Dumb question I'm sure, but here goes........

501 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:43 pm

Dumb question I'm sure, but here goes........

I looked over my owners manual and it say's I have either selec-trac or command-trac. I bought a used, 03 Sport. I have the 'extra' shifter next to the regular shifter.

How do I determine what I have and while I'm at it, which is the better one?

I'm not a mechanic by no means. I could draw it for you in a heartbeat but haven't done much 'wrench-turning'.

meh_kick · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:52 pm

Command Trac = 2wd/ 4wd HI / N / 4wd LOW in order from the dash toward driver.

Select Trac has 4wd FULL TIME thrown in there somewhere.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:02 pm

Select-trac has full time all the way up

and FYI the nomenclature is full time - you can drive full time - i.e. it's the AWD setting and Part time means you have to be on dirt or snow or you'll get driveline binding.

501 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:25 pm

So it looks like I have command-trac, the shifter is set up like meh_kick has it. SO which is better, or is it just a matter-of-opinion?

Guest · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:35 pm

Depends. The command-trac transfer case is about 15% stronger than the selec-trac case, but both are more than up to the punishment a KJ could ever dish out. I prefer having Selec-trac for winter time street driving, but I live in Minnesota. most people get by fine with command-trac.

KJ04 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:47 pm

501 wrote:

So it looks like I have command-trac, the shifter is set up like meh_kick has it. SO which is better, or is it just a matter-of-opinion?

Select Trac allows you to drive and turn on dry pavement without any binding.

The Command Trac must have a wet or loose surface to turn on or it will bind.

When all else fails, read your owners manual!

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:36 pm

Select Trac is better overall:
- 4 Full Time = works the same as All-wheel drive (can be driven on dry roads at all times of the year).
- 4 Part Time = 4-wheel drive and should only be used during slick conditions
- 4 Lo = No more than 25 mph (this is your hard trail off-roading gear).

OregonRenegade · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 10:19 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

Select-trac has full time all the way up

do you mean in order on the 4wd shift lever?

'cuz mine goes in this order:

2
4 PT
4 FT
N
4 LO

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 10:43 pm

OregonRenegade wrote:

ATXKJ wrote:

Select-trac has full time all the way up

do you mean in order on the 4wd shift lever?

'cuz mine goes in this order:

2
4 PT
4 FT
N
4 LO

yeah that's how mine is. he may have ment with the lever all the way pulled up?

501 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 10:44 pm

Thanks everyone, I kind of thought I had a commad-trac from what I read and saw on the Jeep site, but when I read my owners manual it had both in there and said the 03 came with one or the other so I was confused. Since I always thought 4WD was 4WD, but slowly am learning there is different types of 4WD. As for which is better, I thought I would see what everyone's opinion was on which was better.

I know, I know, opinions are like a$$holes, everyones got one, they differ only so slightly, but some do stink worst than others! :lol:

Thanks again.

C co Crusader 2/127 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:41 am

uh for future reference the "extra" shifter is the transfer case position lever. All it means is that you have 4wd. An command track is better offroad due to stonger case. select track is better on road due to the aboilty to use awd

ryno · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:27 am

C co Crusader 2/127 wrote:

uh for future reference the "extra" shifter is the transfer case position lever. All it means is that you have 4wd. An command track is better offroad due to stonger case. select track is better on road due to the aboilty to use awd

Command-Trac isn't "better" off-road, per se. It's only 15% stronger than Selec-Trac; that's pretty much negligible since virtually no one has broken a KJ's transfer case by wheeling it too hard. I would say both systems are equally capable off-road, but Selec-Trac just gives the driver the added convenience and security of an AWD mode.

Though for some reason my Full Time mode seems to do better on wet, grassy hills than my Part Time mode. Perhaps it makes better use of the LSD? I have no idea.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:01 am

ryno wrote:

I would say both systems are equally capable off-road, but Selec-Trac just gives the driver the added convenience and security of an AWD mode.

I like your line of thought because: I imagine that if you were wheeling two hard off road, the front diff would be the frist thing to explode before the transfercase.

Pote · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:42 pm

think about it too....your KJ will do fine on the roads in 2WD...do you really need Fulltime 4WD for the highway? for your suburban streets or the parking lot? No not really and if you find yourself in a storm or some slop or snow with your command trac, throw it into 4WD without worry...just don't do it on dry pavement....but then again, why anyone would need fulltime 4WD on dry pavement is beyond me, maybe there's some reason...2WD handles dry pavement just fine. If you are in a dirt road situation (again dry) you can use your 4WD on that too...is all about the 4 tires turning the same...without selectrac (which enables the 4 tires to compensate and turn at different rates while cornering on dry pavement) making a turn on dry pavement, your tires can bind like everyone mentioned....on the slippery stuff, they can adjust with the slip of the terrain.

