Phil_A.
Member
Well, let me offer some perspective here, seeing as how I have been 4-wheeling since 1977. Back in the 70s, before the '79 Iran crisis drove gas prices over $1.00 a gallon, all the big three (and Jeep) were offering fulltime 4wd systems.
GM: if you chose an auto trans, you got the NP203 fulltime 'case. If manual, you got the part-time NP205.
Ford: NP203 was an option with auto only.
Dodge: Used NP203 in all applications, even manual, and yes, even with the 440.
Jeep: Used Dana 20 p/t 'case for manual trans. or if you bought a CJ-5. Used Borg-Warner fulltime Quadratrac case in all other auto. applications.
All of these t-cases had low-range (only 2:1 on the '203, and optional gear reduction unit on the q-track), so they were all meant for off-road, not just all-weather, operation. And they also had a center diff lockout, the '203 for regular use and the q-track for "emergency drive" (but q-trac's center diff was torque-biasing to start with).
I have owned 4 vehicles with these systems and they are a joy to drive. Very predictable, very forgiving, no street wheelspin (but the engines then were weak smoggers). The only penalty was maybe 1-2 mpg and no deep crawl ratios. I would much rather have one of these in my truck than a part-time case; I even put one in my purpose-built CJ-7 behind a very strong 401 AMC!
Jeep and Hummer never abandoned the fulltime concept, which survives in the Grand Cherokee and the Liberty. It is not in the Wrangler, IMO, because somewhere in the 80s or 90s, the off-road press got the mistaken notion that AWD was for cars and that "real Jeeps" had part-time 4wd only.
IMO, part-time 4wd is a relic, suitable only for a trailer queen or a vehicle that never sees snowy or icy road conditions. I buy vehicles with them only because the manufacturers give me no choice.
GM: if you chose an auto trans, you got the NP203 fulltime 'case. If manual, you got the part-time NP205.
Ford: NP203 was an option with auto only.
Dodge: Used NP203 in all applications, even manual, and yes, even with the 440.
Jeep: Used Dana 20 p/t 'case for manual trans. or if you bought a CJ-5. Used Borg-Warner fulltime Quadratrac case in all other auto. applications.
All of these t-cases had low-range (only 2:1 on the '203, and optional gear reduction unit on the q-track), so they were all meant for off-road, not just all-weather, operation. And they also had a center diff lockout, the '203 for regular use and the q-track for "emergency drive" (but q-trac's center diff was torque-biasing to start with).
I have owned 4 vehicles with these systems and they are a joy to drive. Very predictable, very forgiving, no street wheelspin (but the engines then were weak smoggers). The only penalty was maybe 1-2 mpg and no deep crawl ratios. I would much rather have one of these in my truck than a part-time case; I even put one in my purpose-built CJ-7 behind a very strong 401 AMC!
Jeep and Hummer never abandoned the fulltime concept, which survives in the Grand Cherokee and the Liberty. It is not in the Wrangler, IMO, because somewhere in the 80s or 90s, the off-road press got the mistaken notion that AWD was for cars and that "real Jeeps" had part-time 4wd only.
IMO, part-time 4wd is a relic, suitable only for a trailer queen or a vehicle that never sees snowy or icy road conditions. I buy vehicles with them only because the manufacturers give me no choice.
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