[660]

What's the deal with Quadratrac anyway???

Seems that people like to bag on the Quadratrac system.
I know 2 guys who run it on their V8 CJ-7s and beat snot out of them on the trail. They haven't had any problems related to the Quadratrac system.
The guy at the local 4x4 shop says "...why swap something in that didn't work right in the first place?" ..he wouldn't go into detail, just said "You don't want it." He is usually right when Jeep is the subject, but I still wonder - Why?

I understand it is a fulltime 4x4 system which kills fuel economy and that the earlier versions used cones in the center differential which weren't very smooth. ...And it requires the AMC 20 rear axle which people also love to hate (I guess some *did* have offset 1pc D44s).
sure the t/c is aluminum cased and chain drive, but so is the NP231 in YJ/TJ...

why does Quadratrac get such a bad rap? I'm not taking about Helldorado or the Rubicon. That kind of use is extreme. I'm talking about a Great Lakes area Jeep on something like 32s that runs around town sometimes and runs around on mild trails (the kind where 4wd is needed most of the time not constantly plus a winch) with mud, rocks, trees, sand & gravel sometimes.

Whaddaya think?

 

[660]

Re: quadratrac (thanks)

Thanks for the insight. Much appreciated.
The root of my question is that my CJ-7 has terminal rust in the frame. I've cut, hacked, patched and repaired much of it but the rust will return, no doubt. I have a couple years of life, here in the rust belt, left in the frame but I need to decide - make some serious repairs to this Jeep or find another for project.
Meanwhile... in my search for axle parts I found a '76 Cherokee the guy said I could have. Body is lost cause but it is supposed to be complete w/360 and quadratrac. Not sure about much yet, it sits behind a barn and is overgrown by trees & brush.
Might be a fun project for conversion to a CJ-8. Plus I could tinker on it and not have the pressure of needing it to drive to work the next day.
I'll get over and check it out more closely.
More to come...