1976gmc20

I tested out the "flex" on our stock XJ by turning the wrong way at a road Y on our property, having to jump up a ~12-14" vertical bank at about a 45 degree angle.


It wouldn't do it (wheel spin) in FT so I switched to PT and it went right up and over. So apparently the limited slip in the transfer case isn't so limited.


Does that sound normal to y'all ?


This was mostly for education. We're both sick so drove instead of walked down into the coulee to open the drain valve for the horse trough water supply hose (it's still freezing at night, here). I could have just driven up into the parking area and turned around and took it the easier way, but what fun is that?

dmill89

Limited slip? I thought the NP242 was an open-diff when in 4FT that is locked in 4PT and 4LO. In which case your wheel spin in 4FT would be completely normal.

1976gmc20

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_fo...ems#Selec-Trac


Now I am confused ... I though the NP242 had the "viscous-type coupler" but maybe that was only the NP229 ???


I was driving on some pretty muddy roads a few days ago in FT and experienced no problems whatsoever.

SteveMongr

The 242 uses a mechanical differential. Sun gear and planetary, I believe.

1976gmc20

Okay, well somehow I had got the idea that it was limited slip


Even so, the jeep did great in FT when we had the rain last week, but that was on what passes for a "road" in our neighborhood, and there was no twist in the terrain between the front and rear axles. I'm sure that it would not have made it in 2wd (or at least would have been spinning and sliding) as the mud was very sloppy and greasy.


Anyway, it's normally my practice to use 4-low on any kind of rough or off-road situation, because it makes it easier on the vehicle and passengers. Our wild land VFD has a policy of always using low range when off of maintained road or driveway due to the fact that other departments have burned up transmissions on brand new trucks while creeping with such heavy loads (200-500 gallons of water +++).


But this was just a quick jump up and over what was essentially a very high dirt curb, so I thought that I would see what she would do. A couple years ago I had our driveway graded out for better drainage and in the process left this jump up onto the two-track that then goes down into the coulee. If you approach from the house side it's not too bad (but impassible for a little car) but making ~120 degree turn it's pretty rough. Some day maybe I will hire a dozer to push all that material down to where it will make the lower part of the hill less steep, but then why spoil the fun?

cruiser54

NP229 had a viscous coupling as a limited slip as did the NP219 in the early AMC Eagles.

So nice!!