Can I Replace Command-Trac w/Selec-Trac?

Sure, that would be an easily accomplished swap. I wish Selectrac were available in Wranglers but their short wheelbase makes that a bit more difficult than for the longer wheelbased XJ.

Jerry

I had it done on a 98 XJ. Purchased a jeep rebuilt tc and had the dealer remove the old one and install the new one. The only other parts you will need are the selectrac bezel indicator (with fulltime icon) and replace the underlying command trac steel guide for the shifting pattern with the selectrac guide. Two small parts.

I ordered the plastic bezel shift indicator, but forgot about the shifting guide. I was able to modify the command trac guide to function as a selectrac shifting guide...not a big job. Had to do some filing.

BTW, the total cost was $1,700. Which was probably less than I would have spent if it was factory installed, because the selectrac option came with so many more options that I didn't need.

Larry Greenwood

I wonder if Jeep gave any consideration to Selec-Trac in the new Unlimited?

-Brian

Good question but it's almost doubtful any possible consideration of that got very far. I asked a few senior Jeep engineers about that a few years ago and they agreed there were two even bigger issues than whether it would fit without causing drivetrain vibrations, as obviously would not happen with the longer-wheelbased Unlimited. They said that Jeep had long-ago decided that having the Selectrac available in a Wrangler would both raise its price too much, placing it into the low-Cherokee price range, and possibly even reduce sales of its higher-profit products like (then) the Cherokee which now would be the Liberty. It's probably that as much as it is 'don't mess with what works'. :)

Jerry

-- Jerry Bransford To email, remove 'me' from my email address N6TAY, PP-ASEL See the Geezer Jeep at

I suppose that is plausible but I can't see too many basing their model decision on the t-case.

that would be like choosing a peach over a hot dog because you like the fuzzy skin.... it would take weeks behind a fridge for that hot dog to develop a nice fuzzy skin.

-Brian

Select trac has a 'full time' setting. This has a center diff so it can be used on dry roads.

Command trac only has part time 4x4 that needs dirt or snow to use.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

pipo wrote:

Bill,

Are you working from the notion that the command trac transfer case is stronger for off road use than the selectrac transfer case? I've heard that mentioned in this group in the past.

But, I'll trade you my np231 for your np242 straight across!

Larry Greenwood

For all-around use, there is no doubt among non-biased knowledgeable Jeepers that the NP242 Selectrac is the preferable choice. It has all of the off-road only part-time modes of the NP231 (which locks the front and rear axles together for more aggressive 4x4 ability), in addition to the full-time 4wd setting so useful in bad weather on the highway. The full-time 4wd setting connects the front and rear axles together via a differential so you can run 4wd on the highway without the problems you'd have with a part-time system that locks the front and rear differentials together.

If some yahoo wants to say the NP-231 is slightly stronger, fine... but the NP-241 doesn't have a history of breaking offroad anyway. Indeed, the National Forest Service, at least in the local Anza-Borrego National Park, uses NP-241 Selectrac-equipped Cherokees for their offroad desert patroling needs.

Jerry

Come on over to Toronto Canada for our August Jeep run up to James Bay and you can meet me and a bunch from here!

You can shift into and out of 4 part and full time and 2 wheel drive at any legal speed.

4 low is for extreme traction and you must be stopped or better moving 2 kph when putting the shifter into it. Top speed in 4 low is about 40 kph or 25 mph and that is in top gear...

I treat my 4x4 part time high just like any other shift. If I see a patch of snow coming, I hit 4 high, see dry coming and hit 2 wd.

The 'part time' is the more aggressive 4x4 mode. It physically locks the front and rear axles together and gives really good/strong control.

This means at least one front and one rear tire are under power unless you have a locker or limited slip which increases the number of powered wheels.

The full time has a diff between front and rear, so in theory you can still end up with only one tire spinning on ice.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

pipo wrote:

I wonder if the conversion would be as easy on my '89 XJ?

My only experience has been with the 98 XJ. Maybe some others on this list can help.

I did work with the parts and service people at the local dealership. What they didn't know they were willing to check on.

Of course, my 98 XJ was all stock with no modifications. Had it been lifted or otherwise modified, the replacement compatibility might have been more difficult to assess.

Assuming no modifications, I think that the key is to check the dealership parts diagrams and see what if the drive lines are the same for either transfer case. If so, it could be a simple change.

The change over was not cheap, as it cost me $1,700 and I could not get any credit for the np231 which I still have. A large part of that cost was for the jeep rebuilt transfer case. I could have gotten a cheaper one, but I didn't want any hassles in case something when wrong. But I don't have any regrets as I plan to keep the jeep for a long time.

Larry Greenwood

Jerry,

How does the NP229 Select-Trac in my Waggy compare to the NP242 ?

Dave Milne, Scotland '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ Sahara