NV231HD swap worth it?

TheJawsOfDeath · **Joined:** Sun Nov 05, 2006 3:56 am **Posts:** 305

I just learned that some 2005-2006 Renegades had a heavy duty transfer case. How much stronger than the regular 231 is it? Are NP231's known for failure in Libertys? My 231 would probably never fail anyway, but it bothers me that there's something stronger out there that came from the factory and I dont have it.

Prospect62 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:52 pm

TheJawsOfDeath wrote:

it bothers me that there's something stronger out there that came from the factory and I dont have it.

I've been struggling with that one for 10 years and for several different vehicles.

Has anyone ever done this swap? How about using the HD T-case from a Rubi? (I think those are 231HD's as well)?

Guest · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 8:39 pm

Rubi's T-case is an NV241 IIRC.

I haven't heard of anybody blowing up a 231 in a normal KJ, so why upgrade till ya break it?

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 8:49 pm

Would be sweet to get one of those tcases from the Rubi's that have 4:1 4low.

Ive never heard of a 231 or 242 giving problems offroad. Im sure they would once you get into bigger tires and such though. Bigger than the liberty can handle.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 9:45 pm

MOST people that own a Liberty will only use maybe 50% of what it is really capable of why waste your money in replacing something that is not broke??
Trust me you will spend way more than you will ever get out of it either using it or selling it someday.
Have you had problems with what you have? if not dont worry about and just enjoy it!
Tom

KY Liberty · **Joined:** Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:46 pm **Posts:** 1195

I never managed to break my 242 when making about 400 lbs of torque and doing 2500 rpm launches. You need to upgrade your torque converter and valve body long before you'll break the transfer case. With them upgraded, I didn't grenade the 45RFE either. If you're going to upgrade, I would either get the 242 for the FT4WD, or as Jeepjeepster recommended, a transfer case from a Rubi depending on your application.

TheJawsOfDeath · **Joined:** Sun Nov 05, 2006 3:56 am **Posts:** 305

KY Liberty wrote:

I never managed to break my 242 when making about 400 lbs of torque and doing 2500 rpm launches. You need to upgrade your torque converter and valve body long before you'll break the transfer case. With them upgraded, I didn't grenade the 45RFE either. If you're going to upgrade, I would either get the 242 for the FT4WD, or as Jeepjeepster recommended, a transfer case from a Rubi depending on your application.

I'm really more into this for the knowledge, it's not too realistic for me to swap a tcase with what I'm planning to do. I don't have a torque converter or valve body either. And it was the 242 swap thread that got me thinking about a 231hd swap. So do you generally launch in ft 4wd?

KY Liberty · **Joined:** Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:46 pm **Posts:** 1195

When I was running it, I usually launched it in 2WD. As long as I didn't try to launch above 2500 rpm it would hook up pretty well. Much above that and it would spin both rears through 1st and 2nd until it hit 3rd and bogged down. With it in FT4WD, and the stall converter, it can be launched at a higher rpm, but it doesn't accelerate as well through 2nd and 3rd.

XJMA · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:52 pm

No need to upgrade to the HD unit. It's just got a wider chain by like 1/4" or so, everything else is the same.

If you beat the heck outa your jeep offroad a lot, the chain may stretch after about 200k or so, in which case you just replace it. You can pull 231s out of junkyard jeeps with well over 200k of abuse and they'll be just as good as new, maybe could use some new seals.

Keep the fluid in there, change it if you hit deep water, and it will never give you any problems.

NV231HD swap worth it?

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