NP242 Transfer Case Swap?

[Rickyd]

NP242 likely will not fit direct your 3550. It likely came off an Automatic trans.

Iffff.... you got 231 that came off of the 3550 then you can use a part from it to set up your 242 to fit the 3550 MAYBE....

1. . count splines.. make sure spline counts match transmission. Older 242/231 etc.. had less splines. no match?? no moving forward.
2. compare years.. or dissasemble and measure bearing.. different years (older newer) have different widht bearing... which effects ability to use part of your 231 to convert 242 to fit an standard transmission. If your 231 and 232 match in bearing width your good move on to the alphabet below.... All above is info spread out inside this thread with better details.


- change out the trans input shaft gear inside the 242 to the longer shoulder one that mates to a standard trans. here you got choices in the A's and B's
A. You can take it out of your 231 and put it in your 242 then sell 231 for parts or
A.2- swap input shafts between them; putting one from 242 inside 231.... then you sell the 231 as a Tcase that setup to mate with an automatic Jeep transmissions.

B.1 buy a used Tcase input shaft for a standard and remove one from 242 /install one bought in its place.
B.2- if you have a 231 this Leave's the 231 intact... which you can sell as one for mating to standard trans like it came off of

if the 231 came off an automatic.... then A's are not an option. B.2.. you sell as one to mate to automatics

All above is also spread out in this thread with greater detail.

You are confused. The 32rh requires a longer input. Not a manual.

At the beginning of the aw4 run they used 21 splines. It is mainly a 4 cyl issue.

Swapping an input from millions of npxxx cases in multiple brands is easy but I doubt he needs one unless it is from the earliest applications. A tape measure will confirm the need

 

[jwilkinson01]

Have you used the awd yet? If so how is it on highway,in the snow,etc?

I like the idea of a 242 and lots of horsepower

It’s not installed yet, it’s been a slow project since I am not worried about snow for a couple months yet

 

[jwilkinson01]

NP242 likely will not fit direct your 3550. It likely came off an Automatic trans.

Iffff.... you got 231 that came off of the 3550 then you can use a part from it to set up your 242 to fit the 3550 MAYBE....

1. . count splines.. make sure spline counts match transmission. Older 242/231 etc.. had less splines. no match?? no moving forward.
2. compare years.. or dissasemble and measure bearing.. different years (older newer) have different widht bearing... which effects ability to use part of your 231 to convert 242 to fit an standard transmission. If your 231 and 232 match in bearing width your good move on to the alphabet below.... All above is info spread out inside this thread with better details.


- change out the trans input shaft gear inside the 242 to the longer shoulder one that mates to a standard trans. here you got choices in the A's and B's
A. You can take it out of your 231 and put it in your 242 then sell 231 for parts or
A.2- swap input shafts between them; putting one from 242 inside 231.... then you sell the 231 as a Tcase that setup to mate with an automatic Jeep transmissions.

B.1 buy a used Tcase input shaft for a standard and remove one from 242 /install one bought in its place.
B.2- if you have a 231 this Leave's the 231 intact... which you can sell as one for mating to standard trans like it came off of

if the 231 came off an automatic.... then A's are not an option. B.2.. you sell as one to mate to automatics

All above is also spread out in this thread with greater detail.

I researched this pretty extensively before I started buying parts. It’s been a long time now so I don’t remember exactly what I found. I have no reason to Believe that my five speed won’t work with the 242. I have a spare 231 plus the 231 in the Jeep, so if I need to, I’ve got plenty of parts. I’d rather not take the damn thing apart again, though

 

[Coachgeo]

You are confused. The 32rh requires a longer input. Not a manual.

At the beginning of the aw4 run they used 21 splines. It is mainly a 4 cyl issue.

