Cherokee drive train questions

[Brian R]

Does anyone know if Cherokees often came with LSD diffs? Would that be part of the "Quadratrac" system?



How does the Quadratrac system work?



What makes a Quadratrac system Quadratrac besides the transfer case?



How would a non Quadratrac transfer case work with Quadratrac axles?



Are the front hubs special?



Were there any divorced Quadratrac transfer cases?



The point of these questions is that I am considering putting a Mercedes or 4BT in a Cherokee with a divorced transfer. I'd like to end up with lockers or LSD front and back to climb my snowy driveway next winter.

 

[SS]

Brian,



I assume you're talking about the "big" Cherokee or SJ. There's probably a great website somewhere to answer all of your questions, but here's a few notes.



The original Quadra-Trac was a full-time 4 wheel drive Borg-Warner BW-1339 available from 73-79. It was always attached to a Turbo 400 transmission and some of them did not have a low range. I don't know of any divorced Quadra-Trac applications. The problem with using other cases with the Quadra-Trac axles is the offset rear axle. I thought these all had Dana 44 fronts and AMC Model 20 rears (Dana 44 rear may have been possible?). The front axles had no lockout hubs, but aftermarket conversion kits are available. Centered rear axles can also be retrofit from non-Quadra-Trac Cherokees. Hope this helps in your quest.



Steve

 

[Brian R]

Thanks for the info. I actually meant the little Cherokees. Are you saying they did not have Quadratrac?

 

[Jeepthing]

The "little " Cherokee's XJ had three different transfer cases installed . 86-87 new process 207?? 87- 2001 newprocess 231 and 88-2001 as an option new process 242 which has a full time four wheel HI , part ime four wheel HI , two wheel HI , and four wheel LO

 

[Crash_AF]

The little Cherokees had four different transfer cases during their run.



84-86 Command-trac (part time) equipped trucks had the NP-207

84-86 Selec-trac (full time) equipped trucks had the NP-229

87-01 Command-trac - NP231J

87-01 Selec-trac - NP-242



In mid 91, the NP-231J lost the vacuum switches and went to a straight mechanical actuation with a non-disconnect front axle.



If you want any other XJ information, let me know... I've got tons of info on them.



Later,

Joe

 

[SS]

Even more confusion

The only late models to have a "Quadra-trac" are the Grand Cherokees. The previous body style ZJ had a New Venture Gear NV-249 called "Quadra-trac" starting around 1994-95. In 1996 a locking center diff was added, but it was never really suited for hard-core four wheeling among other issues. In 1999 the current body style WJ started using the NV-247 called "Quadra-trac II". When the vehicle is equipped with Vari-lok front and rear axles in addition, the system is called "Quadra-drive". This system does reasonably well in the snow. The axles (and the t/case) use differential axle speed to pump fluid internally and compress a series of clutch discs to engage both axles. Of course, like any clutch driven differential, the torque can be overcome and it may act like an open. There are no divorced models.



My info differs by a year or so from the earlier XJ info, but generally agrees. Best to crawl under it and look at the tag on the rear of the case to make sure.



Steve