96 XJ Classic...

[YeaItsSlo]

i just picked up a 96 XJ classic for $1000 92k miles.. i got it with some 4wd problems.. the jeep runs and drives amazing! just not in 4wd.. when i put it into 4wd there seems to be alot of drag and if i turn the wheel it binds up ALOT and hops and squeeks all over the place.. Do i need a new transfer case? the jeep is 100% stock.. and its 5 speed.. Thanks in advance!

[RenegadeStang]

Have you checked the fluid in that TC? Is it low? Does it have metal in it?

[YeaItsSlo]

Have you checked the fluid in that TC? Is it low? Does it have metal in it?

i plan on checking the fluid either tonight or tomarrow.. it was to dark/late last night to mess around with it.. I rember reading somewhere about how the front axle can partially lock up from sitting for a while.. what problem would that cause?

[goodburbon]

DO NOT OPERATE PART TIME 4WD ON THE PAVEMENT!
Operate it off road, there is no slippage from front to rear when part time is engaged and the the stress has to be relieved somehow i.e. tires slipping in dirt.

[90xj06]

yes, that is from no way to slip on pavement.

[scoobyxj]

i plan on checking the fluid either tonight or tomarrow.. it was to dark/late last night to mess around with it.. I rember reading somewhere about how the front axle can partially lock up from sitting for a while.. what problem would that cause? Won't happen on a non disconect axle. Everything is still turning in there even in 4x2. A 96 is non disconect, and ditto on what goodburbon said. Even on wet pavement it will act funny if you try to turn sharply in 4x4.

[Matthew Currie]

If you're testing on pavement and it binds and pulsates, that's certainly normal. If you're testing on dirt and it actually binds, hops and squeaks, the first thing I'd look at is the front axle universal joints. I doubt very much if there's a problem with the transfer case.

[YeaItsSlo]

i thought part time (2nd one down from the top) was okay to us on drive pavement and low (3rd one down from the top) wasnt good for use on dry pavement? anyways.. im going to look at the joints tonight.. is that a common thing? how much to replace and is there an upgrade i can get? another thing i noticed is the dash doesnt say when its engaged.. what could be wrong with that?

[YeaItsSlo]

delete please.

[YeaItsSlo]

delete please.

[Jay Welch]

Full time means you can use it on any road surface condition .....dry or wet.

Part time means you can only use it if the surface is loose gravel, sand snow etc.

[YeaItsSlo]

Full time means you can use it on any road surface condition .....dry or wet.

Part time means you can only use it if the surface is loose gravel, sand snow etc.


ok.. so if you're looking at the selector.. (top to bottom) 2wd, 4wd full time, and then 4wd part time (which is low as well?) in 4wd full time on dry pavement, turning the wheel a little bit makes the whole jeep bind and hop and make's a werid noise as well.. did i clear it up better?

[Jay Welch]

Part time and full time are both high.....as far as I know. I've only owned part time XJs.

Someone with more transfer case knowledge will need to chime in to be sure what you're in when selecting the low range.

[goodburbon]

There are 2 different t-cases available for xj

one has 4 selections the NP 231
2 hi
4 hi part time
neutral
4 low

the other has 5 The NP 242
2 hi
4 hi part time
4 hi full time
neutral
4 low

the only 4wd acceptable for use on the pavement is the "full time 4wd"

Your light is burnt out or the switch on the t-case is faulty, your four wheel drive is obviously working, hence the jumping and surging, this does not indicate a problem with your transfer case.

There will be a noticeable ammount of bind in any of the 4wd modes, but the part time modes will cause surging and jumping on any dry surface with the exceptions of loose dirt and sand.


if you have the NP 231 do not use 4wd except when offroad. There are upgrade joints available, Spicer P/N 760X but you will not be able to find these at the major parts houses (autozone, Oreilly, Pep Boys etc.) and should find a local 4x4 shop or spicer retailer.

[YeaItsSlo]

There are 2 different t-cases available for xj

one has 4 selections the NP 231
2 hi
4 hi part time
neutral
4 low

the other has 5 The NP 242
2 hi
4 hi part time
4 hi full time
neutral
4 low

the only 4wd acceptable for use on the pavement is the "full time 4wd"

Your light is burnt out or the switch on the t-case is faulty, your four wheel drive is obviously working, hence the jumping and surging, this does not indicate a problem with your transfer case.

