I didn't realize how rare my Cherokee XJ is!
#16
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Northern New Mexico
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Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I see you're in northern NM. A whole bunch of years ago i drove from Santa Fe to Colorado, nice country for wheeling.
I don't buy that 'new' 242 parts are hard to find. Though its probably a challenge finding 242's from a boneyard.
Think of it this way, a 242 TC has the best of both worlds, a part-time option and a full-time option.
My F150 FX4 only has a part-time option.
I'm kicking myself for not getting the 'Auto' full time option for Winter driving on patchy icy/snowy roads.
I see a 2018 Raptor in my future!
I don't buy that 'new' 242 parts are hard to find. Though its probably a challenge finding 242's from a boneyard.
Think of it this way, a 242 TC has the best of both worlds, a part-time option and a full-time option.
My F150 FX4 only has a part-time option.
I'm kicking myself for not getting the 'Auto' full time option for Winter driving on patchy icy/snowy roads.
I see a 2018 Raptor in my future!
#17
Senior Member
I've had my 231-equipped XJ through a couple of winters now and it seems to work well enough. I've found that if there's any snow on the road there's enough slip to keep 4WD engaged without any signs of distress. (If snow is patchy though you have to keep shifting in and out of 4WD on turns depending on conditions, so I can see that the 242 would be better overall for winter driving.)
#18
CF Veteran
Funny isn't it, I've yet to see an XJ with a 231 over here in England. All the ones I've seen have had a 242. Possibly something to do with competing with Land Rover/Range Rover which are both full time 4WD.
Luckily, I'm very happy with 242. For a DD on slippery roads (doesn't have to be ice and snow - mud and rain will do it) I find the 242 really good. The ability to pull out of corners without having to tread on eggshells makes it for me.
For a DD the stock (for the UK) setup of 242 + rear LSD is a great combination, until the clutch packs give out at least. I'm still hopefull I'll get a Tru-Track for mine one day! For hardcore offroading, of course you'd want something very different but honestly there isn't that much opportunity to do proper wheeling in the UK unless you go to a Pay and Play which tend to be pretty small.
Luckily, I'm very happy with 242. For a DD on slippery roads (doesn't have to be ice and snow - mud and rain will do it) I find the 242 really good. The ability to pull out of corners without having to tread on eggshells makes it for me.
For a DD the stock (for the UK) setup of 242 + rear LSD is a great combination, until the clutch packs give out at least. I'm still hopefull I'll get a Tru-Track for mine one day! For hardcore offroading, of course you'd want something very different but honestly there isn't that much opportunity to do proper wheeling in the UK unless you go to a Pay and Play which tend to be pretty small.
#19
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Year: 1994
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I love the 242 in my ZJ. Here in NC its great in the snow and heavy rain. I really like it on the farm though. I can put it in 4 all time and just go. It doesnt tear up the field like 4 part time but it also keeps all 4 wheels turning. I had the 249 before the 242 and didnt care for it. It didnt lock up in 4 low which sucked offroad
#20
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
For a DD the stock (for the UK) setup of 242 + rear LSD is a great combination, until the clutch packs give out at least. I'm still hopefull I'll get a Tru-Track for mine one day! For hardcore offroading, of course you'd want something very different but honestly there isn't that much opportunity to do proper wheeling in the UK unless you go to a Pay and Play which tend to be pretty small.
Last edited by Cane; 05-18-2017 at 06:54 PM.
#22
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 6 cylinder
I have a 8.25 LSD where the clutch pack went out at about 290k miles.
My bad i think, had a unknown leaking rear axle seal and didn't change the fluid for a lot lot longer than i should of.
Its hard to say how the toasted clutch pack acted, just a lot of grinding noise when making turns so i babied it until i got it quickly rebuilt.
#23
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Year: 1994
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I have a 8.25 LSD in my dodge truck and the clutches wore out. Its just like an open diff now. The pack on my D32 in the zj is still good and works well. I like having it and am considering getting a new one for the truck.
#24
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Model: Cherokee
If you learned to drive before abs and learn not to depend on it you don't need it,Or times in the winter in the snow and ice i have seen cars slide right through intersections with the abs pumping you can see it.On a dry road you can threshold braking which is on the edge of a control skid but does work,Its something most road racer type drivers use.
#25
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Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
If you learned to drive before abs and learn not to depend on it you don't need it,Or times in the winter in the snow and ice i have seen cars slide right through intersections with the abs pumping you can see it.On a dry road you can threshold braking which is on the edge of a control skid but does work,Its something most road racer type drivers use.
Note: not all ABS systems are created equally of course. There were some systems back in the day that kinda suck, but they were back in the day and even then the exception to the rule. A person cannot react several times a second to changing traction conditions and instantaneous wheel speeds. Modern ABS systems can. The best ones don't even lock the wheels anymore, they simply modulate line pressure to keep wheel RPM within a set minimum limit relative to vehicle speed, and they do this for each wheel independently. Can you do that, human?
Sidenote: ABS and threshold braking aren't mutually exclusive. You can threshold brake with an ABS-equipped vehicle. It will likely show you how good or bad at threshold braking you actually are though because if you cross that threshold even for an instant, the ABS will activate. If the ABS doesn't activate, then you stayed at the threshold (or were braking too lightly).
Last edited by mschi772; 05-20-2017 at 07:25 AM.
