sorry to open up an old thread but the major difference is that in 4HI FT on the 242 it is an open diff in the TC. 4HI PT the TC diff is locked like the 231 in 4HI. I have had a vehicle that only had 4HI PT and in a straight line like at a light it was nice when it snows here in Colorado however when I was up in the mountains doing switchbacks on a paved snow covered surface it was not that user friendly. switching out of 4HI to 2HI on a snowy upgrade makes for a hair drive. you can feel the TC bind and you are doing damage when this happens. the 242 is a better option in my opinion if you need the 4wd and not locked. however a TC like the NP219 is a nice choice if you don't ever want 2wd and do not care about milage. the 219 is a 4HI FT, 4HI PT and 4LO only however if the viscous coupler goes out it is locked in 4HI PT. just my 2¢

 

congratulations.

 

LOCKERS LOCKERS LOCKERS no problems ever and your switching on a hill you throw it in nurtral swich on the fly and keep on truckin.. no issues there on any grade..

 

I vote 231

 

threads over a year old. dead thread should be dead.

 

dead dead dead.

 

Which is better for a trailered in trail rig? For a jeep that doesn't touch pavement?

 

231

 

Holy old thread!

 

Yea, I realized that after I posted a response... It's late and I need to go to bed haha.

 

Love my 231. durring the winter I run 2wd most of the time, but if theres fresh snow or its icy I leave it in 4wd.

But, then again in this part of Alaska the roads are 100% ice/snow coverd durring the winters so I doubt I could harm the 231 even if I wanted to.

 

I had a '92 with the 242 and my current '91 has a 231. In this part of Arkansas, it really doesn't snow too much. I DD mine with old logging roads thrown in when I go to work and I like the stronger case that has more aftermarket support. I used to deliver newspapers for our statewide daily and the only times I had to use my 4wd was in bad weather. I used to run a rural route and when it'd storm bad, I'd have muddy backroads with slick hills and the occasional downed tree that I might have to climb over when I didn't carry my chainsaw with me (which I mostly did when it stormed cause I knew that there'd be trees down). If it snowed (out in the country) my 231 was fine.

 

I've been "Jeepin" for about 40 years, and I just got my first Cherokee with a 242. I haven't beat on it yet, but I sure like it for driving in New Yorks winter.

 

Wow old thread!
But i got to add my 2 cents. Having a 242 Tcase is a no-brainer!
My xj is no longer a DD but when it was i used full time 4x4 all the time on patchy ice and/or snowy roads. 4x4 full time is more of a select it and forget it type of convenience on patchy icy roads.

Whether its worth going through all the trouble of swapping the Tcase to a 242 for only the sake of full time 4x4, i myself don't think so.
My old '94 xj had part time 4x4 and it somehow managed to survive patchy icy roads but with some occasional 'white knuckling' along the way.

 

I love reading these ancient history threads. Reminds me of the Dead Sea Scrolls.