There will be a noticeable ammount of bind in any of the 4wd modes, but the part time modes will cause surging and jumping on any dry surface with the exceptions of loose dirt and sand.


if you have the NP 231 do not use 4wd except when offroad. There are upgrade joints available, Spicer P/N 760X but you will not be able to find these at the major parts houses (autozone, Oreilly, Pep Boys etc.) and should find a local 4x4 shop or spicer retailer.


I have the np231... So you're telling me its NORMAL to have the jeep move around, squell and bind up on dry pavement in 4wd hi? I've ridden in other 4wd's and i've never felt it bind up like this before.. im afraid to take it off road to see if its in fine in dirt cause i dont want somthing to break.. Even going straight theres resistance.. just dont know whats acceptible and whats not..

[goodburbon]

the dirt slips, the road does not, when you turn a corner the arc that the front wheels follow is longer than that of the rear wheels, therefore the front wheels need to spin faster, which a part time case will not allow. The result is binding, surging and hopping.

go offroad and try it. It's what it was meant for. If nothing broke on the pavement, you'll be fine in the dirt.

[Eddie G.]

I have the np231...

Classic should have NP242 in it, not 231. And yours is most probably manufactured in the later part of 96 (the first batch of Classics were made in the late 96).

You're most probably driving it in 4WD Part Time. Put it in the first notch from top (4WD Full Time) and see if it hops. There should be a sticker on the driver side sun visor that tells you what each of them are for.

If it hops in 4WD Full Time, make sure you don't have any full lockers up front.

[YeaItsSlo]

Classic should have NP242 in it, not 231. And yours is most probably manufactured in the later part of 96 (the first batch of Classics were made in the late 96).

You're most probably driving it in 4WD Part Time. Put it in the first notch from top (4WD Full Time) and see if it hops. There should be a sticker on the driver side sun visor that tells you what each of them are for.

If it hops in 4WD Full Time, make sure you don't have any full lockers up front.


the only choices are 2wd, 4wd high, N, and 4 wheel low.. so according to what someone said that makes it the NP 231? and it is hoping in 4wd high.. the first one down from 2wd.. and the jeep was made in 9/96 according to the door.. is my front diff locked? they are controled by vacum right?

[Eddie G.]

the only choices are 2wd, 4wd high, N, and 4 wheel low.. so according to what someone said that makes it the NP 231? and it is hoping in 4wd high.. the first one down from 2wd.. and the jeep was made in 9/96 according to the door.. is my front diff locked? they are controled by vacum right?

Well, if you're doing a lift later, you're better off with 231 anyways (to put slip yoke elminator and possibly bigger chain in it). So you got lucky there. Go to the parts counter at dealer with your VIN number and ask for a "build sheet" on your XJ. Then you know what stuff were originally installed on it.

For what you've described sounds like you don't have any problems there. When you put it in 4WD the front wants to go straight, so the XJ doesn't like to make turns and gets jumpy when you force it to go faster than a crawl or slow walk on turns. No vacuum disco on the 96. Front drive shaft free rotates in 2WD.

[YeaItsSlo]

Well, if you're doing a lift later, you're better off with 231 anyways (to put slip yoke elminator and possibly bigger chain in it). So you got lucky there. Go to the parts counter at dealer with your VIN number and ask for a "build sheet" on your XJ. Then you know what stuff were originally installed on it.

For what you've described sounds like you don't have any problems there. When you put it in 4WD the front wants to go straight, so the XJ doesn't like to make turns and gets jumpy when you force it to go faster than a crawl or slow walk on turns. No vacuum disco on the 96. Front drive shaft free rotates in 2WD.


it really really doesnt feel normal/right.. i guess it could be.. but i seriously doubt it should be as rough and as resistant as it is.. even if i roll the jeep straight in 4wd high it feels like somthing is dragging..

[Eddie G.]

XJ in 4WD part time does not drive like your Subaru AWD vehicle does. It drags because now you're driving the front wheels thru a series of chain and gears in addition to driving the rear wheels.

If you're still in doubt, go to your local dealership and test drive their XJ or TJ in 4WD and compare.

[YeaItsSlo]

XJ in 4WD part time does not drive like your Subaru AWD vehicle does. It drags because now you're driving the front wheels thru a series of chain and gears in addition to driving the rear wheels.

If you're still in doubt, go to your local dealership and test drive their XJ or TJ in 4WD and compare.



getting hung up in 4wd is normal too right? i know i've heard about that.. where coming outta 4wd is a little big of a pain in the ass?



if its normal then i got this jeep for a steal cause me and the guy that i bought it from both though somthing was wrong with the 4wd cause of how bad it hoped and squeeked even when the wheel was turned a little bit...