Swapping an input from millions of npxxx cases in multiple brands is easy but I doubt he needs one unless it is from the earliest applications. A tape measure will confirm the need

??? maybe I used the wrong wording.. but ???? could have swore this thread and one other all mentioned you had to swap an input gear with different input to fit to manual.. not enough engagement of the splines if you dont. I purchased a "231 247 249 J Jeep Transfer Case 23 Spline 5" Input Gear, Late Style" just for that very reason to fit it in my 242 to mate properly to my Nv3550

 

[jwilkinson01]

Ok you are making me nervous again.

@Rickyd i have my tape measure, what do I need to measure?

 

[Coachgeo]

Ok you are making me nervous again.

@Rickyd i have my tape measure, what do I need to measure?

Pretty sure all 242 from Jeep (not sure on Liberty though) were behind an automatic transmission.

picture is NP231 that came from behind my NV3550. Top left corner to third way down on edge of pic, is a stud to mount Tcase to Trans, tape measure is against splined input we are discussing. I dont know if this is a long, medium or short as discussed here and for several post after.

My 242 off back of an Automatic is dismantled so cant measure but my memory is that it was shorter... what is your's when measured same way (flange of seal retainer? to end of input female).

My assumption has been need to get 242 to match this. I dont know if this is a long, medium or short

 

[jwilkinson01]

Pretty sure all 242 from Jeep (not sure on Liberty though) were behind an automatic transmission.

picture is NP231 that came from behind my NV3550. Top left corner to third way down on edge of pic, is a stud to mount Tcase to Trans, tape measure is against splined input we are discussing. I dont know if this is a long, medium or short as discussed here and for several post after.

My 242 off back of an Automatic is dismantled so cant measure but my memory is that it was shorter... what is your's when measured same way (flange of seal retainer? to end of input female).

My assumption has been need to get 242 to match this. I dont know if this is a long, medium or short

View attachment 553789

Mine is 7/8" on the 242. I swear I read that the 3550 would work with short or long but I can't remember where

 

[Coachgeo]

Mine is 7/8" on the 242. I swear I read that the 3550 would work with short or long but I can't remember where

read that too.. with others stating that little of thread engagement to them sounded like asking for trouble.

 

[jwilkinson01]

read that too.. with others stating that little of thread engagement to them sounded like asking for trouble.

I also read that the 241 had the short input when coupled with the 3550, again, not 100% if that's accurate.

 

[Coachgeo]

I also read that the 241 had the short input when coupled with the 3550, again, not 100% if that's accurate.

intawesting... didnt catch that. Liberty's ??? behind a 4cyl orrr 6? or diesel for that matter?

 

[JP_in_STL]

intawesting... didnt catch that. Liberty's ??? behind a 4cyl orrr 6? or diesel for that matter?

Liberty's in 2005 and 06 had the 242 as the standard transfer case behind the 545rfe and 2.8L Diesel. We had for about 10yrs and 150K. It was a tractor, and unstoppable in the snow. Miss that rig but we outgrew it.

 

[jwilkinson01]

intawesting... didnt catch that. Liberty's ??? behind a 4cyl orrr 6? or diesel for that matter?

I think the only vehicles Jeep used the 241 in were the Rubis

 

[Coachgeo]

Liberty's in 2005 and 06 had the 242 as the standard transfer case behind the 545rfe and 2.8L Diesel. We had for about 10yrs and 150K. It was a tractor, and unstoppable in the snow. Miss that rig but we outgrew it.

thanks for that info. 545rfe is an automatic so that likely had the short input . Good to know. Think they had larger spline output shaft like the HD 242. but smaller spline than other 242 to front driveline. Not sure if either was slip yoke or??? Would be curious if you could mix match parts with one of these to an older 242 and end up with larger 32 spline shafts for both front and rear drive shaft output.

 

[jwilkinson01]

thanks for that info. 545rfe is an automatic so that likely had the short input . Good to know. Think they had larger spline output shaft like the HD 242. but smaller spline than other 242 to front driveline. Not sure if either was slip yoke or??? Would be curious if you could mix match parts with one of these to an older 242 and end up with larger 32 spline shafts for both front and rear drive shaft output.

