What axle is in the front of this jeep?

[Haroldjudd]

I have a 95 cherokee sport. The 4x4 shift indicates it should be a "select trac" but in fact the transfer case is a NP231 "command trac".
The front axle has no switching motor on it or hoses other then the vent hose going to it. Someone has switched out the transfer case. The information I can find would indicate that the command trac system should have a front axle with a switching motor.
Will this be a problem having this case hooked up to a "Select trac" front axle? The owner I got it from tossed a connecting rod. But before that drove it in the present configuration for three years. I have looked through many repair manuals and talked to two jeep dealerships but have not found any information that is not coufusing. Did Jeep stop using the swithing motors after 92? Why? Is it acceptable to put a command trac case in place of a select trac case with out causing any drivetrain problems? Other then the obvious one of not changing the indicator lables on the shift plate.
The jeep occasionally jerks from hard accleration while turning into traffic. Under normal accleration there is not a problem. I am concerned that the transfer case swapping has led to some damage? Or is it front U joints?
Is all I need to do is change the shift indicator plate to reflect the command trac system?

[xj31]

they stopped using the vacuum disconnect on the axles quite a while ago.there are probably at least a million jeeps out there just like yours.by the way any chrysler dealer can tell you what your jeep originally came with just by checking the vin.

[Haroldjudd]

Good idea! I will ask them about my VIN but they are not all that happy about giving out information as they wouldn't even tell me that they have not used the vaccum disconnect for a few years. I still do not understand why the Mitchell professional repair manual would list the vacuum disconnect for a 1995 Cherokee command trac? And why did Jeep need it a few years ago and not now? Shouldn't you expect more wear and tare and less efficency with out it?
Thank you for your input. First time I have tried this and a little surprised to get some help.

[JeEpBoY95]

at first jeep used it in place of locking hubs....but then they inproved the transfercases from the 207's and 229's to 231's and 242's that alowed the front axle to be locked all the time. there is one prob with a swap from a 242(selc-trac) to a 231(command-trac), the front axle is a different ratio in a command-trac jeep. the selc-trac transfer cases have a full time setting that allows the use of 4wheel drive on the road that also needed the front and rear axles to be the same exact ratio. on command-trac's the front axle is .01 different than the rear to keep the front axle constently pulling when in 4wheel drive and not binding the t-case. as far as i can tell this would be your only source of problems with a 231.