Is It 09A or JF506E?

This seems to be a very common confusion for the JF506E; is it the same as the 09A or is there some difference between the two?  The company that manufactures this unit is Jatco and the official name of the unit as designated by Jatco is JF506E.  Depending on the car maker that is using the unit it will have a different name.  For example, Volkswagen calls it 09A, Mazda calls it RE5F01A and Ford refers to it as the RE5FO.  Regardless the name used or how its written it is the same Jatco unit JF506-E.

The are some differences between the units depending on the car maker like the solenoids and some of the friction and steel counts and or thickness but the same unit never the less. 

Speaking about the solenoid there seems to be some conversation in forums and around the bench about aftermarket solenoids.  A few months or so ago the aftermarket solenoids where introduced into the market.  And we get phone calls about which ones we carry and what they look like and how do I know for sure?

In this post we are hoping to answer some question about the differences between the solenoids used in the oem application and the aftermarket ones.


The one used from factory are manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric and have the Mitsubishi logo stamped on the bottom of the solenoid.

The aftermarket ones do not have the logo and the stem is a different color, at least in the aftermarket one we where able to find.





Another thing I wanted to point out is as I was going to take the picture of the two solenoids they slipped out of my hand and both fell to the floor.  The aftermarket one broke as you can see in the picture below.  At the time of this posting I would strongly recommend sticking to the oem solenoids.

Differences Between BMW X5 Transfer Case

We have looked into this topic in prior postings. In this one we will take a better look at the differences between the NV125 and LWX-500 BMW Transfer Cases.

The NV125 was used from 1999 to 2003. But here is the thing, the LWX-500 was also used in 2002 and 2003 models and in 2003 a new electric shift t case was introduced to replace the the other two. In short if you have a 2003 you could have one three different transfer cases.

The first thing I would look for is a shift motor like the picture below. If you have a shift motor than you have an ATC-500.



Once you have determined you do not have a shift motor than you need to figure out if you have the NV125 or the LWX-500. I have seen the LWX-500 in 2002 and in 2003.

For beginners the first place to look is at the rear of the transfer case. The tag for the NV-125 or the engravings for the LWX500 will be located in this section.



On the inside we will look at one of the more obvious differences, like the planetary gear.





As you can see from the pictures above the planetary gear for LWX-500 has a shaft integrated into it and the other one is just the planet. Both have three gears each.

Another internal difference between the two is in the rear case half where the back of the front output shaft sits. The The New Venture 125 has a smaller pressed in bearing where as the LWX-500 has a bigger bearing.

 This should make identifying your transfer case, or transfer box depending on where you live, much easier.  Ordering parts now can be less stressful and more accurate when ordering from our online store.  In our transfer case section we have separate listings for all the X5 and X3 transfer case models.

On a different note, the new fill and drain plugs for this unit are updated to bring a small magnet built into them.

BW Morse Tec Chain Stampings

In the past few days we sold some HV-007 Morse Tec Hy-Vo chains used in Jeep Qudratrac. After a few phone calls and emails regarding the stamping we decided to post pictures of all the different stamping we can find and open a discussion on the subject. As we find different versions of the stamps used we will post them here.

BMW X5 Transfer Case Sprocket Assembly

The friction and steel set (sprocket kit) are now in stock and ready to ship.

A common question we hear all the time is what is the difference between the transfer case in the early BMW X5 to the late ones.

From 1999 to about early 2003 the BMW X5 came with a case known as the NV125 which has a planetary gear and no electrical components. In 2003 there could have been one of three cases. The NV125 is clearly identified by the round red tag that indicated it is an NV125.

The the LWX-500 was produced for only a few months and is similar to the NV125. It has a planetary gear and no electrical components. This case does not have the distinctive NP round tag. Although very similar to the NV-125 there are part changes in the inside like the output shaft aka driven gear.

In the ATC-500 the planetary gear was replaced for a clutch pack (frictions and steels) and a shift motor (an electrical component). The clutch pack comes as an assembly known as the Drive Sprocket Kit.

The BMW X3 ATC-400 has the same set up as the ATC-500.

Intergrated Transfer Case ITC

What does ITC stand for?

Does your transfer case have the letters ITC on it? Ever wonder what that means? It stands for Integrated Transfer Case. Vehicle manufactures have made arrangements with transfer case companies like New Process to produce or modify transfer cases specifically for a particular vehicle.

In 2003 the Mercedes Benz ML320 went from using the BW4409 to the ITC. In 2011 the Jeep Grand Cherokee introduced the ITC and from what I am able to tell the LandRover Discovery in 2010.

As sections of the industry moves to All Wheel Drive systems instead of having the option for it, more of the ITC and cases like it are likely to keep pooping up. At the begging it might make it harder to identify it for replacement parts but as time goes by it will become easier to do so.