I just bought my first ZJ, 1998 ZJ limited 5.2L, I think I got a good deal, its got 77,000 miles picked it for $2500, Of course its not going to stay stock for long, I have a long arm kit for it and gears but I dont want to do the mods until I have all my ducks in a row. Is there is a swap for the t-case in my ZJ? is my stock case good enough? I'm not fond of only having 4xhi and 4xlow. whats the best bang for the buck on a replacement. I'm not going any bigger than 35" tires.

I just bought my first ZJ, 1998 ZJ limited 5.2L, I think I got a good deal, its got 77,000 miles picked it for $2500, Of course its not going to stay stock for long, I have a long arm kit for it and gears but I dont want to do the mods until I have all my ducks in a row. Is there is a swap for the t-case in my ZJ? is my stock case good enough? I'm not fond of only having 4xhi and 4xlow. whats the best bang for the buck on a replacement. I'm not going any bigger than 35" tires.
Use the search feature......you are askin in the wrong section btw

I just bought my first ZJ, 1998 ZJ limited 5.2L, I think I got a good deal, its got 77,000 miles picked it for $2500, Of course its not going to stay stock for long, I have a long arm kit for it and gears but I dont want to do the mods until I have all my ducks in a row. Is there is a swap for the t-case in my ZJ? is my stock case good enough? I'm not fond of only having 4xhi and 4xlow. whats the best bang for the buck on a replacement. I'm not going any bigger than 35" tires.

98 fulltime = 249 t-case it's strong enough for 35's . If you upgrade a 231 with sye ,but for stock axles/35's and moderate wheeling keep the 249 instead of wasting coin on a tc swap you don't need yet ...


Wait a minute this not the newbie section :flipoff2:

Use the search feature......you are askin in the wrong section btw

I did use the search feature, didnt find what I was looking for, Also I didn't think this was't a hard core question. :D

I did find my answer on another site. http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/transfer-case-swap-info-np249-np231-np242-685644/

Use the search feature......you are askin in the wrong section btw

I did use the search feature, didnt find what I was looking for, Also I didn't think this was't a hard core question. :D

I did find my answer on another site. http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/transfer-case-swap-info-np249-np231-np242-685644/

Thanks Blue! way to help a newby out :flipoff2:

98 fulltime = 249 t-case it's strong enough for 35's . If you upgrade a 231 with sye ,but for stock axles/35's and moderate wheeling keep the 249 instead of wasting coin on a tc swap you don't need yet ...


Wait a minute this not the newbie section :flipoff2:

if you look up the ratings on the NV/NP website, the 249 will hold up to just about force as the 231, and way more than the 242.

if you look up the ratings on the NV/NP website, the 249 will hold up to just about force as the 231, and way more than the 242.

Good luck finding a sye or a fixed yoke that will work for it tho. The 231 has so many more aftermarket parts and hd parts available for it also. You can make the 231 much stronger and more efficient for under $500. Not too bad for building a t-case of ya ask me.

Good luck finding a sye or a fixed yoke that will work for it tho. The 231 has so many more aftermarket parts and hd parts available for it also. You can make the 231 much stronger and more efficient for under $500. Not too bad for building a t-case of ya ask me.

I do agree with ya on this. The 249s week point is the diff. You can't fully lock it, witch = loss of power to the ground. Its kinda like compareing a detroit locker to a limmited slip thats worn out. I plan on a 231 swap. I'll actully get more out of it than the 249. fuel milege, power to the ground and like you said more aftermarket parts. I've spent well over $500 on np 205/203.

I believe you can take the input shaft out of the 249 and put it into a 231 and it will work for you. It would be easier to get a shifter bezel if you swapped in a 242, but I wouldn't suggest swapping in a 242 unless the most it will see is moderate wheeling.

Good luck finding a sye or a fixed yoke that will work for it tho. The 231 has so many more aftermarket parts and hd parts available for it also. You can make the 231 much stronger and more efficient for under $500. Not too bad for building a t-case of ya ask me.

this is true, and it is for that reason that i did a 231 swap from in the zj, i was planing on building it up.

I was wrong about the diff comment. I was thinking of the np242. oops!:shaking:

I've been doing alot of reading they all have pros and cons. I don't need a sye I'm only going to lift it 5.5 max. with the long wheel base I dont think I'll need it. I think I'm going to swap for the 231, but not in any hurry to do it.

if you look up the ratings on the NV/NP website, the 249 will hold up to just about force as the 231, and way more than the 242.

Yep I'm aware of the torque specs on both cases .

jeeprover wrote-
"The 249s week point is the diff. You can't fully lock it, witch = loss of power to the ground"

the 98 249 is fully locked in lo range and bypasses the viscous coupler


The 231 is an upgrade because it has a few more options in after market and it can be upgraded using chevy 231 chain ,and you hve the option of shifting out of 4wd ...However if you're going to dump the coin on good sye/l 4-1 kit/beef up from 3 planetaries to 6 and go from 1-inch chain-1-1/4 ...just buy an atlas .

I don't need a sye I'm only going to lift it 5.5 max. with the long wheel base I dont think I'll need it. I think I'm going to swap for the 231, but not in any hurry to do it.

Good luck with that.:D
Are you just going to use tcase drop blocks. I used them on my 231 when I built my first rig and I used a stock rear drive line with a slip yoke on it. After a few trips on it I blew the tail shaft to pieces and bent the drive line.
Not saying its a horrible idea if you just doing mild trails. you will also loose an inch of ground clearance.
The slip yoke is IMO the weakest part on the rear driveline and is fairly inexpensive to change to a fixed yoke and DC shaft.

Blue, I wish I had the coin for the Atlas!
Then I wouldn't be posting this Thread. I've had the 231 in a mildly built 98 xj and it preformed well, never had the 241, but I'm not real impressed with how the 249 binds up on pavment. I'll stick with the 249 till I get all the mods done then swap in a built 231. I'll have to start digging around in Socal to see what I can dig up. Does anyone know of any jy or shops in the SD area were I can find a used 231.

My first lift on my first jeep a v8 95 ZJ was an RE 4.5 superflex with 2inch tereflex puck for 6.5 I had no issues without an sye on the 249.

fuck this thread... lick my asshole...

fuck this thread... lick my asshole...

WOW! So thats how they like it in Grand Junk. :flipoff2:

WOW! So thats how they like it in Grand Junk. :flipoff2:

welcome to pirate:flipoff2: