krelja
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- New Jersey
the thing that scares me about the 242 is I've heard and I can be wrong but if the viscious coupling goes its alot of $$$$$$. maybe even more so than swapping in a 231.
Is the 242 a 'bad' tcase?
- Thread starter condoor
- Start date
Mike1331
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Folsom, CA
I've beat the crap out of both the 242 and 231 in two different cherokees and I can know say I prefer the 242. Still a subjective matter as they are both good cases.
Heb80
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Harrisburg, PA
krelja said:
There isn't a viscious coupling inside a 242.... You're thinking of the 249 perhaps. The 242 (torn apart sitting on my workbench) has a planetary style differential inside of it. Although the differential still works, the teeth that engage it to the main shaft are nearly 1/2 missing.
And yes, if anything, other than a fork or a bearing goes bad inside a 242, its cheaper to just throw in a junkyard T-case... be it another 242 or a 231. I found a 50k mile T-case can be had for around $300. My decision, based on the fact that both of my axles are locked preventing me from using the open differential feature in a 242, was to opt for a 231.
- Location
- NC Sandhills
krelja said:
The 242 doesn't have a viscous coupling (you may be thinking of the ZJ/WJ cases?)... it has a differential between the output shafts that allows front to rear torque shift. This shift is what allows it to be operated on dry pavement in the Full-Time high mode. This mode is similar in operation to an open axle differential. The Part-Time high or low mode locks the front and rear output shafts into a 50/50 bias.
Many junkyards would not distinguish a value between a 231 or a 242... and both are basically interchangeable between XJs of similar year (gather the shifter trim plate and the removable link-rod when you get the donor case)
An older 242 in place of a 231 will not have the vacuum ports to activate a disconnect front axle or light the dash lights. A vacuum equipped 231 in place of a 242 won't have the wire pigtail to light the dash lights. Newer non-disco Jeeps may be plug & play?
My biggest gripes on a 242 (vs a 231)
Lack of a readily-available HD output shaft, 2 low, or lower low range.
Hangs lower... and so do most all the available skid plates.
More expensive (and maybe a bit more complicated) to rebuild.
OT
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Jensen, UT
Big Red
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Roscoe, IL 61073
Yeah the 241 Rock Trak is the way to go, much better than to spend the $ on a 231 doing 4:1 and SYE. You can get one for around $1K slightly used. I got mine for $1,100 on ebay and sold my 231 with SYE on ebay for $500 so it was a nice $600 upgrade on my 91'.
I'll sell my 231 23 spline from my 98' XJ with 130K miles for a 242 23 spline straight up if anyone wants to. We both cover shipping. I had the 242 in a few of my XJ and ZJ and like it for it's full time 4 high mode. I can do this after the 1st of the year, I'm too busy before then with moving and going to Hawaii for a few weeks.
Troy
I'll sell my 231 23 spline from my 98' XJ with 130K miles for a 242 23 spline straight up if anyone wants to. We both cover shipping. I had the 242 in a few of my XJ and ZJ and like it for it's full time 4 high mode. I can do this after the 1st of the year, I'm too busy before then with moving and going to Hawaii for a few weeks.
Troy
