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AX-15 + NP-242, Revisited

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Just swapped the my np231 with a np242 on my 99 xj 5 speed ax-15 transmission. It can be done.
 
I ran the ax15 with a 242 for a few years on my first xj when I kerploded my 231. It worked fine, and between the 242 and the lunchbox locker in the rear, I never really noticed anything excessive beyond what I was already used to.
I had a 4.5" lift with 32's and a t-case drop spacer.
I kept that transfer case for about 5 years before I sold the jeep, and drove it all over the country, wheeled the piss out of it, and eventually my transmission stuck in 4th gear, and I could never get it to come out before I just sold the jeep.
I doubt the tcase had as much to do with the failure as much as hundreds of thousands of miles and years of heavy abuse did. Anybody who knew me during the ownership of this poor Jeep knew it was well loved, but treated like a rented mule.
I didn't like the 242 with the 5 speed as much as I did with the aw4 in another jeep, as far as snow driving went. The auto just made it a seamless action, which I had to try too hard to replicate while rowing my own.

YMMV.
 
I run a 242 behind my TDI/nsg370 combo, and before that behind an ax15/4.0 for quite a while too. I wouldn't have it any other way. It's got some shudder under acceleration if you launch it just right, but the additional traction is real.

I put a tom woods HD SYE and zj front output in mine, which means every single component of my 242 is stronger than the 231 that came out. That means I've got 32 spline yokes, previously the weak point of the 242 was the rear output shaft had a neck down for the speedo drive. The 242HD in some WJs has a similar 32 spline output and has a wider chain. These boxes are tough as nails, and that's why the second digit in the model number is a 4 and not a 3.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
 
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