can't find a select track XJ!!!!

[cjb10876]

i have been looking for a cherokee wiht the select track t-case for 3 or 4 months now, but I CAN"T FIND ONE!! well, not one without a bazillion miles that's clapped out. did jeep not bother to install that t-case in many XJ's? if so, why not? was it a very expensive option? should i give up looking? i may end up going wiht a ZJ simply because i want someth9ing wiht full time 4x4. my girlfriend drives an hour back and forth to work, and i don't want her to have to shift in and out of 4x4 constantly this winter, especialy if we get as much snow as last year. So...anybody know where i can find a select track XJ? also, i looked at a very nice ZJ TSi this afternoon. aside from the rims and exterior trim, what did the TSi package include? it is a '97 with 65K they would go down to $9500. sound like a deal?

thanks if anyone can answer my questions,

Chris

 

[Eagle]

Selec-Trac was indeed an option. I ordered my '88 with 5-speed and Selec-Trac wasn't offered with 5-speeds and so I don't know how much it cost. As an option, I doubt you'll find it many of the lower models, but my experience has been that many Laredos and most (if not all) Limiteds have it.

 

[Joe in PA]

I was recently looking for an XJ w/ the select trac and you are right they are hard to find. The sad part is, none of the dealers even knew what I was talking about when I'd call. I did find a couple 98 & 99 and even one 00, but it was in pretty rough shape. They are out there, but I didn't have the time to keep looking. Ended up getting a 01 WJ for the wife. Its a nice ride, but it ain't an XJ.

 

[cjb10876]

i find myself having to explain the whole select track/command track thing to every dealer i go to myself. hell, well over half the dealers i have been to assume when you ask for a cherokee you mean a GRAND cherokee!!! and then when you tell them you want a regular cherokee they look at you with a stupid blank stare like a deer in headlights. I would like a new vehicle soon, but i can get by with my s-10 pick up. i would just like more interior space, and stuff is starting to wear out, but it should hold up.

 

[CaptTrev]

i believe the ZJ Tsi edition was just a fairly pimped out 4.0 I-6 version (opposed to a "limited" being the v8 model)

you could probably get more info on the grand cherokee site

try
www.nagca.com

 

[juicexj24]

I think the TSI GC is the 5.9lt V8? Or not. I don't know. I don't think that is really matters much which t-case you get. You can always swap it out for the NP242 from a junk yard if you can't find one to suit the budget. I have the 242 and think it's great. But it came that way in my 88 Laredo. Most people who have cherokees don't know the difference in t-cases when they bought them, only those who wanted it more than just for a trip on the store with the dog in the back. But that is just me. Juice

 

[Kejtar]

The sad part is, none of the dealers even knew what I was talking about when I'd call.

Why don't you keep things simple and ask for a full time 4wd?

Kejtar

 

[Eagle]

I was just looking for a used Cherokee for a friend last autumn, and I found an '88 Laredo with Selec-Trac for $600. It needed a flex plate transplant and some other work, but when I'm done it's going to be a nice Jeep with about $1300 invested in it (not counting labor).

Why is it that EVERY used XJ I see has had the factory radio cut out of it? All they have to do is remove the plug, but no ... they are all snipped off. PITA.

 

[asatxj]

My 91 has the factory radio (yick, I want a CD!) a NP242 xcase and in a few weeks the rust will all be fixed. Just put in a new motor with 47k on it. They exist !!!! If you want a NP242 'case a neighbor of mine has several, he seems to want top dollar for stuff but its available.

 

[Joe in PA]

Why don't you keep things simple and ask for a full time 4wd?

Kejtar

Cause I can tell ya right now that they would all say the same thing - "Yeah we have full-time 4wd Cherokees". But when you get to the lot, they'd just point to the Cherokees, with no idea what type of 4wd they had. It wasn't the use of select trac vs. command trac that they were having a hard time understanding, but rather that there was even the option of full-time or part-time 4wd in the Cherokee. Some of the folks I talked to, were even Jeep dealerships.

 

[cjb10876]

it's realy amazing how little the people selling cars know about them. found one today, but it was a couple thousand out of my price range. very nice black 2000. to bad, i guess i am gonna have to keep looking.

 

[kevin s]

It's all about price points and consumer/dealer ignorance. When I bought my '90 with selec-trac, they were advertising anti-lock brakes in their national ads. The biggest dealer in town had probably 75 XJs on the lot, and not one of them had selec-trac & anti-locks. At the time the selec-trac was a $300 option on top of the Automatic which was $700. The anti-locks were $1000. The ignorant dealers could sell you an XJ for $1300 less than the knowlegable dealer. Guess who sold more units?

 

[pancake]

Well, I just picked up a 1998 Cherokee Sport (black) with the selec-trac, abs, full power, etc. for only $5,200 plus fees. No accidents (at least major ones) and only a few parts need to be replaced. It has 132k miles, but paint is great and interior looks like it was NEVER used. I feel lucky...and it was some small used dealership.

Just keep looking, they are out there.

 

[mark268]

so is the select trac better then the command trac when it comes to offroad? How can you tell the difference? I have a 87 limited XJ wagoneer. It does have the D44 rear diff if that makes a difference.

 

[CheapXJ]

only benefit of selec-trac:

full time 4wd, can be used on dry pavement for extra traction in snow/rain without risk of damaging the driveline due to bind.

I love my 242s (I just wish the one in the XJ would shift easier )

 

[CHUCKXJPIONEER]

We just purchased an 86 Cherokee XJ Pioneer with Selec-Trac (NP229) I've learned a lot in a few days - ours needs some work because the 4wd won't disengage - other than this - it's in great shape, 135K miles. Info is hard to find on these. Good luck with your adventure!

From what I've been told selec-trac is the way to go over command trac - I believe command trac you may have to stop to switch between 4wd/2wd and you can mess up your TC if you leave command trac in 4wd on dry pavement.

 

[Eagle]

We just purchased an 86 Cherokee XJ Pioneer with Selec-Trac (NP229) I've learned a lot in a few days - ours needs some work because the 4wd won't disengage - other than this - it's in great shape, 135K miles. Info is hard to find on these. Good luck with your adventure!

From what I've been told selec-trac is the way to go over command trac - I believe command trac you may have to stop to switch between 4wd/2wd and you can mess up your TC if you leave command trac in 4wd on dry pavement.

Command-Trac is shift-on-the-fly, but you are correct that it should not be used on dry pavement.

The Selec-Trac transfer case in your '86 is an NP228 or NP229 -- it is very different from the NP242 used as Selec-Trac from 1987 thru 2001.

 

[falcon556]

Command-Trac is shift-on-the-fly, but you are correct that it should not be used on dry pavement.

The Selec-Trac transfer case in your '86 is an NP228 or NP229 -- it is very different from the NP242 used as Selec-Trac from 1987 thru 2001.

Could I replace my command trac TC with a 242 in a '96, or would that be a major undertaking with many modifications needed to make everything fit and work?
I used to have an '87 with select track and liked it.

 

[Atl XJ]

I think the TSI GC is the 5.9lt V8? Or not. I don't know.
Juice

Just for clarification, the 360 was only offered in the 98 5.9 Limiteds. Oh, and the TSI's had V8s, I'm not sure if the V8 was standard or not but I know that some had them.

 

[Al S]

Look for 99 XJ Limited if you want Selec-Trac. Unsure of other model years, but in 99 Selec-Trac seemed to be part of the Limited package. Bought one for my wife in Oct. 2003 and had the same problem with people not knowing which transfer case they had. Found a nice one after several weeks of searching on Autotrader.com