Comanche_Fanatic Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I got a Comanche yesterday, didnt have 4x4 in it. thats good, more fun for me to work on it :D its got the 2.5L and AX5 trans, so I'm thinking maybe commandtrac. I'd really like the quadratrac, that would be a sweet mod but not sure if itll bolt up to my setup, axles will be dana 44 on leafs in the rear and dana 30 on shocks for the front. will be using 4.10 gears and probably upgrade to 31s in the future. what yall think? I'm open to suggestions :cheers: items agreed on... (subject to change) -NP231 Command-Trac -AX5 transmission -D44 rear -D30 front -4.10 gears -31" x 10.50 x 15 tires -etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 comanches had command-trac (part time) xj's had command-trac and selec-trac (full time) the difference is either the part time np231 tcase or the full time np242 tcase. the np242 has all the selections that the part time has, plus full time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 What you want is Select-trac. The Quadra-trac is the Full Time that came in the grands, with the not-desirable NP 249 T-case. You're always in Full Time, no 2wd option, and the viscous couplings for the front like to stop working. Select-trac has an NP 242. It gives you 2H, 4H FT, 4H PT, N, 4LO. It also has a geared mechanism for the Full Time that's not prone to failure. You also get the 4 HI Part Time option, which is desirable over Full Time in some situations. 4x4 swaps are really easy and completely bolt in. Do a quick search, you should find plenty of threads with lists and details of what you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 If he stays with the 2.5l would he be able to use anything but a 231 without swapping to an ax15. Can you get a 242 to hook to an ax4/5? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche_Fanatic Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 yeah i didnt think quadratrac would work great on a small truck. its a great 4x4 system, i loved it in my old ZJ. its all down to selec trac or command trac. I havent showed much interest to commandtrac, i have it in my YJ and its just really simple to me. at least it has the 4lo :D might go with selec trac, more options and better overall. hope its easier than commandtrac :cheers: go easy with the numbers, which NPxxx is which lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 242s and 231s used the same input shafts. They use the same ratio reduction for low range. You can swap in long shaft 21 spline input from a 4 cyl's 231. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Installing one over the other has no affect on difficulty. It's the same process and almost identical parts list for the swap. The ONLY reason a command trac(NP231) system would be easier, is availablity of the parts. The only difference between the 242 and 231 is that the 242 has a full time high range option. The command-trac 231 does have low range.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche_Fanatic Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 alright its the np242 then, how about axles? anyone thinking i should keep the rear and install a d30 in the front on stock shocks? or redo the whole thing? i'd like d44 in the rear on leafs, and d35s on the front on shocks, itll run on 31s in the future, maybe a small lift. ofc 4.10 gears, gonna be a lil work truck to me :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 242s and 231s used the same input shafts. They use the same ratio reduction for low range. You can swap in long shaft 21 spline input from a 4 cyl's 231. Good to know,I wasn't sure if the shafts interchanged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 242s and 231s used the same input shafts. They use the same ratio reduction for low range. You can swap in long shaft 21 spline input from a 4 cyl's 231. Good to know,I wasn't sure if the shafts interchanged. Yup, however, I have heard from several sources that the gear tooth pitch changed around 96 for some reason, so the older and newer shafts aren't swappable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 242s and 231s used the same input shafts. They use the same ratio reduction for low range. You can swap in long shaft 21 spline input from a 4 cyl's 231. Good to know,I wasn't sure if the shafts interchanged. Yup, however, I have heard from several sources that the gear tooth pitch changed around 96 for some reason, so the older and newer shafts aren't swappable. there are several pitch changes. I don't know the exact years, but you can still swap the planetary assembly and ring in between any years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche_Fanatic Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 looking towards the 242, but still need more info on shafts, axles, gearings, etc etc. ideas? just gonna make this less painful as possible and still work on/off the road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 looking towards the 242, but still need more info on shafts, axles, gearings, etc etc. ideas? just gonna make this less painful as possible and still work on/off the road the dana 35 rear axle is junk. get a d44. d30 front is good, match it to the rear gears. parts for these things are direct swap from an xj, from the front seats forward. rear axle needs perches changed between them. you will need a new transmission for the 4x4 conversion as they are 4x4 and 2x4 specific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche_Fanatic Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 d44 it is then, extra strength in the back :) d30 front could do good, hope it does fine pulling weight. i'll be using 4.10 gears, theyre awesome all around. perches and transmission I'm curious about, i'd like to keep the 4 banger, which manual trans do i get and explain more about perches(are they bolts?) lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasbulliwagen Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 alright its the np242 then, how about axles? anyone thinking i should keep the rear and install a d30 in the front on stock shocks? or redo the whole thing? i'd like d44 in the rear on leafs, and d35s on the front on shocks, itll run on 31s in the future, maybe a small lift. ofc 4.10 gears, gonna be a lil work truck to me :D If you plan on staying with only 31" tires, a Dana 30 front will be fine, there are plenty of parts upgrades, and it will bolt right in. You mentioned a 35 front, possibly by mistake. There was never a Dana 35 front availablke for our trucks, and if there was you probably wouldnt want it. As for the rears, the stock Dana 35 with 4:10 gears will be fine if you don't plan obn much wheeling, but a 44 would be a great upgrade IF you can find one. As for gearing, 4:10 will be good for a 2.5 on stock size tires, but if you want 31's you might look into 4:37 or 4:56 gearing. 