? Running a spool up front with a 242...

Running a spool up front with a 242...now before i get jumped, my question refers to a 242 with a d44 front with manual hubs. I have a 97 project rig that i picked up cheap and in great shape. i also have a set of spare diffs: a big bearing hp-d44 front with a yukon full spool and a ford 9" big bearing with a Yukon Grizzly both with 5.13's and have been narrowed to xj specs.
So my question is: if i only have one hub locked can i run in full-time or should i swap t-cases with my 96's 231?

thanks for your help! -B

Also, heres some background on the 97...
it came with a 3" rough country lift, 31" rubber (needs replacing), pwr windows and locks, overhead console, K&N intake tube and filter, d30 front, 8.25 29 spline with disc brake conversion, magnaflow exhaust, deep tinted windows, mint interior, 242, gas tank skid, 142k, citron green for the sweet price of...$600! The fella thought his jeep was hooped and just wanted to dump it. turns out all i had to do was rebuild the nss. I have since added a c-rok steering box brace, warn t-case skid, upgraded wiring, pre runner front bumper, jcr rear bumper, and apn header.
I may just keep this as a daily driver and continue beefing my 96 which has a 231 t-case. still mulling it over.

just keep it out of FT and it won't matter

It won't matter. The only time it might matter is if you're on pavement in full time 4wd with the hubs locked. With the hubs unlocked on pavement it won't matter, off pavement in 4wd it won't matter. Of course, you'll always have the characteristics of a spool, and it will put more stress on the front axle joints. But, if you don't plan to use full time 4wd for normal driving around then it doesn't matter if you have a 242 or a 231.

appreciate the feedback, i 'spose i shoulda said that i get the "stay outta full-time" scenario with the hubs locked, the part i'm not clear on is, if only one hub is locked is it still a no-no to use full-time? If so, then i'll put the 242 to use on where it can use that feature. Thanks. -B

boomhauer said:

appreciate the feedback, i 'spose i shoulda said that i get the "stay outta full-time" scenario with the hubs locked, the part i'm not clear on is, if only one hub is locked is it still a no-no to use full-time? If so, then i'll put the 242 to use on where it can use that feature. Thanks. -B

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Full-time is still a no-no in that scenario. You've still got no slippage, just a dead leg on one side . . .

boomhauer said:

if only one hub is locked is it still a no-no to use full-time?

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Kind of a strange scenario but I think it will be alright. If you lock just one, then turning the other direction will make that wheel the fastest and the front driveshaft will spin up accordingly. Turning the inside direction should still make the one wheel the fastest with power so same scenario, and even if the opposite rear wheel is faster at some point in the arc the power should move to the rear driveshaft. No loss really. It'll probably handle weird but whatever.

However in slippery surfaces (rain, mud, ice, etc) where you want AWD to eliminate breaking surface contact, having one hub unlocked means you'll be giving up the 4th wheel... so you'd lose a bunch of the benefit. OTOH you would lose it with the spool engaged too since the front would be shoving one tire around at all times anyway. So it wouldn't work great there, but neither would PT. You'd probably be best off with 2WD in that scenario.

Loose surfaces like dirt and gravel, you'll be best off with PT and both hubs engaged.

So out of the 3 scenarios you're ahead on the dry pavement, neutral on the other two

Thanks fellas, i appreciate your taking the time to answer. I may just swap in a limited slip and lose the spool. Considering the differentials are sitting in the garage, this would be a good time to learn to set up gears.:cheers: -B

Swap in an autolocker or selctable. all you should have to do is do the carrier preload.

Goatman said:

It won't matter. The only time it might matter is if you're on pavement in full time 4wd with the hubs locked. With the hubs unlocked on pavement it won't matter, off pavement in 4wd it won't matter. Of course, you'll always have the characteristics of a spool, and it will put more stress on the front axle joints. But, if you don't plan to use full time 4wd for normal driving around then it doesn't matter if you have a 242 or a 231.

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I might be wrong, I am somewhat ignorant when it comes to the 242, doesn't it have an open diff between the front and rear driveshafts in fulltime 4wd? I'm fairly certain that if you unlock both hubs and put it in fulltime 4wd you won't go anywhere, because all the torque will go to the inactive front axle.

kastein said:

I might be wrong, I am somewhat ignorant when it comes to the 242, doesn't it have an open diff between the front and rear driveshafts in fulltime 4wd? I'm fairly certain that if you unlock both hubs and put it in fulltime 4wd you won't go anywhere, because all the torque will go to the inactive front axle.

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youre correct.

when i blew a rear DS and drove home with just front wheel drive, in fulltime 4x4 all the power went to the rear output that had nothing connected to it

so from what kastien said that must be why he wants to keep one wheel in or he just happened to be accidently on the right track. either way i vote throw a LSD in there so you still have full time and call it good

I think if you have the 231 right there. Swap it out, because the 242 has some nylon gears that stripe out real easy. plus the 231 is stronger and you would not have think of the nylon gears. For me I would fill a lot more confadent about running a spool up front with the 231.

on the swap make sure spline count is the same, but i'm pretty sure that it is the same.