242 doubler?

D

desertjr

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Low Desert
Searching around online I've found a few posts or references about a 242 doubler with irking full time 4x4. However I've never seen a build or link to one...is this possible. I want to have my full time 4wd but having a doubler would also be nice!

Any info or anything?
 
usually people make a doubler and bolt another transfercase to it. So build a 231 doubler and bolt your 242 to the back of it and there you go. All you would really achieve is deeper gearing. not even sure a 242 would stand up to that deep of gearing torque wise.
 
I want the 4wd full time to work, thats priority. I'm up north alot & my other half can't keep the jeep on the road in 2wd honestly, but does fine in her grand with 4wd full time. So I'm swapping to the 242 no matter what..plus it'll be nice for myself as well. awd & a 5speed would be fun at stoplights :cool:
Doubler is wanted cause I have a 5speed but kept shallow gearing since its my daily driver & wanted decent mileage. Its currently 3.55's & 33x10.5's, which is actually better than 3.55 & 31x10.5, both in town & highway, cruising around 70mph +/-. The doubler would give me the deeper gearing while offroad, with on effect on road. The 231 with a 4:1 kit would be sufficient but I NEED 4wd full time, hence why I'm asking if I can double off the 242.

More or less its a camping/fishing/expo style rig. Rubicon & Moab and some JV trails & such like that. & I just want a deeper crawl ratio while still keeping the 4wd full time. I'd like to idle more up stuff vs have to slip the clucth so much. Gearing & tire wise will stay the same unless I go full width & make a trail rig out of it. So my only other option is transfer case gearing. Maybe that better explains it.

Thanks for the help fella's.
 
Do the 242 and a hand throttle. will help off road. you won't confuse the wife with a doubler.
 
I do have a hand throttle but you still have to slip the clutch alot, I've been in other 5speed rigs with 4:1 & probably better gearing for offroading, also 1 with a Atlas. They would idle over alot of stuff that I'd have to slip the clutch or bump the jeep over. So the doubler portion would be for me..she doesn't get to drive unless its on the pavement :P
She needs full time for on road, I wanted the 231 with a 4:1 or a NP241Or case for the gear reduction..the solution for me would be the 242 with a doubler.

I can make it work with just the 242 by slipping the clutch..I mean it'd be no different in 4wd art time or 4lo than my current 231. But I figured I could get a 242/doubler built up over winter & swapped in and have what I actually want.
 
Well the obvious solution is better gears. which you self admitted to not wanting to do.

so either suck it up and run what you have.

or go ahead with the idea you have. you seem pretty set on it.
 
Well its not that I'm against deeper gears but gas mileage will hurt with those. Before with 3.55's & 31's (5speed) I was just under 2000rpm. With these 33x10.5's I'm at 1850 give or take..Weight wise 31's BFG at's are like 42lbs each these are 45 each. I'm getting better mileage in town & highway with the 33's, probably because the rpms are better suited now. If I geared it would help offroad but hurt on road mileage & being a daily driver I don't want that.
Plus I'd rather not build stock axles..I would just up to full widths & then I would still have my doubler when I did that:)

So any info on one out there? Looking to stay around 500-800 if possible. Any advice on doing it? Which case to actually do it with?
 
desertjr said:
Well its not that I'm against deeper gears but gas mileage will hurt with those. Before with 3.55's & 31's (5speed) I was just under 2000rpm. With these 33x10.5's I'm at 1850 give or take..Weight wise 31's BFG at's are like 42lbs each these are 45 each. I'm getting better mileage in town & highway with the 33's, probably because the rpms are better suited now. If I geared it would help offroad but hurt on road mileage & being a daily driver I don't want that.
Plus I'd rather not build stock axles..I would just up to full widths & then I would still have my doubler when I did that:)

So any info on one out there? Looking to stay around 500-800 if possible. Any advice on doing it? Which case to actually do it with?
Click to expand...

Your mistaken on many accounts... And I can say this with confidence because I drive a 4.0/AX15/231/ with 3.55 gears and 33x11.50s. While it is better with 3.55s, the gain is marginal over 3.07s. You should be running a slightly HIGHER rpm with 3.55s than the same tire size as 3.07s. And 70mph, you really want to be in the 2250-2500 rpm range, that is where the 4.0 gets peak performance.

You'll notice that while at a higher RPM, you'll be run less throttle... Example, on 31s and 3.07s highway SUCKED. I'd run 5th gear at full throttle, but couldn't only maintain 2000rps +/-. I got better mileage at 3k rpms in 4th, because I wasn't running wide open.

Gears are your answer. Your mileage will increase. You'll like it offroad, and your clutch will thank you.
 
