Finding a Selec-Trac In Stock?

[Stonesolo]

Was on my phone with my wife in the MRI thing and my fingers are screwed up so it was more haphazard a message than usual LOL.
Anyway, it's more like our Grand Cherokee was. I had to shift into 4H to get out of our driveway while my wife drove her GC right up and out onto the road without slipping a wheel. Now I can do the same.
I love my General Grabber A/Tx tires, wonderful winter tires, but here, the crazy storms and weather leave you never knowing what's around the next corner. It's hilly, windy roads, there will be clear roads then the wind comes up and you have drifts for 1/8 mile or so, or even ice (black ice) and just popping it into 4HAuto is fantastic. And for my wife it's a necessity - she moved from a Grand Cherokee Limited that never ever lost footing no matter what, to a Wrangler - no way she could remember what or when to shift, and with her handicap, it's problematic anyway.
I had a 2020 and that constant shifting, the jerking and jumping around corners, the parking lot experience of front wheels binding and locking and so on, it was just a mess. My Chevy had an "automatic transfer case" and you never had to mess with it. It would just go.
I missed that in my 2020 and it was so important for where we live, I traded last year for a 2022 with Selec-Trac.
When I was shopping for a Wrangler for my wife - I ignored all Jeeps that had only the part time transfer case. Even today, you don't know what's around the next corner. And Saturday we were surprised to find the roads covered with ice - what the heck? Oh, freezing rain. Geesh, that was a surprise, nothing was forecast.
You go along on a decent road and make a curve or go over a hill and hit a long drift, you appreciate what these can do. Even with my arthritis, this makes it a ton easier. Put it in 4H auto and leave it until everything is cleared and the wind dies down. It knows what to do. It's a more relaxing drive.

It makes sense to have that feature...wish I had it now lol but being old school I have never given it a thought other than to pop in and out of 4wd when needed...appreciate the input.

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[ecidiego]

The first one lists both full time and part time in the description. LOL

Well, they CAN be both!! 4A: full time. 4H/4L: part time!

 

[dcmdon]

So...not having select trac makes the JT crappy in snow? I haven't had any issues in snow once in 4WD and using general grabber AT tires...maybe I'm just used to driving in those conditions for years. If you can...school me on why it's better.

Because if you actually drive in those conditions for any length of time you will find yourself in conditions where you are on dry pavement at one moment and then go around a corner into the shade and are on packed powder/ice the next moment.

In the middle of a storm, its no benefit. Because everyone will stick it in 4H.
But in the days after a storm, being able to drive around I 4HAuto is a big plus.

Can you get around in 2wd? Of course. Is having AWD better? Yes.

I'm sitting in my house in NH right now. My road is a dirt road so the plows can't get right down to the surface. So it is a sheet of ice with some snow mixed in.

When I turn off the town road onto a state road its dry pavement. You would be shifting in and out constantly and you would be forgetting to shift out until at some point you turned into a drive way and the 4wd system started binding. (ask me how I know)

With SelecTrac (or RocTrack if you have a Rubicon) you just put it into 4H Auto in November and leave it there until April.

It's certainly not a must-have, but it's absolutely definitely better.

With aaalllll that said, I do agree with your implication that the most important factor in getting around in snow and ice is experience.

The second most important factor is tires. The Nokian snow tires on my Jeep are far superior to the Falken and BFG AT tires I had on it previously. And those tires are far superior to the MT tires on my friend's Jeep.

My previous car on Michelin Arctic Ice winter tires got around in the snow better than my Jeep did until I put the Nokians on it.

 

[Chestnut]

I wish the selc-trac was an option for manual. If they tried harder they could make it work but there probably isn't any market demand, except for 2 weirdos on the jeep forum. I just like rowing my own too much.

The second most important factor is tires. The Nokian snow tires on my Jeep are far superior to the Falken and BFG AT tires I had on it previously. And those tires are far superior to the MT tires on my friend's Jeep.

I know people love their ATs and claim they are good on snow but there is just no comparison. I run General Grabber arctics and they are fantastic. I run winter tires because often in the winter i need to get somewhere no questions asked. With winter tires there is a peace of mid and confidance that is hard to explain unless you run them for a winter. With 32" of snow so far this year I've grabbed 4wd once out of need while ice fishing.
I'm interested in your experience with Nokian winters. I've ran most major snows at least once, firestone, blizzak, general, michelin. So far the Generals have had my vote for running with out studs. Studs were another level up yet, too bad they are illegal here.

 

[dcmdon]

They seem great so far. I've driven them at highway speeds during heavy snow with lots of heavy wet slush. They were good.

Just today I took them down a power line trail. Fresh "virgin" snow with a crust on the top and about 10" of snow underneath - good.

Braking, turning and stability has been great.