4:56 geared axles were stock early on in 4 cylinder automatics, but are EXTREMELY rare, the other option would be to have your axles regeared, but that can be costly and is not meant to be done by an amature. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche_Fanatic Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 alright its the np242 then, how about axles? anyone thinking i should keep the rear and install a d30 in the front on stock shocks? or redo the whole thing? i'd like d44 in the rear on leafs, and d35s on the front on shocks, itll run on 31s in the future, maybe a small lift. ofc 4.10 gears, gonna be a lil work truck to me :D If you plan on staying with only 31" tires, a Dana 30 front will be fine, there are plenty of parts upgrades, and it will bolt right in. You mentioned a 35 front, possibly by mistake. There was never a Dana 35 front availablke for our trucks, and if there was you probably wouldnt want it. As for the rears, the stock Dana 35 with 4.10 gears will be fine if you don't plan obn much wheeling, but a 44 would be a great upgrade IF you can find one. As for gearing, 4.10 will be good for a 2.5 on stock size tires, but if you want 31's you might look into 4:37 or 4:56 gearing. 4:56 geared axles were stock early on in 4 cylinder automatics, but are EXTREMELY rare, the other option would be to have your axles regeared, but that can be costly and is not meant to be done by an amature. Good luck. yeah i got the d35 part misunderstood, theyre rear axles mostly. d44s are great. and its not if, but when ;) regearing is way too much pain both physically and budgetically, so thats definitely out of the question. i don't even know what size tires are stock lol. it sat on 235s when i bought it, switched my YJ's 225s on it and the speedo is still off(goes 76 when it reads 70) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 d44 it is then, extra strength in the back :)d30 front could do good, hope it does fine pulling weight. i'll be using 4.10 gears, theyre awesome all around. perches and transmission I'm curious about, i'd like to keep the 4 banger, which manual trans do i get and explain more about perches(are they bolts?) lol the perches are what the springs sit on. they're welded on. you have an ax5 5 speed trans. you will need a new one for it. get one from a '93 or newer jeep 4 cyl so that you have an external slave cylinder. the trans is 21 spline, so you'll want an np242 from an '87-90 4.0/auto cherokee. but you will then NEED a '93 or newer ax5, as the ax5 from that year on uses a short input...and all aw4's are short input. that, or you can put an ax15 5 speed in from behind a '90 or newer jeep (any model), and use an early 90's dodge dakota ax15 bellhousing. this gives you a better trans for towing with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche_Fanatic Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 d44 it is then, extra strength in the back :)d30 front could do good, hope it does fine pulling weight. i'll be using 4.10 gears, theyre awesome all around. perches and transmission I'm curious about, i'd like to keep the 4 banger, which manual trans do i get and explain more about perches(are they bolts?) lol the perches are what the springs sit on. they're welded on. you have an ax5 5 speed trans. you will need a new one for it. get one from a '93 or newer jeep 4 cyl so that you have an external slave cylinder. the trans is 21 spline, so you'll want an np242 from an '87-90 4.0/auto cherokee. but you will then NEED a '93 or newer ax5, as the ax5 from that year on uses a short input...and all aw4's are short input. that, or you can put an ax15 5 speed in from behind a '90 or newer jeep (any model), and use an early 90's dodge dakota ax15 bellhousing. this gives you a better trans for towing with. ok thats good, i've got a friend who welds on base for a living so he can help out with perches. the AX15 sounds tempting in case i ever want to swap in the 4.0L in the future. is it gonna do better for the 4 banger than the AX5, the bellhousing shouldnt be hard to get. if i get the AX15 i'd still need the 242 from the 87-90 4.0 auto cherokees? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 That bellhousing is kinda hard to find since they didn't make a lot of them with a 2.5l and 5spd. Also iirc the ax15 is taller geared so you would really want to regear. If it were me I would find a 4cyl 5spd xj and get the ax5 and leave the 231 hooked to it,its not worth the effort to do a 242 swap unless you need the full time option because other then not having full time the 231 is the better case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche_Fanatic Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 That bellhousing is kinda hard to find since they didn't make a lot of them with a 2.5l and 5spd. Also iirc the ax15 is taller geared so you would really want to regear. If it were me I would find a 4cyl 5spd xj and get the ax5 and leave the 231 hooked to it,its not worth the effort to do a 242 swap unless you need the full time option because other then not having full time the 231 is the better case. alright then, i guess i'd go with the 231 and keep the axle choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now