The Liberty had the 32 spline output and thus will not work with the Tom woods sye which is why I did not look into them much. From what I understand you can swap in a 6 gear planetary from the 242 HD, I have one and it seems to work just spinning the gears by hand

 

[Coachgeo]

The Liberty had the 32 spline output and thus will not work with the Tom woods sye which is why I did not look into them much. From what I understand you can swap in a 6 gear planetary from the 242 HD, I have one and it seems to work just spinning the gears by hand

Isnt the Tom woods SYE a conversion to the heavy duty 32 spline shaft? If so then you dont need the SYE... it probably is already shorter too than other 242 for that matter. Doubt they would put a long one in the tiny Liberty.

BUT. it has the smaller shaft and splines for Front drive shaft output .... same as 231 if I recall right. Other 242 have 32 spline front driveshaft output. If that does not matter to folk???

 

[jwilkinson01]

OK, I think I am sufficiently concerned to the point that I’m going to swap the shaft. I have found no actual examples of the short input shaft working with the 3550 even though plenty of people say it will. I have found one example where a dude with an XJ had a 231J with the short input shaft mated to a 3550 and had severe vibrations that were fixed by switching to the longer input. I don’t want to pull apart my current 231 because I’m still driving on it. I’ll see what my spare case has. I don’t know what it was mated to, I only bought it because I found it super cheap on craigslist and it was a cheap way to get a JB conversions super short SYE. I am going to hang onto the short and put shaft that I take out though because if I ever replace the 3550 with an AX15 I’m not sure which one I’ll need. But right now the case isn’t put together all the way. I will have to break the seal that I did on the front but it’s better to do it now rather than taking the damn thing out and apart later if it doesn’t work.

 

[Coachgeo]

OK, I think I am sufficiently concerned to the point that I’m going to swap the shaft. I have found no actual examples of the short input shaft working with the 3550 even though plenty of people say it will. I have found one example where a dude with an XJ had a 231J with the short input shaft mated to a 3550 and had severe vibrations that were fixed by switching to the longer input. I don’t want to pull apart my current 231 because I’m still driving on it. I’ll see what my spare case has. I don’t know what it was mated to, I only bought it because I found it super cheap on craigslist and it was a cheap way to get a JB conversions super short SYE. I am going to hang onto the short and put shaft that I take out though because if I ever replace the 3550 with an AX15 I’m not sure which one I’ll need. But right now the case isn’t put together all the way. I will have to break the seal that I did on the front but it’s better to do it now rather than taking the damn thing out and apart later if it doesn’t work.

sye is on your 231?

I have a chinesesium sye for 231.. hope to sell 231 and that ... to help cover cost of driveshaft in rear to mate with 242

 

[jwilkinson01]

Isnt the Tom woods SYE a conversion to the heavy duty 32 spline shaft? If so then you dont need the SYE... it probably is already shorter too than other 242 for that matter. Doubt they would put a long one in the tiny Liberty.

BUT. it has the smaller shaft and splines for Front drive shaft output .... same as 231 if I recall right. Other 242 have 32 spline front driveshaft output. If that does not matter to folk???

The Liberty still has a slip yoke and no provision for a speedo gear. I have to run an SYE because my tummy tuck and 2” of lift raises the TC the equivalent of a 5” lift.

 

[Coachgeo]

The Liberty still has a slip yoke and no provision for a speedo gear. I have to run an SYE because my tummy tuck and 2” of lift raises the TC the equivalent of a 5” lift.

hack n tap will do you fine... is what I am doing and so has hundreds of others w/out issue. Get ya on the speedo.... but then again gps speedo are as cheap as 15 bucks or free app on your phone. or an old phone you velcro into it)

 

[jwilkinson01]

sye is on your 231?

I have a chinesesium sye for 231.. hope to sell 231 and that ... to help cover cost of driveshaft in rear to mate with 242

The SYE is still on the spare TC. At the time the JB kits were constantly out of stock, so getting the used one already installed was not only cheaper but really the only option. I just never got around to swapping it because I hadn’t installed the tummy tuck yet so it wasn’t necessary.