I've had Blizzaks and Michelin Arctic Ice snows and they seem comparable to them. I didn't know about the Generals. To my knowledge the Nokians are the only 285/70-17s you can buy. Prior to these modern snows, I had all kinds of skinny, knobby Vredesteins and Gislaved snows on my Saabs and Subarus.

I"ve got SelecTrac so I'm in 4H Auto most of the time and have no idea how often I would need it if I was in RWD. I can tell you that the combination of SelecTrac and the Nokians makes for an awesome snow machine.

 

[Snake Eyes]

So...not having select trac makes the JT crappy in snow? I haven't had any issues in snow once in 4WD and using general grabber AT tires...maybe I'm just used to driving in those conditions for years. If you can...school me on why it's better.

Agree. Mine does not have it and I am fine. In fact we chose NOT to order it with the 22 JT I got. Like off-roading…driver skill makes up most of the success.

I had a TJ back in 97 which of course back then nothing like it and I drove it in blizzards, ice, snow, rain, varied road conditions, etc without a lick of a problem. Shifted when I needed to.

Personally I would rather not have it so I dont “rely” on electronics ano have a sense of complacency. When I was a LEO the vehicles I pulled the most out of the snow were cars with AWDs and 4x4s who just thought whatever their setting was they were fine and let their guard down. And I was in a RWD Ford police vehicle.

For some reason a lot of people with AWD or 4H Auto drive faster thinking all is good and then all of a sudden find out the it means “drive” not “stop” and off the road they go or they hydroplane.

I drove a RWD miata in Idaho with the appropriate snow tires and weight in the trunk was as good as any other vehicle.

I have had only one vehicle in a long time with anything but RWD or 4x4 Part Time and I have lived in Utah, Idaho and Colorado.

 

[Stonesolo]

Agree. Mine does not have it and I am fine.

I had a TJ back in 97 which of course back then nothing like it and I drove it in blizzards, ice, snow, rain, varied road conditions, etc without a lick of a problem. Personally I would rather not have it so I dont “rely” on electronics as opposed to driver skills. When I was a LEO the vehicles I pulled the most out of the snow were cars with AWDs and 4x4s who just thought whatever their setting was they were fine and let their guard down. And I was in a RWD Ford police vehicle.

For some reason a lot of people with AWD or 4H Auto drive faster thinking all is good and then all of a sudden find out the it means “drive” not “stop” and off the road they go or they hydroplane.

I drove a RWD miata in Idaho with the appropriate snow tires and weight in the trunk was as good as any other vehicle.

I have had only one vehicle in a long time with anything but RWD and I have lived in Utah, Idaho and Colorado.

While I do think it's a nice feature...I don't have any issues driving in most conditions (not ice tho)but that is how I learned to drive and having good tires is a biggie. I agree about not relying on electronics over years of skill. But their are a lot of good points from members.

 

[COmtnbiker]

With Selec-Trac, does the JT lurch/awkwardly turn through tight turns? When I have 4H on - the JT makes turning seem like you're breaking the thing....

 

[Robtco99]

I used my Select-Trac on the way to work this morning. It's a great option to have, especially when road conditions vary. Another reason to order one, plus dealers like Gupton that offer under invoice pricing make it a no brainer

 

[jac04]

With Selec-Trac, does the JT lurch/awkwardly turn through tight turns?

No it doesn't.

The Selec-Trac is basically 'invisible' in how it operates. However, there have been a few times that I have been able to notice my Selec-Trac, all under the exact same conditions: accelerating briskly from a stop while making a very tight turn with 3-4" of wet snow on pavement. It's almost like the system is shifting power around for a few seconds before figuring out what to do.

 

[dcmdon]

With Selec-Trac, does the JT lurch/awkwardly turn through tight turns? When I have 4H on - the JT makes turning seem like you're breaking the thing....

Absolutely not. It's completely smooth and transparent.

It feels just like it's in RWD except that when you put your foot into it the truck just goes.

If you have any experience with any AWD cars, it's just like that.

 

[dcmdon]

Earlier I mentioned that while it's certainly not necessary, its better.

This morning I was thinking about this thread while I was driving so I took some photos.

I started out on this solid icy road covered in a dusting of snow.

Then turned onto this town road. Plowed, but not salted, with packed powder a dusting of fresh snow.

Then onto this state road with some residual snow and the potential for black ice.

Then onto this well plowed and salted state road.

Then I turned around and went home. All this within 10 miles.

With SelecTrac, there's nothing to remember or worry about. I completely agree that it's not necessary. I survived driving in the snow in a RWD car when I first learned to drive.

But there is no denying that in most cases on road AWD (what 4H-Auto really is) is clearly superior.

For what it's worth, someone on mudders with their Jeep in RWD is driving a vehicle that's no better than my 78 Monte Carlo that I had as a first car.

 

[legacy_etu]

Earlier I mentioned that while it's certainly not necessary, its better.