I came from 3.07s & 31's so I feel ya on the 5th gear and highway..even more so because I cruise at 65mph and no faster. I was at like 1690-1700rpm. With 3.55's & 31's I was around 2100rpm. With 3.55's and 33x10.5's I'm at 1900-1950 steadily & its got plenty of balls.
I'm getting a steady 1mpg over my 31's both in city & highway. I use my gps for speed & distance so I know its dead on. Hand calcualted as well. Cruise is always the same 65-68mph. Now I can't say I won't gain if I go up to 4.10's which would put me at 2150rpm or so but my arb is the 355 & down carrier & I'm happy with the way it is on road. I don't think its worth it for gears because I would need 900 for the arb, 2 gear sets & install kits & labor fees..probably around 2000 dollars all said & done. A doubler would cost me much less & I would have a much better crawl ratio for less pennies spent.

For example. ax15/242/4.10's/33x10.5's. My crawl ratio would be 15.7x/42.5x in 1st & 4Hi/4Lo.
(purely example based..idk what I'd even do a doubler with or what would be best)
With a ax15/231-242 crawl box/3.55's & 33x10.5's. My crawl ratio would be 13.6x/36.8x in 1st & 4Hi/4Lo, and both in 4Lo would be 100.xx.

So the doubler would be better offroad as far as crawling around & idling over stuff. And cost should be around 700 or so.
If you double with a 242 for the full time feature I would assume it needs to be the rear most case?
 
Last edited:
4.10s in that thing and you should be rockin.
 
A 242 has a torque input rating around 1500 ft lbs. So take your first gear ratio, the front doubler ratio and multiply those by the torque a 4.0 makes.


it's probably going to be a mainshaft snapping device if you really beat on it.

I did 3.07s with 31's, 3.55's with 31s, 3.73s with 34s and now 4.56s with 35's.

By far 3.55's with 31's netted me the best mileage, some 4.10s with your 33's is about the same ratio. I'd do 4.10s and a 242 and keep the drivetrain simple.
If you really want to do it then I'd find the 242HD from a dodge. Bigger stuff inside, something like a 2000 ft lb input rating, 32 spline outputs. It's going to be stupid long though and may give you fits trying to get a driveshaft in there.
 
Can't believe it's taken this long, but yes you can do a doubler in front of the 242, using the 231 you already have. Search pirate4x4 for box for rocks I think? I asked the same question, and yes it is doable. I think his kit is around $400, then you'd need to have driveshafts lengthened/shortened. An sye would be mandatory with the length the rear shaft would end up.
 
I commuted hauling heavy tools with 33s 4.10 and an ax15. I regularly got 17 average with bad traffic everyday. Lower gears will help you tremendously and not hurt gas mileage.
 
I think I'll put this on hold till I get more info, but currently at 65 I'm getting around 19-20 highway. Its plausible that'll get better but for me to regear would be around 2000 bucks:(
 
or you can look for factory 4 banger axles that are geared 4.10

For reference I used to get about 24 MPG in my longbed MJ with a topper. That was loaded for wheeling, 4 34" super swampers and camping gear for the whole week in the back. This was 3.73's and 31's on the highway.
 
a 231-242 doubler is possible. but its a recipe for breaking mainshafts.


you're better off teaching your wife how to drive.
 
rockclimber said:
you're better off teaching your wife how to drive.
Click to expand...


It appears so lol.
My issue with regearing is my front ARB cost 1000 dollars. My current ARb is the 3.55 carrier & down. If I geared I would need another 1000 dollar locker..thats the biggest issue I have I guess.

So swap in a 242 & leave it be & probably up gear to 3.73 or 4.10's.
 
desertjr said:
It appears so lol.
My issue with regearing is my front ARB cost 1000 dollars. My current ARb is the 3.55 carrier & down. If I geared I would need another 1000 dollar locker..thats the biggest issue I have I guess.

So swap in a 242 & leave it be & probably up gear to 3.73 or 4.10's.
Click to expand...

oooff.

I feel where you're coming from with that. I know that you could sale it and recoup some of the cost, but I know how it feels not wanting to take the hit on a shiny bit of kit you can't use.

Have you considered a 203 case as the back case with a 231 range box?

That's something that has been done and is a proven strong combo. The 203 is pretty stout, it's also really heavy though, so you'd have to build a crossmember or something to support it or you'll probably snap the tailhousing on the trans.

It's shorter than a 242 as well.

203 info.
http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/howto/47538/

I think it's jeds machining that makes the 203-205 doubler kits, he may be able to help you out on mating a 231 to a 203.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Locker / Posi combo for trail rig
Replies
13
Views
541
Evan03
E
A
6/1996 Fuel pump & Regulator replacement
Replies
2
Views
167
Anak
Anak
jrienzo4
Direction/Feedback Needed
2
Replies
21
Views
568
Evan03
E
A
T-Case Problems?
Replies
7
Views
225
Ol Blue
Ol Blue
1
CV axle OEM bs Chinese eBay design questions.
Replies
0
Views
88
1-tonxj
1
Back
Top