#26
Junior Member
Thread Starter
If you learned to drive before abs and learn not to depend on it you don't need it,Or times in the winter in the snow and ice i have seen cars slide right through intersections with the abs pumping you can see it.On a dry road you can threshold braking which is on the edge of a control skid but does work,Its something most road racer type drivers use.
And yes, when I'm thinking about it, I can out perform an ABS system. Just like great rally drivers have shown, I can threshold brake a car, even one equipped with ABS, and stop it on ice or snow sooner than the ABS system can (when the brake pedal is mashed to the floor and the ABS takes over).
All that said, back in Germany one time, the ABS system in my BMW saved my life. It was winter and the roads were slushy. I pulled into the left lane to pass a car that was going ridiculously slow (he was doing about 20 mph on a highway where 40 mph would have been safe). As I was passing him a car pulled out unexpectedly from a driveway that was hidden by trees right in front of me, turning right into the oncoming lane I was using for passing the slow car. I mashed on the brake and slalomed across back to the right lane just as a I passed the car, just before having a head on with the new car pulling out. The ABS system did its job and allowed me to keep steering and guiding the car - had I skidded straight forward I would have had a head on collision and you wouldn't be reading this.
Those who think ABS is only for average drivers are welcome to their opinion, wrong though it is.
Cheers,
John
#27
CF Veteran
I bought my 1998 Chili Pepper Red Cherokee XJ Classic model back in 2005 ... I didn't even know about the NP242 Transfer Case ... learned I could select full time 4 wheel drive ... even in rainy weather... The combo of ABS and available full time AWD ... and bulletproof inline 6).
... we want a second Cherokee XJ .... (1998 - 2001, Black, NP242, ABS and Cruise Control in a Classic or Limited model ... The difficulty of finding another like ours is making me really appreciate what I have! ....
Best wishes,
John
... we want a second Cherokee XJ .... (1998 - 2001, Black, NP242, ABS and Cruise Control in a Classic or Limited model ... The difficulty of finding another like ours is making me really appreciate what I have! ....
Best wishes,
John
But here's the kicker, mdtobe: just over 3 weeks ago I saw the exact Jeep you're looking for! Black, '99 Limited, ONE OWNER! 144k miles, 242, ABS, leather, heated seats, power everything, cruise control, NO rust, and just under $3k - right here in Fredericksburg VA. I almost threw up when I saw the ad because I had been searching since December, and had reluctantly settled for a 2001 Sport (ugh!) with the 231, the only feature it had that I cared for was 4WD. And that was part-time so ugh! again.
I was out of money now because I had also previously bought a '94 Country 2WD planning to swap the 242 from my '92, then realized it was too much work/money, hence the '01. Then along comes the '99 . Broke as crap, I borrowed the money from a friend and jumped all over it!! So yeah, I currently have 3 XJs (and need to sell 2 to pay back my loan). And yeah, I know exactly where you're coming from. Good luck with your search ... and post up when you find it.
But you can always buy one of mine & I'll throw in my 242 (you pull it!) with only 150xxx miles on it.
BTW, 4WD and AWD are 2 different animals. My DD Dodge has full time AWD with PT 4WD, and you can actually feel the superior stability when I have to switch to 4WD from AWD.
Last edited by _StationWagon_; 05-20-2017 at 10:47 PM.
#28
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
I could be wrong but i think Cane was referring to the clutch pack in a LSD differential.
I have a 8.25 LSD where the clutch pack went out at about 290k miles.
My bad i think, had a unknown leaking rear axle seal and didn't change the fluid for a lot lot longer than i should of.
Its hard to say how the toasted clutch pack acted, just a lot of grinding noise when making turns so i babied it until i got it quickly rebuilt.
I have a 8.25 LSD where the clutch pack went out at about 290k miles.
My bad i think, had a unknown leaking rear axle seal and didn't change the fluid for a lot lot longer than i should of.
Its hard to say how the toasted clutch pack acted, just a lot of grinding noise when making turns so i babied it until i got it quickly rebuilt.
alright cool, at least i know i won't have to throw a bunch of money at it if it were to happen the clutch pack is toast. thanks
#30
Junior Member
Thread Starter
But here's the kicker, mdtobe: just over 3 weeks ago I saw the exact Jeep you're looking for! Black, '99 Limited, ONE OWNER! 144k miles, 242, ABS, leather, heated seats, power everything, cruise control, NO rust, and just under $3k - right here in Fredericksburg VA. I almost threw up when I saw the ad because I had been searching since December, and had reluctantly settled for a 2001 Sport (ugh!) with the 231, the only feature it had that I cared for was 4WD. And that was part-time so ugh! again.
I was out of money now because I had also previously bought a '94 Country 2WD planning to swap the 242 from my '92, then realized it was too much work/money, hence the '01. Then along comes the '99 . Broke as crap, I borrowed the money from a friend and jumped all over it!! So yeah, I currently have 3 XJs (and need to sell 2 to pay back my loan). And yeah, I know exactly where you're coming from. Good luck with your search ... and post up when you find it.
I was out of money now because I had also previously bought a '94 Country 2WD planning to swap the 242 from my '92, then realized it was too much work/money, hence the '01. Then along comes the '99 . Broke as crap, I borrowed the money from a friend and jumped all over it!! So yeah, I currently have 3 XJs (and need to sell 2 to pay back my loan). And yeah, I know exactly where you're coming from. Good luck with your search ... and post up when you find it.
And yes, when (or if) the day comes and I find another Holy Jeep Grail, I'll post about it.
Cheers,
John