codymanche Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 So stock on my 1990 Comanche I have a np231 transfer case. I have a np242 on my 1989 jeep Cherokee donor. Now I posted this before and I don't have it in my threads anymore. How ever I see people with the np242 on here now and trying to figure out if I wanna switch them out. Looking for people's $0.02. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 The 242 is a little weaker then a 231, You also give up quite a bit of ground clearance with the 242. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymanche Posted January 26, 2013 Author Share Posted January 26, 2013 Does it hang lower then the 231? I not sure what you meant by that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 They hang down a lot further. My XJ even had a seperate skid plate just for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexia Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 The 242 is a little weaker then a 231, You also give up quite a bit of ground clearance with the 242. The NP242 is the exactly same strength as the NP231 when they are both in Part-Time 4WD.* The NP242 is only weaker in Full-Time 4WD drive mode. Also, the ground clearance is the same. *Disclaimer: Lots of sources are conflicting on this subject. I just would not recommend using a NP242 in a Comanche due to their payload capacity ability to destroy one while in Full-Time 4WD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 If its the same then why does one hang under the jeep and the other doesnt? The 231 is above the crossmember and the 242 hangs far below it. I have both side by side the 242 is a rock magnet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexia Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 If its the same then why does one hang under the jeep and the other doesnt? The 231 is above the crossmember and the 242 hangs far below it. I have both side by side the 242 is a rock magnet. What vehicles? In a Wrangler, the NP231 is clocked to hang higher up. In a XJ/MJ, the NP231 and NP242 are rotated lower to clear the floor pan. If you were referencing the same vehicle type then something is installed incorrectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flint54 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 RE: "You also give up quite a bit of ground clearance with the 242." That was not the case when I did the swap. My MJ came with a bash plate under the T-case. Whan I swapped from 231 to 242 the bash plate went back on with no issues, and same gap. I gave up zero ground clearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 The 242 in my XJ is stock with the factory skid plate. If they are the same why do 242s use an additional skid plate that 231s didnt get? I'm comparing XJs And MJs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 The 242 case is larger, so it would hang down a bit lower. My 231 skid plate, however, has more than enough clearance to fit a 242. They are the same strength, but the 242 adds a full time 4wd option which is nice for winter driving on snow. 231 does have more aftermarket support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Back when New Process/New Venture Gear published the strength of their transfer cases on-line, the NP231 was rated slightly stronger than the 242. The difference was negligible. A lot of the guys in NAXJA-NAC were running 242s, and I never saw one fail nor did I ever hear of one failing. The 242 does give up a little bit of ground clearance. I wouldn't call it a lot, and I don't think it's enough of a difference to worry about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 231 1885ft lbs max torque 242 1486 ft lbs max torque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 You also have to consider that 242s don't like CAD axles or auto lockers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I run a 242 in my stock height 99 2door 5 speed xj. 3.07 gears, 245/70r16. Just in the last couple weeks, I towed an xj and a kj liberty on a tow dolly without trailer brakes...in full time 4wd the whole way. The Cherokee was 45 miles away, interstate travel and a bunch of stop and go traffic to get to the interstate and from it. The liberty was a bit further, and weighs over 1000lbs more than the xj I used to tow it with. I didn't have a single issue with either one, and the full time was necessary to plant the power to the ground on dry pavement...it also helped for slowing down via downshifting. Was it a bit sketchy? Sure. I couldn't go over 65mph without a bit of trailer sway. But it did the job, and I could not have done it with an np231. I flat out love it for dd duty, tow duty, and envy thing else. Guess I don't see the "weak point " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Its plenty strong for normal use, I didnt mind it at all in my XJ. But then I don't think the OP has a stockish dd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I will run one in all of my jeeps if I find sealed output ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 The 242 in my XJ is stock with the factory skid plate. If they are the same why do 242s use an additional skid plate that 231s didnt get? I'm comparing XJs And MJs. My family's had 3 XJs that had 231s, and came with the additional skid plate. One of them even had a front skid plate. That plate was an option, but had nothing to do with what T-case was in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 You also have to consider that 242s don't like CAD axles or auto lockers. Huh? If you have a cAD front axle, do the mod and eliminate the CAD. Auto lockers have no more or less of an effect on a 242 than a 231. A 242 is just like a 231, except with an option to run full time 4wd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I will run one in all of my jeeps if I find sealed output ones. 6 cylinder ZJs have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Only 96 and newer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Huh? If you have a cAD front axle, do the mod and eliminate the CAD. Auto lockers have no more or less of an effect on a 242 than a 231. A 242 is just like a 231, except with an option to run full time 4wd. I mentioned the cad for those who don't know that you can't have it with a 242. How can full time 4wd work with an autolocker? Lock the front of a Jeep with a 242, go drive around on pavement in full time then tell me how that works out for you. You must run selectables if you want to keep the full time setting and if you give up fulltime there is no point in having a 242. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 My family's had 3 XJs that had 231s, and came with the additional skid plate. One of them even had a front skid plate. That plate was an option, but had nothing to do with what T-case was in it. The one on my 242 seems different then the one for a 231. But then I haven't compared them side by side so you could be right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 The only difference between full time and part time is that full time allows the driveshafts to spin at different speeds. The T-case doesn't care what the rest of the axle is doing... locking the front or rear would have no different effect than with part time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 If you apply power to an axle with an autolocker it will lock. The point of full time is you can use it on the road, you don't want to be driving down the street with your front locker engaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 The only difference between full time and part time is that full time allows the driveshafts to spin at different speeds. The T-case doesn't care what the rest of the axle is doing... locking the front or rear would have no different effect than with part time. Absolutely correct. 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