4X4 problem
- Thread starter Pxxcmd
- Start date
69jeepcj
New member
WOW!! sounds like you have a real problem or you may be confused how 4x4 works from the factories in most 4x4,s. If you have open differentials and you are in 4wheel drive, ONLY one rear and one front tire is pulling, not all 4, (this is most factory set ups). You could have a limited slip differential which would allow the pulling tire to switch from the passenger side to drivers side and back again or both may spin. Only a heavy posi unit or locker will allow all 4 tires to be powered at once..(I am assuming you knew this already). To your problem.... I don't think it would be in the tcase as the tcase only turns your driveshafts which turn your axles. I would start looking for broken hubs on the front and broken axle shafts in the rear or striped teeth on your axle gears. What year and type jeep is this? some wranglers had vacunm operated front axles, so telling us what year jeep this is could help.
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What year Wrangler do you have?
Most likely only one back tire spun at any given time (which is the normal scenario for a stock Jeep). It's possible that you have a Rubicon, or have been upgraded with a locker in the rear axle, but that would be independent of you being in 4x4 or not. Essentially the number of rear tires spinning doesn't depend on the transfer case. Only one will spin unless you have some sort of locker installed.
As to the front tire not spinning when in 4x4, you'll have to give us more information about your Jeep.
Most likely only one back tire spun at any given time (which is the normal scenario for a stock Jeep). It's possible that you have a Rubicon, or have been upgraded with a locker in the rear axle, but that would be independent of you being in 4x4 or not. Essentially the number of rear tires spinning doesn't depend on the transfer case. Only one will spin unless you have some sort of locker installed.
As to the front tire not spinning when in 4x4, you'll have to give us more information about your Jeep.
nose up to a tree, put it in 4lo, hit gas, get out and check for holes in grass. thats how i check
That's an amazingly simple method. Good call.
Even easier way than ripping up your moms lawn.
Put the jeep into 4wd and put into gear. Turn off said jeep and get under the jeep. If the front drive shaft spins freely, you need to address the t-case. Most likely a worn shift fork. If there is little to no movement in the driveshaft, your front CAD is junk. CAD is teh Central Axle Disconnect, it is on the back of the pass side axle tube. either replace it with new one, or look into some type of posi lock or (and this is what I would do) find some TJ shafts and swap the TJ shafts in with a new Pass seal.
Put the jeep into 4wd and put into gear. Turn off said jeep and get under the jeep. If the front drive shaft spins freely, you need to address the t-case. Most likely a worn shift fork. If there is little to no movement in the driveshaft, your front CAD is junk. CAD is teh Central Axle Disconnect, it is on the back of the pass side axle tube. either replace it with new one, or look into some type of posi lock or (and this is what I would do) find some TJ shafts and swap the TJ shafts in with a new Pass seal.
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
What year and model Jeep?
69jeepcj
New member
Did you turn your front hubs to "lock or 4x4". Your front drive shaft will spin freely when not in fourwheel drive,(differant set up then wranglers) Im kinda confused as to what is happening. Let me ask,, So you are saying you get out of jeep and turn the front hubs to lock, then shift the tcase to 4x4 and only one rear wheel will spin.??? Not the front at all?
quick note...read the above post again. You said it spin in park or drive??
do you have auto trans or stick?
If auto do you mean it spins when trans is in park?? or just when you are sitting still.
If you have a auto trans, I may be wrong here so others may clearify, but I think the quadra trac tcase will only shift into 4x4 if the trans is in nuetral.
quick note...read the above post again. You said it spin in park or drive??
do you have auto trans or stick?
If auto do you mean it spins when trans is in park?? or just when you are sitting still.
If you have a auto trans, I may be wrong here so others may clearify, but I think the quadra trac tcase will only shift into 4x4 if the trans is in nuetral.
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69jeepcj
New member
No problem, glad thats all it was. So, its working fine?? If you are fimiliar with wrangler they do not have the front lock out hubs. Don't run the jeep at all times with the hubs locked in (even with the tcase in 4x2), this will only put more wear and tear on your front end components especitally the ujoints, lock them in only when you intend to use 4wd and unlock them when you are done. You can however drive with them in the locked position and the tcase in 4x2 for short periods of time such as off roading and the trail comes to a asphalt road and the trail continues a mile or so down the road, you can shift into 2wd and leave the hubs locked in and drive to where the trail continues then shift back to 4wd. Dont drive it on the street in 4x4 unless traction is limited such as snow, Driving on asphalt in 4wd will brake parts trust me on that one. There are many knowledgeable people on this site that can help you with what ever problems you may run into, so hestiate to ask. congrats on your new purshase and enjoy. Oh, sometimes you may have to put the jeep in reverse and roll back a foot or so to come out of 4x4 especially low range, not always but sometimes. Its just the front end in a bind.
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69jeepcj
New member
It should say on the outside edge of the hub, just outside the diamiter of the dial you turn. you should see engraved into it "free or 4x2" and on the opisite side "lock or 4x4". Some hubs only turn a quarter turn and others you turn half way around (180*). If you don;t see where the lock and unlock is marked, you can have someone look just behind the front wheel, your axle has a section that is open at the knockles and you can see your axle shaft ujoint. With the hubs locked, your front axle shaft will spin when you drive the jeep forwards or backwards, have someone look as you pull up to see if its turning, if so then that is the locked position. you don;t need to put the tcase in 4x4 to do this. spin the hub dial the opisite way until it wont turn anymore and that is the unlock. It should say on there where the positions are though.
If you cant find it or see the shafts turn I can take a pic of mine and post tomorrow, but it wont be until the evening as I have to work. You could probably google cj lockout hubs and see it that way.
If you cant find it or see the shafts turn I can take a pic of mine and post tomorrow, but it wont be until the evening as I have to work. You could probably google cj lockout hubs and see it that way.
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