Locker and a 242

[HaleYes]

I'm so friggn' confused......I keep reading and searching and getting more confused! I've got a 96 with an AW4 and a limited slip D35. I would like to lock the front(D30) but don't really want to loose the Full Time 4X4. I can't really afford a selectable locker. Would I be able to use Full Time 4X4 if I put a limited slip in the front? I've been eyeballing the LockRight and the Powertrax non-slip, but I think there basically the same. Only difference is the non-slip is quiter, right? Is going selectable my only option to keep Full Time 4X4?

If I do go with say a LockRight, when I wheel should I be in Full Time or Part Time? What would the difference be between the two with the front locked?

[XJ_ranger]

If I do go with say a LockRight, when I wheel should I be in Full Time or Part Time?

part time

full time allows diferentiation at the t-case... and would hurt your offroad performance...

that is the only question that i can answer...

[explorer]

If you want to maintain the use of full time 4wd, don't get a frt. locker, other than selectable. I am a huge fan of Lockrights or similar, but they are not really compatible w/ high range 4wd use on road. As far as offroad, most here would agree that if your truely in offroad conditions, as opposed to dirt roads/trails, low range is where you should be. In that case the locker will be fine.

[ILLXJ]

If you want to maintain the use of full time 4wd, don't get a frt. locker, other than selectable.
I think the real question is why? It has been posted 100X if you want to keep the FT mode don't get a locker unless it is selectable. I have searched & cannot find the reason. Is it gonna cause the transfer case or front end to come apart? Surely somebody has ran this combo. before tell us what happens. Thanks for any & all info. JIM.

[OverlandXJ]

I run an AW4/242 combo and have LockRite's front and rear.

Most of my 4wd operation is in Part time. But i do occasionally run Fulltime on road. Heavy snow etc. In the event i need Fulltime on road i'v slowed down dramatically and am just looking for extra traction or security.

I do notice with Fulltime engaged occasionally it will want to Plow straight ahead and not want to turn in heavy snow.

I have learned to drive this vehicle and adjust to it's quirks.

[CartsXJ]

The lockright and powertrax no-slip are not limited slips, they are both drop in full-time lockers. They stay locked until theres a differential in tire speed with no torque input from the driveshaft, then they release and allow the wheels/tires to spin at different speeds around a corner. But as soon as you hit the gas, it will lock up. If you want a limited slip in the front, get a trutrac limited slip, its gear driven, will last forever and is perfect for the 242.

In your case the best setup for the money would be to drop a lock-right or no-slip in the rear and a trutrac up front. With the 242 in full-time, you'll feel almost unstoppable, the only thing limiting you would be ground clearance and tires/traction. And the explosive D35 rearend :shhh::spin1:

[HaleYes]

In your case the best setup for the money would be to drop a lock-right or no-slip in the rear and a trutrac up front.

And the explosive D35 rearend :shhh::spin1:

Why would this be the best setup? Just $$ issue or are you saying that with a truetrac limited slip, I will be able to run in FT on the road?

As far as the turdy-five goes....yeah I know. I'm not gonna put any money into it. It is limited slip from the factory and actually hooks up quite well. Thats what will be in the jeep till it does poop out, then an upgrade will be in order. But for now, it works.

[xuv-this]

ok:here's the pandora's box that you're in.you want full time(awd) which makes your vehicle more controllable in bad road conditions. but you want a locker in the front. that will cancel out the handling/control advantage of that feature. is you're rear l.s. stock? i coulda sworn that all full full time jeeps had open all around from the factory. i'm not positive, but pretty sure that a locker used in full time will hurt the t-case in time. i know it will cause it to get hotter...

[Clean Racing]

I agree with Cartsxj... stay away from a "locker" in the front and run a true limited slip... Both TrueTrac and Auburn make them for the D30. This will give you the best performance in the front and still be able to control the steering in slippery conditions. As for the rear leave the tracloc alone and maybe just replace the plates... just my .02$ worth...

[96XJCLASSIC]

I run an AW4/242 combo and have LockRite's front and rear.


Same setup I run. AW4/242, 30/44 LockRite's in both.

I run my jeep in 4 Part time and 4 Low exclusively. I just don't like the idea of a front locker and 4 Full time for some reason. So far this setup has worked excellent.

[CartsXJ]

Why would this be the best setup? Just $$ issue or are you saying that with a truetrac limited slip, I will be able to run in FT on the road?

As far as the turdy-five goes....yeah I know. I'm not gonna put any money into it. It is limited slip from the factory and actually hooks up quite well. Thats what will be in the jeep till it does poop out, then an upgrade will be in order. But for now, it works.


