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I'm trying to find multiple or easy ways to tell if my '76 CJ7 has the part-time conversion kit to 2x4 installed. Or if someone I guess did the cheap route and just installed manual locking hubs to eliminate 4x4 full time.
I'm not too experienced with the emergency drive vacuum actuated 4 wheel drive switch, and the warn manual locking hubs.
How would I start to go about putting it into 4wd first, should I flip the switch and then get out to lock hubs, or vice versa? Is it bad to do one or the other, as well as disengaging? Older style Jeeps are fairly new to me, so I'd like to learn before ruining something I could have prevented.
Thank you!
1979 Jeep CJ7 TH400 Automatic 258 I6 Quadratrac Amc 20 rear & Dana 30 front, 32 x 11.5 x 15 tires. Currently a Complete Custom Rebuild in progress.
Also I own a 2001 Jeep Cherokee, White, all stock with 4.0L. automatic, and police package. Best part of that is it came with leather seats! This package also has the NP242 Transfer Case, 8.25 rear end, and trailer towing package.
if you have the part-time kit, engage the hubs first, then turn the switch in the glove box to emergency drive. You are now in 4 wheel drive. The sticker should have been changed. Emergency Drive is now 4 wheel high, ad the other setting is 2 wheel drive.
To test this: Put you jeep up on 4 jack stands. With the engine running, hubs locked, switch in 2 wheel drive, put it in gear. The front wheels should not move. Now move the switch to 4 wheel drive. All wheels should move. You have the part-time kit.
To test if you have a regular QuadraTrac , do the same test above, but all wheels should move no matter what position the switch is in.
One Note: When I say all wheels should move, you may have to give it some gas to do that. You still have a differential in each axle, at idle only one side may move.
Now the QuadraTrac , This is a full time 4 wheel drive Transfer Case .
(unless you have the part-time kit). There is a small clutch type differential inside that when the switch is in the normal position power will go to the front or back based on need. Need being what axle is slipping the most and needs the most traction. When you engage the emergency drive, you lock this differential and power goes to both axles equally. This should only be done off-road, in snow or mud, etc.
You should also check to see if you have a low range unit. There would be a lever at the front of the driver's seat coming up through the floor. Forward is not engaged and back is engaged. Middle is neutral. If you look under the Jeep you should see the following pictures:
No Low range:
Low Range unit attached: (the gear sticking out the back would not be there)
The QuadraTrac without part-time drive needs a special fluid called TCL-1. When a part-time kit is installed regular Transmission fluid can be used. You also need to check chain wear. Remove the pipe plug on the very bottom of the main part of the Transfer Case . (may have to remove the skid plat to do this which means supporting the Transmission and Transfer Case with a jack) Insert a screwdriver and push the chain up. If there is 1/4 to 1/2 inch of travel the chain is ok. Anything greater than 1/2 inch and the chain needs to be replaced. Very Important! Most people ignore this and then their Transfer Case blows up. There is only one chain to use, a chain made in the USA. There is only one place to buy a USA chain and that is BJ's Off-Road. All other chain are a waste of time made by cheap steal from China. The USA chain should last 20k to 25k miles of hard use.
if you have the part-time kit, engage the hubs first, then turn the switch in the glove box to emergency drive. You are now in 4 wheel drive. The sticker should have been changed. Emergency Drive is now 4 wheel high, ad the other setting is 2 wheel drive.
To test this: Put you jeep up on 4 jack stands. With the engine running, hubs locked, switch in 2 wheel drive, put it in gear. The front wheels should not move. Now move the switch to 4 wheel drive. All wheels should move. You have the part-time kit.
To test if you have a regular QuadraTrac , do the same test above, but all wheels should move no matter what position the switch is in.
One Note: When I say all wheels should move, you may have to give it some gas to do that. You still have a differential in each axle, at idle only one side may move.
Now the QuadraTrac , This is a full time 4 wheel drive Transfer Case .
(unless you have the part-time kit). There is a small clutch type differential inside that when the switch is in the normal position power will go to the front or back based on need. Need being what axle is slipping the most and needs the most traction. When you engage the emergency drive, you lock this differential and power goes to both axles equally. This should only be done off-road, in snow or mud, etc.
You should also check to see if you have a low range unit. There would be a lever at the front of the driver's seat coming up through the floor. Forward is not engaged and back is engaged. Middle is neutral. If you look under the Jeep you should see the following pictures:
No Low range:
Low Range unit attached: (the gear sticking out the back would not be there)
The QuadraTrac without part-time drive needs a special fluid called TCL-1. When a part-time kit is installed regular Transmission fluid can be used. You also need to check chain wear. Remove the pipe plug on the very bottom of the main part of the Transfer Case . (may have to remove the skid plat to do this which means supporting the Transmission and Transfer Case with a jack) Insert a screwdriver and push the chain up. If there is 1/4 to 1/2 inch of travel the chain is ok. Anything greater than 1/2 inch and the chain needs to be replaced. Very Important! Most people ignore this and then their Transfer Case blows up. There is only one chain to use, a chain made in the USA. There is only one place to buy a USA chain and that is BJ's Off-Road. All other chain are a waste of time made by cheap steal from China. The USA chain should last 20k to 25k miles of hard use.
This was REALLY informative. Thank you. I'm going to attempt to see if the kit is installed as well as check the chain in the Transfer Case for the slack. I've got two questions regarding this.
