For me the 242 is a much better option..I can toss it in full time during the winter and when I go hunting I can do the same and not worry as I drive through the pastures and trails and such..One place I hunt to get in and out a gotta drive up a hill then down in a small valley and turn a curve which we dubbed the general lee...long story..anyways in a 2wd truck it can be tough in the winter, with the jeep should be easy as pie..toss in full time and go,..

 

I don't know the differences with wheeling but I know with regular driving I like having the NP242. Last year when heading up to ski it started to snow on the little mountain road we were driving, myself and other cars were all over the place. I popped it into 4wd and on we went, rather nice. I also like having it for my wife if she ever needed to get somewhere in bad weather, I would feel comfortable letting her drive it.

 

Couldn't you do this with the 231 also, or are slick roads not "rough" enough for it to be safe?

 

You need to have longer patches of icy/slick conditions to use the 231 and if you round a curve and need to disengage the 4WD then you may get rearended slowing to go to 2WD. 242 will eliminate the need to worry about having to get back to 2WD.

 

what a great discussion, so if you want to use 4x4 w/o having to switch back and forth the 242 is better, but if you only use it OCCASIONALLY in spots that you can switch back and forth the 231 is stronger?

cool, but the 242 just has more options right, so either way they can BOTH do the same.

 

I'm happy with my 231. I had a 242 in my old hunk of junk, and it was nice on icy roads, but the winters around here are either mild or wild, so the 231 works just fine.

 

Our need for 4X4 is mostly winter weather driving, so ya'll kind of making me wish i had the other transfercase.

 

thanks for all the help guys

 

im just going to hang tight with my np231

 

looks like its a personal opinion...

 

hahaha if it helps when i bought my jeep i didnt even notice it till i got it home and was like WHAT 2 4hi's SWEET

 

The major difference with the NP242 is that in 4WD Fulltime the transfer case is 'differentiated" meaning the outer front wheel can spin faster/slower than the rear without binding. With a 231 you'd feel the vehicle jerks/binds as it turns.

The 231 needs a surface where the tire can slip and not bind, like dirt/snow for example whereas the 242 does not. (in fulltime)

 

yessir

 

The 242 is great in the rain. in 2wd, it's actually 1wd, which can make it difficult to pull out, etc. on slick roads. In fulltime-4, you can just romp on it and everything grabs. I run mine exclussivle in this setting. When I bought it w/ about 130k, the front gears looked brand new, being driven in 2wd in Atlanta it's whole first life (and babied, by the way).

Even in the dry I like the fulltime, because the truck doesn't squat so much when accelleration.

I usally ride trails with this setting. Going into low for big hills or something knarly. Never tried 4hi, but I have a hole I almost got stuck in last time that I might try it on. Probably just get me deep enough to get stuck.

The 242 disconnects the front wheels buy disconnecting the front driver shaft inside the transfer case, so all the driveline parts spin with the

 

I live in the extreme snow environment of dreary Erie, PA. I have always had 4WD, on either Ford Rangers or Toyota Tacomas. Until I got my wife's old XJ, I never really undestood the SelecTrac (242) fill time 4WD thing. Now I realize what it does, and it's actually very cool. With the transfer cases in my Rangers and Tacomas, they were like the 231. Worked great in the slick stuff. But if you got back on dry pavement and forgot to put it back in 2WD beforehand, a lot of tension could build up in the driveline- so much so that it would make qute a clunk when it disengaged from 4WD. (Especially prominent with the Toyotas, but nothing ever broke.) With the 242's full time position, it can remain in 4WD all the time if you so desire poor gas mileage and lots of tire wear. Works better for me as I tend to forget to disengage from 4WD quite a bit, especially because I use it so much during Erie winters- even today, April 7 and it freakin' snows!

-UT-