part time or full

[jakbob]

whats the difference between part time and full time 4wd? i was just wondering cause i have part time and i wanna know if full time is a step up or down...

 

[bchcky]

full time is just as it says. allows you to use it all the time, i used to have it in my 96 zj in the form of a 249 t-case. it worked well in the snow etc. i have since swapped it out for a 231 case, which does not have full time. at the time of the swap, i had intended to get lockers in the near future, and would have needed the 2wd option, now that has been put on hold. if you ran part time on the road, as opposed to just trying to get un-stuck, you'd have trouble on turns where the outside wheel needs to turn more than the inside wheel etc. full time could be a step up, or a step down, depending on your needs.

 

[jay79cj7]

Part time locks the front and rear driveshafts together so they spin at the same rate. Full time allows the two to rotate at different rates. This is a significant difference because when you turn, all 4 wheels are turning at different rates because they are all on different paths. Because of this, using part time pits the drivetrain against the friction between the wheels and ground. This is fine on loose surfaces like off roading, but on road, especially dry pavement, causes problems. I think there was a good write up on howstuffworks.com.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Full time for you would be going from the 231 tc to the 242 tc. The 242 has a lower torque rating than the 231 but it shouldn't be an issue behind a 2.5L. You may have trouble finding a 242 that'll bolt up to a 2.5L, don't know if they were ever offered behind a 2.5L and if the input shaft from a 231 will interchange.

 

[jakbob]

well wouldnt the transfer case bolt up to the transmission, not the engine? im not sure what type of transmission i got...can't find anything to i.d. it with...

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Yes, I was speaking figuratively, or, uh, typing figuratively. I know very well that a transfer case bolts up to a transmission, but it's still 'behind' a 2.5L.

Your transmission is the AX5, the only 5spd available that year behind the 2.5L (and yes, it bolts up to the engine) .

 

[dingus]

use full time if you're NOT on loose / snowy / muddy / rocky terrain, otherwise you'll damage your jeep

 

[jakbob]

ok so for offroading, full time bad...part time good...

 

[dingus]

well, not to say its BAD for offroading, but not optimal. only would really notice the difference at low speeds while turning.

 

[TwistedCU]

use full time if you're NOT on loose / snowy / muddy / rocky terrain, otherwise you'll damage your jeep

how is that?

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Full time 4wd = no donuts and kitties = no fun.

 

[LGR]

Full time 4wd = no donuts and kitties = no fun.

kitties?

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

how is that?

Otherwise there's no tire slippage to prevent binding in the drivetrain when in part-time 4wd.