1.) I do have the low range option on the floor, towards the gas would be H, middle N and towards the rear L? It does feel a little wonky and hard to tell what it would be in by the lever though. (it's a tiny lever, and rubs against the body) Should that be all the way forward for everyday use, and then all the way back towards the rear for climbing and what not? And assuming the neutral is for towing?
2.) Also, say the part time conversion kit IS installed, if the switch for the emergency drive was on the 2wd setting, and I had the hubs locked and then drove the vehicle, what would be the outcome of that? As well as vice versa, hubs unlocked, yet the switch in 4wd, would it just not work, or could that damage parts?
Sorry if my questions don't make sense, trying to make them as simple as possible.
Thanks!
'85 CJ-7, 258/4.2L 6cyl. Bought new in 1985. Full cage, Warn 8274 winch, Ford 9" rear, front/rear Detroit Lockers w/4:88 R&P. T-5 tranny and 4:1 t'case. 33X12.50-15 BFG/AT, MSD ign, on board air---
1979 Jeep CJ7 TH400 Automatic 258 I6 Quadratrac Amc 20 rear & Dana 30 front, 32 x 11.5 x 15 tires. Currently a Complete Custom Rebuild in progress.
Also I own a 2001 Jeep Cherokee, White, all stock with 4.0L. automatic, and police package. Best part of that is it came with leather seats! This package also has the NP242 Transfer Case, 8.25 rear end, and trailer towing package.
1979 Jeep CJ7 TH400 Automatic 258 I6 Quadratrac Amc 20 rear & Dana 30 front, 32 x 11.5 x 15 tires. Currently a Complete Custom Rebuild in progress.
Also I own a 2001 Jeep Cherokee, White, all stock with 4.0L. automatic, and police package. Best part of that is it came with leather seats! This package also has the NP242 Transfer Case, 8.25 rear end, and trailer towing package.
This was REALLY informative. Thank you. I'm going to attempt to see if the kit is installed as well as check the chain in the Transfer Case for the slack. I've got two questions regarding this.
1.) I do have the low range option on the floor, towards the gas would be H, middle N and towards the rear L? It does feel a little wonky and hard to tell what it would be in by the lever though. (it's a tiny lever, and rubs against the body) Should that be all the way forward for everyday use, and then all the way back towards the rear for climbing and what not? And assuming the neutral is for towing?
2.) Also, say the part time conversion kit IS installed, if the switch for the emergency drive was on the 2wd setting, and I had the hubs locked and then drove the vehicle, what would be the outcome of that? As well as vice versa, hubs unlocked, yet the switch in 4wd, would it just not work, or could that damage parts?
Sorry if my questions don't make sense, trying to make them as simple as possible.
Thanks!
1) All the way forward for everyday use. That is the low range is not engaged. If you engage it try not to drive over 35 mph. Neutral will allow you to tow with all 4 wheels on the ground just make sure your in 2wd also. You'll need to keep an eye on the heat build up in the Transfer Case . Shouldn't be a problem, at this point the Jeep is like everyday driving.
2)Hubs locked in 2wd is not a big problem, but you have all of the front drive train rotating, just without power. 4wd and hubs not locked is bad. You are trying to put power to the front wheels but they are not engaged. This puts undo stress on the front components.
1979 Jeep CJ7 TH400 Automatic 258 I6 Quadratrac Amc 20 rear & Dana 30 front, 32 x 11.5 x 15 tires. Currently a Complete Custom Rebuild in progress.
Also I own a 2001 Jeep Cherokee, White, all stock with 4.0L. automatic, and police package. Best part of that is it came with leather seats! This package also has the NP242 Transfer Case, 8.25 rear end, and trailer towing package.
1979 Jeep CJ7 TH400 Automatic 258 I6 Quadratrac Amc 20 rear & Dana 30 front, 32 x 11.5 x 15 tires. Currently a Complete Custom Rebuild in progress.
Also I own a 2001 Jeep Cherokee, White, all stock with 4.0L. automatic, and police package. Best part of that is it came with leather seats! This package also has the NP242 Transfer Case, 8.25 rear end, and trailer towing package.
'85 CJ-7, 258/4.2L 6cyl. Bought new in 1985. Full cage, Warn 8274 winch, Ford 9" rear, front/rear Detroit Lockers w/4:88 R&P. T-5 tranny and 4:1 t'case. 33X12.50-15 BFG/AT, MSD ign, on board air---
To the OP - if you're new to these things, there's a lot of inaccurate information out there on the QuadraTrac / GM Turbo 400 combo; so please ask any questions you might have (like you have done so far).
This bad information is written by those who either don't know how to use the QuadraTrac correctly or maintain it correctly or both. Properly used and maintained, this is an excellent setup that's rated for 3/4 ton use.
As I've stated in other QuadraTrac related threads, there are a lot of good driveline setups available to use, this is just one of them.
1979 Jeep CJ7 TH400 Automatic 258 I6 Quadratrac Amc 20 rear & Dana 30 front, 32 x 11.5 x 15 tires. Currently a Complete Custom Rebuild in progress.
Also I own a 2001 Jeep Cherokee, White, all stock with 4.0L. automatic, and police package. Best part of that is it came with leather seats! This package also has the NP242 Transfer Case, 8.25 rear end, and trailer towing package.