Its a better set-up because it gives you the ability to run full-time no matter the road conditions. If you are still going to run the l/s in the D35, you would have AWD with L/S front and rear. Pretty much the best ice and snow set-up availible. And it really has nothing to do with $$$$, if money was no object and you wanted and could afford the best I would get a set of D44's with detroit electracs. This would give you the option of:
2wd, F-open(hubs), R-L/S
AWD, F-L/S, R-L/S
4wd, F-L/S R-L/S
4wd, F-L/S, R-Locked
4wd, F-Locked, R-Locked

That is if they ever finalize and work out the bugs. If you are looking for more info, just search for a guy with the username NAY. He had a sweet set-up, 8" long-arm lift, Front D44 with tru-tac, then electrac, rear 9" with detroit, 34" trxus all with the 242 t/c and he had rave reviews about its performance in the winter time and I believe he lived in the rockys'.

[PapaPump]

ok:here's the pandora's box that you're in.you want full time(awd) which makes your vehicle more controllable in bad road conditions. but you want a locker in the front. that will cancel out the handling/control advantage of that feature. is you're rear l.s. stock? i coulda sworn that all full full time jeeps had open all around from the factory. i'm not positive, but pretty sure that a locker used in full time will hurt the t-case in time. i know it will cause it to get hotter...

i don't know about cherokee ft setups, but the grand cherokee quadradrive setup is not open all around. they have supposedly progressive locking differentials front and rear and in the xfer case. the np242 models had the lsd optionally.

[xuv-this]

i don't know about cherokee ft setups, but the grand cherokee quadradrive setup is not open all around. they have supposedly progressive locking differentials front and rear and in the xfer case. the np242 models had the lsd optionally.
ok. thanx for settin' me straight.

anybody here have experience driving in ice with lsd's and full-time? if so, how does handle?

[xuv-this]

Its a better set-up because it gives you the ability to run full-time no matter the road conditions. If you are still going to run the l/s in the D35, you would have AWD with L/S front and rear. Pretty much the best ice and snow set-up availible. And it really has nothing to do with $$$$, if money was no object and you wanted and could afford the best I would get a set of D44's with detroit electracs. This would give you the option of:
2wd, F-open(hubs), R-L/S
AWD, F-L/S, R-L/S
4wd, F-L/S R-L/S
4wd, F-L/S, R-Locked
4wd, F-Locked, R-Locked

i swear, with people like you here... if i were to win the lottery it would all be gone to jeep parts in like 2 weeks.... :D :D :D

[HaleYes]

Question #4532169874


Lets say I put the LockRight in the D30 and leave the rear as is. The LockRight will ratchet and allow one side to spin faster when I turn, when I'm not on the gas. The 242 will allow diferentiation between the front and the rear. With that being said, what would the danger of running FT when it's nasty outside? I'm not going to run FT 24-7, just when needed depending on the weather. I would say probably 85% of the time it'll be in 2wd. This is a DD BTW. Keep it comming guys, the muddy water is clearing up a bit!

Thanks,

Haleyes

[CartsXJ]

Question #4532169874


Lets say I put the LockRight in the D30 and leave the rear as is. The LockRight will ratchet and allow one side to spin faster when I turn, when I'm not on the gas. The 242 will allow diferentiation between the front and the rear. With that being said, what would the danger of running FT when it's nasty outside? I'm not going to run FT 24-7, just when needed depending on the weather. I would say probably 85% of the time it'll be in 2wd. This is a DD BTW. Keep it comming guys, the muddy water is clearing up a bit!

Thanks,

Haleyes


It will give you very weird handling issues, plus you run the risk of blowing something up say if you are in full-time and go to turn a corner under power the rear will be fine, L/S, but the front will want to go straight. Doesn't matter how much you have the wheel turned, it will want to go straight. This is why they offer a 2WD Lo option for the 231. Its mainly for the guys who run full-time lockers up front. Now unless you really never plan on using the full-time notch on the 242, pull-it, swap in a 231 and get a front locker.

In all reality you can run pretty much what you want. I dropped in a lock-right in the front of mine for the summer and pulled it as soon as the first snow fell. Had to change the lube anyways. As you can see in the sig, I also have a 242 and with the stock L/S in the 8.25. And in the winter time, the 242, L/S and 33" trxus's, was one of the best winter set-ups I have ever driven. I can only imagine a front L/S would have be that much better.

