Quadra Trac Advice

[jeepjseries]

So I was rebuilding my front and rear drive shafts on my 1976 wagoneer. I drained my transfer case fluid, it was really dirty. I checked the slack in the Chain and came up with almost 1 inch of slop. Should I just replace the chain or throw in a part time kit as well? Don’t know how much if at all it would save in fuel. Can you drive a Quadra trac on hard surfaces with a part time kit? By hard surfaces I mean like between snow patches on asphalt. Also wondering with the fluid being pretty nasty should I risk the clutches being worn out? I drove it maybe 10 or 15 miles before I did the driveshafts. Thanks for any input you guys can offer on this. I have replaced chains on a Quadra trac in the past on previous Jeep’s.

[tgreese]

[quote=jeepjseries]So I was rebuilding my front and rear drive shafts on my 1976 wagoneer. I drained my transfer case fluid, it was really dirty. I checked the slack in the Chain and came up with almost 1 inch of slop. Should I just replace the chain or throw in a part time kit as well? Don

[tgreese]

So I was rebuilding my front and rear drive shafts on my 1976 wagoneer. I drained my transfer case fluid, it was really dirty. I checked the slack in the Chain and came up with almost 1 inch of slop. Should I just replace the chain or throw in a part time kit as well? Dont know how much if at all it would save in fuel. Can you drive a Quadra trac on hard surfaces with a part time kit? By hard surfaces I mean like between snow patches on asphalt. Also wondering with the fluid being pretty nasty should I risk the clutches being worn out? I drove it maybe 10 or 15 miles before I did the driveshafts. Thanks for any input you guys can offer on this. I have replaced chains on a Quadra trac in the past on previous Jeeps.

If there's nothing wrong with the case, why go part time? Can you shift between full-time and emergency drive?

The chain just connect the two hubs in the case. I does not have anything to do with part-time or full time. If it were mine I'd change the fluid, add a new chain and drive it.

Suggest you read everything here: http://jubileejeeps.org/quadratrac/index.htm


Do not use apostrophes.

[jeepjseries]

I think everything is fine minus the Chain. I was just thinking I’m in there anyway. Wanted to know from those that have converted, the benefits fuel mileage etc. I have checked out this link. I saved it in my bookmarks, very helpful into understanding the Quadra trac. I have a few others bookmarked as well. I found one thread stating a 2 mpg decrease after converting to part time.

I did try engaging the emergency drive once, but couldn’t verify it’s operation either way. I was on a dirt surface and wasn’t stuck or anything like that.

[tgreese]

Reports are that any mileage increase is negligible. I predict you'll never get back the expense of a part-time kit by savings in fuel. The Quadratrac full-time works really well, and you will like having it if you ever drive in snow, for example. And a part time kit has no effect on the longevity of the case, since all the power - rear only or front and rear - still goes through the problematic chain drive.

Post on fsjnetwork.com and you might get Flint's attention. He owns the page I linked above and is the guru of these things. I've been around them a lot but never owned one.

I would try the e-drive on pavement. Should be an obvious change - you'll feel the bind-up when you turn. Won't hurt for a short test at low speed.

[jeepjseries]

Ok thank you very much Tgreese. I will give the emergency drive a test on a hard surface and see how that goes. If all goes well I will just replace the chain. Later on down the road I can do a part time kit.

[tgreese]

Why do you want part time?

[jeepjseries]

Well I was thinking less wear and tear on the front drive line etc. Better miles per gallon, that seems to be a myth or at least very little if at all. Unless I find something crazy I will keep it all time and like it is. It seems like at this point to only convert if you absolutely have too. Just wanted to bounce the idea off you guys and get your input. Thanks for your advice and input.

[DIRTKID]

Quadratrac pops in and out

When 4 wheeling the QT sometimes works and sometimes not. Its the biggest PITA. I need to go in reverse sometimes and sometimes it just stops in the middle of a mud pit. It has a new like chain with proper slack and fluid topped off. It's sporting the part-time kit. I run manual hubs at the front.
There are no weird noises or clunking. Anyone familiar with the internals on what could need to be replaced. Thank you

[jeepjseries]

More than likely a vacuum leak. With the part time kits 4wd is actuated by vacuum through the switch in the glove box. check your vacuum hoses.

[rang-a-stang]

If your fulltime QT is working, there is no need to mess with it (meaning going part time).

If your full time case is worn, it's probably cheaper/quicker/easier to go to part time than rebuild the cones at this point. Since the part time kits do not come with a chain anymore, that is really the only reason to go part time these days.