Can anyone fill me in on what the benefit is of having fulltime 4WD on DRY PAVEMENT? What's the purpose of being even grippier on dry pavement? I guess the one thing I can think of is maybe towing on a steep grade, but what else am I overlooking??

ryno · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:07 pm

Pote wrote:

think about it too....your KJ will do fine on the roads in 2WD...do you really need Fulltime 4WD for the highway? for your suburban streets or the parking lot? No not really and if you find yourself in a storm or some slop or snow with your command trac, throw it into 4WD without worry...just don't do it on dry pavement....but then again, why anyone would need fulltime 4WD on dry pavement is beyond me, maybe there's some reason...2WD handles dry pavement just fine. If you are in a dirt road situation (again dry) you can use your 4WD on that too...is all about the 4 tires turning the same...without selectrac (which enables the 4 tires to compensate and turn at different rates while cornering on dry pavement) making a turn on dry pavement, your tires can bind like everyone mentioned....on the slippery stuff, they can adjust with the slip of the terrain.

Can anyone fill me in on what the benefit is of having fulltime 4WD on DRY PAVEMENT? What's the purpose of being even grippier on dry pavement? I guess the one thing I can think of is maybe towing on a steep grade, but what else am I overlooking??

Full Time mode works really well during intermittent conditions, i.e., when some roads are slick and others are not. I use Full Time 4WD all the time during the winter when the main roads are clear but the back roads are still slushy. It just makes the transition easier--pull the lever once and forget about it. (That kind of reminds me of those Ronco Rotisserie infomercials that we always used to see on TV--"set it and forget it!" :lol:

)

501 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:10 pm

Got it, Selec-trac is like my wifes Ford Escape when her's is in auto-4WD and Command-trac is like my Amigo was. Command-trac sounds like what I'm use to and would rather have, only use it when you need it, otherwise you drive in 2WD.

nlife · **Joined:** Thu Aug 16, 2007 11:43 pm **Posts:** 226

Another easy way to tell is by engaging 4hi/lo. If you have part time, a light comes on the dash and says 'Part Time'.

N

JeepBeat · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:47 pm

So, in Part Time 4WD mode, do all four wheels drive at all times, or does the 4WD kick in only when slippage is recognized, such as ice or snow?

I am new to the Part and Full time 4WD too. Tell me if this is right?? Last week, we had our first big snow storm. I shifted the KJ into Full Time to drive to work, on roads snow covered and drifting. After most of the storm was over and roads cleaned up, but still slushy, and ice spots on the rural highway, I shifted to Part Time when driving outside of the town limits, where the roads got a bit spotty.

What is right in these conditions?? Should I have been in Part Time while storming too or Full Time for both, or just what I had done?? This Part and Full time stuff has confused the crap out of me lately.

bugnout · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:56 pm

JeepBeat wrote:

So, in Part Time 4WD mode, do all four wheels drive at all times, or does the 4WD kick in only when slippage is recognized, such as ice or snow?

I am new to the Part and Full time 4WD too. Tell me if this is right?? Last week, we had our first big snow storm. I shifted the KJ into Full Time to drive to work, on roads snow covered and drifting. After most of the storm was over and roads cleaned up, but still slushy, and ice spots on the rural highway, I shifted to Part Time when driving outside of the town limits, where the roads got a bit spotty.

What is right in these conditions?? Should I have been in Part Time while storming too or Full Time for both, or just what I had done?? This Part and Full time stuff has confused the crap out of me lately.

Full time = AWD, both front and back axles are driven, but there is differential action between front, back axles. Its safe for on the street even when you have good traction.

Part time = 4WD, both front and back axles are driven, but no differential action between front and back axles. This should be used when there is poor traction.

I put it in Full time anytime there is any chance of slipping. I only put it in Part time when I'm off road or the streets are completely covered with snow and ice.

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

My KJ has Selec-track and normally I use Full-time all winter. Today I got to use Part-time, man was it fun. I found an old trail that has about 14" of snow on it now. I just kept the speed down to about 15 klicks and motored along. It amazes me how great this vehicle works in winter. Yahoo! I didn't have my camera with me though :oops:

Dumb question I'm sure, but here goes........

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