[xuv-this]

i live in the boonies so when it snows and freezes on the back roads it's usually a couple of days before the dot boys get it cleaned off pretty good. and if i ran full time on this with a locker in front i would probably die. when 1 wheel slips doin say 25mph on ice, the locker will lock. now the wheel that wasn't slipping is now going the same speed as the one that was slipping, and breaks traction. now both front wheels are sliding. because they have no grip, turning the steering wheel does no good. you can try to power steer into and out of it, but you cannot steer it. very scary. if you are doing a reasonable speed and a locked rear, you can recover with proper technique. but this is because the rear doesn't control direction. holy s#it just saw you live in illinois! l.s. the front but for god's sake just don't lock it...:hang:

[PapaPump]

yeah i second that...2 limited slips and fulltime would be pretty good traction and great in pt (locked xfer case). not as great as 3 locked diffs, but pretty damn good and since it is your DD it would be nice to have ft 4wd in the winter. i would like to see the ECTED for the front myself, the elctrac is cool, but look at that diff cover! only issues with the ected is they aren't out yet for the 30/35. that's a big issue.

about running the lsd in the front...can someone tell me: is there potential for enough traction to cause snowplowing, even without full lock? i know the grands had 3 traction-aiding diffs including the front, but the lsd may have a more extreme and less progressive binding action than the gerators.

i am currently running a 231, but would like a 242, simply because it rains like 60% of the year here, and this is my only vehicle. it isn't bad in the rain, but i would like it to be better even. the ultimate plan is to have selectable limited slips front and rear, but i don't want to comprimise snow/sleet driving. is this possible?

[japril]

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one with common sense in this world. Have any of you driven a vehicle with a limited slip in the rear on slippery roads? Whether locked or limited slip powering through a corner will be hairy! A simple solution is to learn how to drive and don't get on the gas until you are going in a straight line.

[egon]

I have TruTracs front and rear with a 242. It is an awesome combo. There is some binding in full time on dry pavement, but not much more then with open diffs. Traction in full time in heavy snow is great. The TruTracs in 4 low do an excellent jobs on the trails too. Best part, they are invisable on the road in 2 high.

Hope this helps.

--Matt

[HaleYes]

The LockRight has arrived! :party: Now, I just got to put it in...:repair:

[explorer]

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one with common sense in this world. Have any of you driven a vehicle with a limited slip in the rear on slippery roads? Whether locked or limited slip powering through a corner will be hairy! A simple solution is to learn how to drive and don't get on the gas until you are going in a straight line.

I must have no common sense. I've driven my SWB Jeep with lockers in both axles, Swampers, and no sway bars in all kinds of inclement weather.

Haleyes, my previous statement was made due to the handling changes when driving the frt. wheels with the locker. In 2wd, you won't feel it, but in 4wd, it will want to pull with any traction difference side to side, full time or part time. I'm not one to worry about it, you can adjust to it. I just choose to run in 2wd on the road regardless of conditions, which with the rr. locker is rarely an issue traction wise. It won't affect the t-case negatively either. I didn't mean to imply that. Good luck and have fun.

Brian

[Motornoggin]

I have Lock Rights and a 242. I always run in 2wd on the street and 4 low on the trail, but in snow, I put it in full time 4wd. Infact, I just used it last weekend to pull a 3k trailer up a mountain gravel road. In 2wd, I could feel the trailer wanting to push the Jeep around corners, so I put it in full time to get the front to pull without it being harsh. Worked great! I also use it in snow to help keep the tires from breaking loose.

[Flyfisher]

I'm also interested in others experience with the 242....real experience, not just conjucture. Because the 242 doesn't have the vacume motor disconnect on the front axle, will a limited slip affect performance...even when in 2wd? I've always thought the only way to go was with selectable lockers...to maintain true "full time 4x4". Maybe a selectable in the rear (D35) and a limited slip in the front will work.

Help is appreciated...as I'm in the same boat.

[GI-John]

Even though this is an old thread I'll reply....

Thanks Newbies for searching first.

I have the 242/ Locked 8.8 rear/Truetrac D30 Front and here are my observations.

During the winter I had my first chance to use FT in the snow...on Icy conditions I basically locked up in FT4WD and "crab-crawled"... IE wherever I pointed the wheels the whole Jeep moved in that direction...

On dry and semi loose gravel/dirt the TT performed flawlessly

On Wheel in the air conditions the TT slipped then grabbed but sometimes I had to apply brake to get it to stay locked.

Overall I'm VERY pleased at the TT and would recommend it to anyone that DD's their Jeep.

John