This morning I was thinking about this thread while I was driving so I took some photos.

I started out on this solid icy road covered in a dusting of snow.

Then turned onto this town road. Plowed, but not salted, with packed powder a dusting of fresh snow.

Then onto this state road with some residual snow and the potential for black ice.

Then onto this well plowed and salted state road.

Then I turned around and went home. All this within 10 miles.

With SelecTrac, there's nothing to remember or worry about. I completely agree that it's not necessary. I survived driving in the snow in a RWD car when I first learned to drive.

But there is no denying that in most cases on road AWD (what 4H-Auto really is) is clearly superior.

For what it's worth, someone on mudders with their Jeep in RWD is driving a vehicle that's no better than my 78 Monte Carlo that I had as a first car.

This must be up North because there's no snow around me here in Northern RI or MA.................which is fine by me I'll add.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Earlier I mentioned that while it's certainly not necessary, its better.

This morning I was thinking about this thread while I was driving so I took some photos.

I started out on this solid icy road covered in a dusting of snow.

Then turned onto this town road. Plowed, but not salted, with packed powder a dusting of fresh snow.

Then onto this state road with some residual snow and the potential for black ice.

Then onto this well plowed and salted state road.

Then I turned around and went home. All this within 10 miles.

With SelecTrac, there's nothing to remember or worry about. I completely agree that it's not necessary. I survived driving in the snow in a RWD car when I first learned to drive.

But there is no denying that in most cases on road AWD (what 4H-Auto really is) is clearly superior.

For what it's worth, someone on mudders with their Jeep in RWD is driving a vehicle that's no better than my 78 Monte Carlo that I had as a first car.

That's pretty well stated.
For most of us, true, not "necessary" but for a few who have difficulties because of what life threw at them years ago, it's almost necessary. Or at least a huge safety factor. We tend to forget - we're not all built or made or born the same and forget those who don't have all perfect limbs. For some, it's an aid for sure.

It's definitely convenient.

Heck, there's times I had to shift my 2020 into and out of 4H just on my own property! And I'm talking only about 3 acres at most.

Absolutely not. It's completely smooth and transparent.

It feels just like it's in RWD except that when you put your foot into it the truck just goes.

If you have any experience with any AWD cars, it's just like that.

I can make mine jump a little bit in a REALLY tight turn on the rough pavement here where the tires don't slip a lick when it's dry and even my dual-quad car doesn't break 'em loose easily. But it's rare and mild. It takes a real tight to the steering stops to make it happen, and slow speed.
When taking off from a stop the clutches are actually engaged. You can see it with jscan - the pressures and engagement of the clutch packs in the transfer case. It's like it's assuming that taking off from a stop you will need the 4 wheels planted and driving. So it doesn't wait for a wheel slip when taking off from a dead stop - it's engaged from the jscan screen shots I've seen. (not mine, posted by another guy)

It's not quite like a Grand Cherokee in how it works, but not that far off, either. I have felt a slip before it kicked into action as if it's double-checking to see if it was a simple one-off thing or if it really needs to engage but it was barely noticeable.......... I just have a feel for that sort of thing, I guess.

Speaking of learning on rear wheel drive - all of my first cars were RWD, and they almost all had LSD (not the type 1/4 my high school class was using at the time)
I had a 77 AMX with the rear window louvers when I was first married and lived out in the sticks next to a federal reserve (roads not well maintained)
Narrow winding 2 lane blacktop to get to the road we turned off to get to the road we took for the last several miles to get home.
We went into Des Moines on a clear night to see a movie. Movie over - blizzard had hit. Got to that winding narrow highway and almost to our turn south, the road was blocked by drifts and a jack-knifed semi. Crap. No way to turn around, and the only other road we could turn onto to go south to get home was almost a mile back. She rolled the right window down a bit, cleared the mirror and watched to the rear while I used the left mirror and peaking through the rear louvers and backed that car what was probably 3/4 of a mile back to the other road. Luckily no one else was on the highway. The 4 speed transmission in that car had a really high reverse so that was fun, too.

 

[jac04]

If you have any experience with any AWD cars, it's just like that.

I really like the Selec-Trac. While it works really well and is very transparent, I find that it isn't as advanced as a 'real' AWD system.

But, I'm coming from a long line of AWD cars (5MT WRX wagon, 2 5MT WRX sedans, 5MT Legacy wagon, VW Golf R DSG, Audi Allroad, plus my wife's 5MT A4, Forester and 2 current gen CX-5s).

My 2019 Allroad had Ultra Quattro which monitored a zillion things to preemtively send power to where it was needed (outside temp, road temp, barometric pressure, steering angle, throttle position, engine torque, lateral & longitudinal acceleration, relative wheel speed, driving mode, and it even used what it had 'learned' about my driving style).

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