :brows:

Decided to inspect the 242 so I tore into it. It was a pleasant surprise to find it was rather clean on the inside, and besides the magnet having a bit of metal shaving on it, no signs of any catastrophic damage or abuse. I did find the magnet from the sump area stuck to the chain, which was interesting. The chain itself definitely has a little slack to it, so I'm probably going to get a new one. Most of the bearings, while they spin freely, do have a bit of a gritty sound to them as well. I figure I will order an overhaul kit for it along with the chain and a new pump and filter. Open to any suggestions on a good kit, or if I should just go with individual parts. Here's the chain. Sorry if my big gorilla hands are in the way lol.

About the only way I can see to open up a lot of tire choices in a 32x10.5 size is to step up to a 16" wheel. Then you have boundless options in 265/75-16 sizes, which are bascially 32x10.5

it's a shame to see it get junked, that thing is in better shape chassis wise than a lot of trucks I see for sale. On the inverse, it's sacrifice can help keep many other trucks on the road. If it bothers you that much, try and buy the whole truck. some places will let you do that.

the last time I got that kind of noise from an auto trans the torque converter and pump decided to die as a pair. Granted, when the pump died it blew seals and I left a solid line of trans fluid for 3 blocks leading all the way to my car.

Wow, that's a nice clean looking truck. If you need help with the headlight stuff just make a thread in the MJ Tech section. Sounds like you are doing a relay harness or upgraded H4 housings.

It's not really about the braking increase as it is about thermal handling. When drums get hot, they expand away from the shoes and reduce braking force. Discs don't have this problem, and are a little more efficient at cooling. That is about the only real difference between them, and even discs can overheat and lose braking performance if you aren't careful. They are just less likely to have that issue.

If it's going to be a pavement princess, then rebuild the drums and call it a day. Unless you are going to be doing a lot of towing or heavy hauling with it on a regular basis, then that is about the only reason I could see discs as a benefit.

If you open up to an 11.5 wide tire, your options for a 32 are much higher. Would that extra inch of width be that big of an issue for your truck/build?

You sir, just made my decision harder. I like how your truck sits. I hate choosing lol

Yeah! I've got the worlds biggest bag of popcorn to watch this build. Can't wait to see more updates.

Glad you have a replacement lined up. First mods - all of the anti-theft ideas mentioned in this thread lol. :thumbsup:

I'm jealous. My Gorilla sized hands and arms make getting to the CPS a pain in the @$$

Need is somewhat subjective in this case. I want to run 33" tires. This want changes my needs. Technically, I could run said 33" tires with my trucks current ride height, and all I would need to do is run bump stops, do some trimming, Napier flares, and maybe 1 more inch of lift front and rear from where I am now, which would give me 3 inches front and then finding a way to match the rear like chevy shackles, so I don't end up with a Cali-lean. I have considered this route as well. It would definitely be cheaper up front, and would be a good low COG approach to things. To be an effective setup I would rather lift the front to 4" and run drop brackets or long arms to change the angle of attack on the control arms and improve said vehicles ability to climb. I've done a lot of reading on low COG setups, and this was a factor that was brought up for consideration. So to make it effective with minimal lift following those guidelines the front would still end up costing nearly the same. Yes, I know it wouldn't really be a true low COG, but some of their ideas stuck with me. Out back I would have to change leaf springs if I didn't go with a SOA setup. The 3" lift is the minimum required in order to do a TDi conersion as well. Which is a factor I am partially doing said lift for. The rear lift staying SUA would require new leaf springs, but that is a $450 addition I would not have with a SOA swap. In this case, the cost of my lift gets cheaper adding that extra height, as I can use the brand new leaf springs I already have mounted a different way. In either lifts case, I will be running the same tires. Yes, I would love to have a pair of the military wrapped MT springs out back from General Spring. In that instance, I would probably keep it SUA and run a longer shackle, if necessary, to keep the truck with a bit of a forward rake. My goal is more than simply going taller. My goal is to build something truly effective and functional at the same time that suits my needs. I would like the ability to tow with my truck, and I wouldn't have a problem towing with it lifted a bit. Seeing as I don't tow things on a regular basis, it is not a high priority consideration for me.

Well, I recieved my Timken hubs and I can confirm that they are now made in Korea. Stamped on the inner bearing race and the hub itself. At least it's not China?