Yeah, it sounds like vacuum problems if your case is popping in and out of E-Drive. I basically gave up on my vacuum switch and routing. I have one good vacuum line that goes from the engine compartment to the shift motor at my case. When I want E-Drive/Locked case, I lay under my truck (with the truck off) and use a hand vacuum pump to shift into E-Drive. then I move the good vacuum line to the forward nipple (the one closest to the case holds it in E-Drive) and have magical off-road times. When I am done with my magical off-road times, I lay back down under my truck with my hand pump, shift it back into normal/unlocked case, and move the vacuum line back to the rearward nipple to hold it in 2wd/Unlocked case.

[rang-a-stang]

Actually, are you sure you are actually losing your shift in the case? When you say it pops out, it might just be the wire for the indicator wiggling loose. The connectors on these switches are about 40+ years old and do crack and come loose.

If the connector is good, it is almost certainly the shift motor. The bad news is it is all but impossible to remove the shift motor without lowering or splitting the case or cutting a hole in your floor.

[DIRTKID]

Thank you for the input guys. It's definitely coming out. I was filming my son going thru a mud pit and the front wheels did not engage. What do the QT cones do? Could those be a culprit or can I just make the QT engaged all the time with spaces or shims in the fork area? Then just turn the hubs for 4x4 when needed?

[rang-a-stang]

The motor pulls a collar that locks the front and rear shaft together inside the case (whether you are stock or part time). If your case is stock, when you select "normal" on the switch that should be in your glovebox, the outputs of the case are connected via a sort of clutch system inside the case (via the "cones"). When you select E-Drive on the switch in your glovebox, the out puts are locked together and it should light the light on your dash. If the light does not come on, either the motor is not locking the case or the electrical path for your light is bad. BUT in a stock case there should ALWAYS be power going to the front axle. In park, neither driveshaft should spin. You should also NOT have selectable hubs on a stock case. Your center caps on your front wheels should be a little chrome plug.

Do you have lockable hubs? When you look at your front hubs, is there a selector there or a chrome plug? most part time kits came with selectable hubs as well.
Also, check number 1:
Lay under truck while the truck is in park and try to spin the front drive shaft. If it spins, your case is already part time OR the cones are EXTREMELY toasted AND you have a bad front axle/hub. If you can spin the shaft AND you do not have selectable hubs, you need to open the case. If you cannot spin the shaft either your cones are still there or you do have a part time kit and the case IS locked. Proceed on here:

Check number 2, Jack up your front end.
If you have lockable hubs unlock them (if you do not have lockable hubs, you just have a chrome plug, move to step 3). Spin the driver wheel while watching the u-joint in the knuckle. The Ujoint should not spin. If it does, your hub(s) is toast. Repeat for the passenger side.

Check number 3 while your front wheels are hanging.
Lock your hubs and watch the u-joint in the knuckle while you spin the tire. the U-joint SHOULD turn with the wheel when the hub is locked. If it does not your hub is toast. Repeat for both hubs. if they DO spin, continue on.

Check number 4 while your front wheels are hanging and the truck is in park and both hubs are locked.
spin either wheel and watch the other one and the driveshaft. When you are spinning the wheel, you should see either the other wheel go the opposite direction and the driveshaft not move, or both wheels go the same direction and the shaft DOES turn. If you spin the wheel and nothing happens to the other wheel or the driveshaft your axle is toast. also spin the driveshaft with the wheels hanging, a wheel or wheelS should turn. if they don't, your axle is toast.

Check number 5 with the front end still hanging.
take a vacuum pump with you under your truck. Unhook the 2 vacuum lines to the vacuum motor and apply vacuum to the nipple that is closest to the rear of the truck. Does it hold vacuum? That nipple is the normal or unlocked position. If you are part time, this is when the front shaft is unlocked and no power will go to the front axle (you should be able to spin it by hand in park. Next, check the nipple closest to the front of the truck. Does it hold vacuum or bleed very slowly? This is the locked position. Did you hear a click as you approached 15 inches of mercury? if you did, try spinning your front drive shaft now. If it holds vacuum or bleeds very slowly, and/or you did hear the click your case should now be locked. If you can still spin the front driveshaft your case is broken and needs to be opened up. If you could spin it before but can't now, your case is working correctly for a part time case.

Let us know how it goes!

[rang-a-stang]

Some other notes after re-reading your thread:
1) if the case is converted to part time, you can run ATF in it.
2) the chain in the case is MASSIVE. It does dirty the fluid fairly fast. I change mine about every 3k miles (because I have issues, not because of maintenance) and it will already be quite dark.