Hi all, new to the forum but I figured an online forum would simply the best place to get this question answered. I have an ‘87 XJ with a 242 transfer case that had a disagreement with a boulder in a river and has a giant hole in it (no bueno). However, I have a 231 out of a later model XJ (mid-90s) that I can rebuild and put in (bueno). I know the 231 is the Chad transfer case but, since I live in the Midwest and most of my drive time is on the slick streets of Milwaukee, I’d like to keep the part-time functionality for the sake of drivability. I’m planning on building the t-case from scratch anyway so my question is would I run into any issues essentially building a 242 in a 231 case? Would all the 242 bits fit and function in the stripped out shell of a 231 or are there differences in internal measurements and such that make it incompatible? They look pretty similar but I would rather get some advice than pay for two rebuild kits. Thanks!

Since I’m new here, here’s a picture of the “Heep” for your viewing pleasure. The rattle can paint job happened before my time so no flexes will be found here.

 

If I was you, I would purchase a used 242 from a junkyard Cherokee and use that.

My spare cost $75 (same year '96)..another fellow wanted $120 for one that "needed a rebuild"..I offered him $30, which he declined

(they were local XJ owners who were getting out of XJs, and wrecking or selling off parts)

 

The np231 is a only has part time 4x4, and 2wd, the np242 has full time 4x4 that can be used on the street. However in slick conditions there is no problem with using the np231 part time 4x4 on the street. My vote would be to install the np231 that your have.

 

I agree with 00t444e, but I will say that once you experience a 242, a 231 is a letdown. Install the 231, then you can decide later if you want to redo the 242.

 

Except the 231 he has is the wrong spline count.

 

If I was still driving the streets of Milwaukee, I'd be more worried about getting hit by a stolen car than anything else.