NP242 New Chain install

I just installed a new chain on my NP242 and I am having a bit of an issue with the deflection of the output shaft due to how tight the chain is. I have the second half of the case on, but the output bearing housing is not lining up with the shift rail and the shaft. The new chain is from Crown Automotive, which I've never had problems with their parts in the past, and this specified for the NP242 case.

Am I experiencing the normal frustrations with installing a new chain or should I pull this one back out, or who has a simple way to get a little play out of this new chain?

Due to poor fit and short service life, I will never again buy or use Crown Automotive or Omix-Ada parts. I installed a Crown 242 chain for a local and it was a very tight fit. The T-case made some strange noises for about 500 miles until the chain loosened up. This is a 100% pavement Jeep.

I have read a number of threads about Crown Automotive T-Case chains stretching not long after installation, when used on 4x4 trails.

YMMV.

Closes makes a find replacement chain which I used when I built a 242 for my son's eliminator. Don't have the part number but Google will probably know about it.

I hate spell check. Try Cloyes.

I don't know if it's your particular chain that is causing the issue but somethings I've noticed when working on my late model 242 a few times are:

The output shaft is centered by the tail housing, while the front output shaft is centered by the back case housing. Once the back case housing is in place with rtv and bolted in you can slip the tail housing over the shift fork rod and rear output shaft and just wiggle it into place. If you can't do this then maybe you're right about suspecting a chain issue.

I have anecdotally heard from my companies machinist that to measure these types of morse chains you would hang the chain vertically from one of the sprockets and put the other sprocket hanging at the bottom then measure the length from the center of both sprockets. This might be the way you can determine if the chain is giving you issues, though I don't know where to find the correct length for the chain, maybe call the manufacturer. I personally have had good luck with www.novak-adapt.com for chains and for customer service.

On one of my rebuilds I had a lot of wiggling from the shiftfork rod. When I inspected the larger front case half I noticed there was a crack in the aluminum where the shiftfork rod sits. I used another front housing from a donor that didn't have this problem and it solved my issue of getting stuck in 4wd. Now my shifting is perfect though I have some other chain/bearing noise that I'm not in the mood to diagnose yet. I'll probably just let it run until it gets worse or something bad happens. I'm just a noob learning all this stuff as I go, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Good luck

So after much fighting with this, I did crack the case back open, so the chain was so tight it was actually pulling the shift fork left also, and that was making it difficult to even install the case half, i compared the new chain with a sprocket in it, and it looks like toward the top its fine, but the chain almost looks like it doesn't have the right pitch to the meshing surface, simply because it won't mesh as you get farther from the first contact point. Which seems like it stretched just a hair it would be fine, but how to do that with out being able to drive it around or seal the case...

Chains shouldn't stretch when new. Return it and get a different brand.

Qban said:

Chains shouldn't stretch when new. Return it and get a different brand.

Click to expand...

I agree. Some parts are just bad out of the box. Some brands are just bad altogether! I'll never use a "Standard" brand sensor of any type ever again.

Yeah, I am still waiting on a replacement from 4 Wheel Parts, and if that doesn't work I'll probably contact Novak, I just want this build finished..

I finally have the replacement chain, and its actually a Morse chain so hopefully this one will work.

So it was just the lack of a quality part from Crown Automotive, put the Morse chain in, and it fit like a glove. The case is back together and just needs a refill.

So lesson learned don't buy Crown Automotive parts.

Glad to hear your new chain worked out. How is it holding up?

I wish I'd seen your post before I purchased a Crown Automotive and tried to install it; would've saved me a lot of cussing. I had a three foot pry bar on the main shaft and could not get the output bearing housing on. The thing simply will not go back together.

Do you remember the brand of the new chain? Maybe a part number? Went to 4 wheel parts and didn't see a morse, although I think that is the style of drive chain it is. Was it a BorgWarner Morse TEC? I'd like to get one that fits as I'm tired of fighting with this thing.

Thanks

NP242 chains are dealer 83504575 or Morse HV028 72 link

I bought a Morse chain off eBay from vital_parts. When I compared the new chain to my chain I realized my old one wasn't stretched at all. I will sell/ship it to MN if you want. PM me if interested. It has never been used. I only put the sprockets on it on my bench to compare length of new and used.

rockauto sells Cloyes (Drivetrain - Transfer Case Drive Chain), fit nice and relatively inexpensive