[Eddie G.]

getting hung up in 4wd is normal too right? i know i've heard about that.. where coming outta 4wd is a little big of a pain in the ass?



There is a reason Novak makes a shifter for it!!!! :) Yes, but you may be able to adjust your shifter from underneath the vehicle to hang up a bit less. $1000 is a good deal, even if the tcase was blown. One guy whose XJ I was test driving did not know how to bring it back from 4WD LO. I showed him how (dumb me) and he sold it to somebody else who had first thought it was not working. :(

[YeaItsSlo]

There is a reason Novak makes a shifter for it!!!! :) Yes, but you may be able to adjust your shifter from underneath the vehicle to hang up a bit less. $1000 is a good deal, even if the tcase was blown. One guy whose XJ I was test driving did not know how to bring it back from 4WD LO. I showed him how (dumb me) and he sold it to somebody else who had first thought it was not working. :(


i cant wait to lift this thing and go play in the mud! acutally a winch might be the first mod.. i dont know what first mod's are for jeeps.. but im thinkin winch so when i do get stuck i can pull myself out :)

[YeaItsSlo]

do you think the lever being outta adjustment can cause the lights to not come on?

[goodburbon]

The easiest way to shift out of 4wd high is to be rolling on a dirt or gravel road at about 10mph and shift the tranny to neutral, then shift the t-case to 2 hi. pop it back in drive and go.

[DenLip]

getting hung up in 4wd is normal too right? i know i've heard about that.. where coming outta 4wd is a little big of a pain in the ass?

if its normal then i got this jeep for a steal cause me and the guy that i bought it from both though somthing was wrong with the 4wd cause of how bad it hoped and squeeked even when the wheel was turned a little bit...

You got it for a steal! A guy here at work just bought a really crappy base-model 96' SE... with 140k.... for $2100! (Talked him down from $2500).

What condition are the tires in? If they'e worn unevenly... poorly inflated... or, worse, are mismatched brands or sizes... the 4wd will be very ornery.

A "tight" feel on pavement is normal in 4hi. The only time it should be in 4hi on pavement is during a snowstorm!

Den

[Eddie G.]

do you think the lever being outta adjustment can cause the lights to not come on?

The only light that should come on is the orange Part Time light on the dash. If it doesn't, then check the bulb first. There is also a sender on the 231 that sends that signal to the light.

[YeaItsSlo]

The only light that should come on is the orange Part Time light on the dash. If it doesn't, then check the bulb first. There is also a sender on the 231 that sends that signal to the light.


ill check that tonight...



Thanks for all the help! turns out i only have 4wd part time.. not the full time 4wd that other's have! (which means i have the np 231) so there is no problem! and i feel like a fool! :)


so i got a mint 1996 jeep for 1000 bucks! will post pics tonight!

[GATMOG]

congrats!!! btw, i was getting confused--i was under the impression that 5spd's only came with 231 anyway?

[PolishX]

Well, if you're doing a lift later, you're better off with 231 anyways (to put slip yoke elminator and possibly bigger chain in it). So you got lucky there.


thats crap there is nothing wrong with the 242 at all the 242 is just as capable as the 231 .... but hell what do I know .... the 242 is in other vehicles that take more abuse than a XJ

[falcon556]

thats crap there is nothing wrong with the 242 at all the 242 is just as capable as the 231 .... but hell what do I know .... the 242 is in other vehicles that take more abuse than a XJ

I agree, the 242 is the TC to have.
I never abuse my XJ like my friend in this picture
http://www.extreme4wheelin.com/images/balloonfest_06/img_1841.htm
Early 90's, 4.0, 242, AW4, 8.8 rear, over 200K miles
Broke all kinds of parts, never any problems with engine, transmission, transfer case.

[PolishX]

not saying 1 is super better than the other , they have different set ups and people like what they have generally but to flat out say the 242 is a bad tcase .... come on now the H1 and the military Hummers i use to run we abused the 242 lots more than I ever will in my XJ

[falcon556]

not saying 1 is super better than the other , they have different set ups and people like what they have generally but to flat out say the 242 is a bad tcase .... come on now the H1 and the military Hummers i use to run we abused the 242 lots more than I ever will in my XJ

I get the impression that some people forgot what the XJ is all about.
It was not built for rock crawling and mud wrestling. It was built to be a multipurpose vehicle that
can go to the supermarket in all kinds of weather and also take the kids to the soccer game.
To be a daily driver and still be capable of taking you hunting out there.
The fact that it can become anything you want it to be, given enough time and money, should not
distract us from the fact that it is a multipurpose vehicle.