KJ LSD problem

Dutchy · **Posted:** Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:05 am

My 2003 KJ (60.000 Miles) has a problem with the LSD, After driving for longer stretches on highways, as soon as I come off the highway and stop at the bottom of the ramp the rear axle locks when turning left or right.
You can hear the LSD and tires moaning and as soon as the KJ is on the straight again it is gone.
My dealer changes the rear axle oil every 25000 Miles and ads a friction modifier (at least I'm charged for it) but after a couple of thousand Miles it is back again.
I also noticed that the LSD somethimes locks up in corners on slippery roads at about 30 Mph kicking the rear out.
Could it be that the pre-load in the LSD is too high and is there a way to adjust it?

wendell · **Posted:** Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:43 am

The only way I know of adjusting the preload on the clutch style lsd's, is by adding or subtracting the amount of clutch disks in the clutch pac. There may be other ways of doing it, I just don't know for sure. What you have going on sounds kinda of dangerous. If it were me, I would jerk that sucker out of there and replace it with a gear driven truetrac lsd and be done with it. It will fix the problem, plus give you a better unit in the process. I have the truetrac in my ranger and they are awesome, no complaints. It grabs and growls like a bear with good street manners. I realize that it would cost you, but at least it would be safe. Haveing for lsd locking up in courves isn't good. With the truetrac, you would no longer need a modifier and there's no clutches to wear out, it would be worth it in the long run.

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:24 am

Your LSD probably just needs an overhaul with new clutches no big deal.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Apr 07, 2007 2:32 pm

Another possible cause is they are adding to much or not enough friction modifier,most likely not enough since the friction modifier makes the gear lube more slippery so the LSD operates correctly.Just a thought though.I believe 4 oz of friction modifier is to be added to the 8.25.But again with 60,000 miles the clutches could be shot to.

renegadekj · **Posted:** Sat Apr 07, 2007 3:38 pm

As far as the LSD locking up going around a slippery corner and kicking the rear end out, that is completly normal. If you are going around a corner that is slippery and one weel slips then the LSD will kick in and both tires grab which will kick the rear end out. I have this happen alot also but can elimate the problem with my Full time 4wd. I use to have the same problem with my 82' CJ-7 laredo on wet roads!! Fun

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:25 pm

Question: the build sheet for my 05 Limited says..."Anti-Spin Differential Rear Axle". Is that what they call their LSD?

Terry

Dutchy · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:32 am

Thanks for the input guys!

The problem started at 28.000 Miles 2 years ago, told the dealer at every 12.000 Mile service and it is still there.

I booked my KJ in for the 60.000 Miles service and let them have a good look at the LSD it is probably shot by now so I expect they will have to replace it.

wendell · **Posted:** Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:04 am

If they have to replace it, now would be a good time to get a truetrac and do away with the clutch style lsd.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:24 am

Fulltimer wrote:

Question: the build sheet for my 05 Limited says..."Anti-Spin Differential Rear Axle". Is that what they call their LSD?

Terry

Must be. I always thought they called it 'trac-lok.'

Dutchy · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:59 pm

AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m totally pi..ed off.

Just got my KJ back from the dealership, they had it in for 3 days to do a 60.000 Miles service with timing belt ??????
Yes 3 days!!!
I asked them specifically to look at my LSD and explained more than once (even by e-mail) what the problem was, I told the service girl and I told the mechanic.

Guess what?

They did not even have a look at it as the symptoms could not be re-created during the test drive?????????????????????????

The mechanic did mention that it could be the clutch pack in the LSD but did not bother to take the cap of the rear axle to have a look.

So the question now is: How can you make your Jeep dealer to replace the clutch pack on a Jeep when when it is faulty. Do you have to bribe them?

jg45 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:09 pm

I used to be a technician for Ford. They have a similar LSD in their 8.8 diff under the Mustangs. It is common and normal for the LSD to chatter and be "stiff" after running long stretches on the highway (relatively straight line). A few turns should loosen things up. However, at 60K it is normally going to be time to replace the clutch packs in the LSD very soon.

Dutchy · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2007 6:48 am

If this is common, why do they not replace the clutch pack as I asked them to do.

Now they want me to book my KJ in again to replace the clutch pack something they should have done a long time ago or at least within the last 3 days when it was in the shop and they will only charge me £850,00 ($1700,00) as it is out of warranty.

I think I have seen enough crap from Jeep dealers and this was the final straw especially as I marked my tyres to see if they rotated them and they did not, although they marked it on the check list, what else did they not do?

This whole LSD episode started with the same dealer charging me for a rear axle oil change that did not take place with the result of the LSD locking up at 27.000 Miles , 3000 Miles after the 'service' was done and it has been trouble from that moment on.

I think the best way to keep my Jeep in shape is to service it myself

Wasatch15 · **Joined:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:52 am **Posts:** 242

Sounds like it is time to take things into your own hands, take a deap breath, read up on some repair information if you need, and do the repairs yourself. You'll be better off. My Jeep is still under warranty and I have had such a time with the dealers I would rather pay for the repair myself and get it done right. They make it sound like everything is so HIGH TECH. When you look at who is really repairing your rig, its just a bunch of kids who couldn't give a crap. The mechanics at my dealer has shown me that they can't even troubleshoot a wheel bearing. Why would I want them to dive into something more involved. DEALERS SUCK!! :evil:

I'm OK....really :shock:

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:24 am

I agree with the DIY crowd. Mine is still under warranty, too but, I just like knowing the work was done and done right, so I do it myself. Then, if it's not done right, at least I know which idiot screwed it up! :lol:

Dutchy · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:21 am

You guys are right!

A friend of mine has a garage with a pit and all the tools in the world, he is working on his Landrover all the time, he is the kind of guy who finds the faults in the Haynes manual and thinks fitting a new bulkhead is fun and now and then I get down and dirty too.

So from now on I will do the work on the Jeep myself, I will order a repair manual for the KJ and the first job is to fit a Detroit Truetrac.

For the jobs I can not do myself, I will check the KJ in at the local village garage which is run a former Porsche mechanic.

I spend $2000,00 so far this year on a service and new brakes and I think by doing it myself I could have saved $900,00

With doing the LSD myself I will save another $1000.00 as the dealer want’s to charge me $1700,00

I can spend 2 weeks on a Greek isle for that including flights. Pfffff!

Phadeout · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:48 am

Agreed. DIY is the way to go. You can take your time, you're not rushed (hopefully), you'll clean things up properly, and put things back together without ducked tape.

When I bought my Jeep (has just over 50K miles on it), the dealer said they ran it through the shop and it's all serviced/ready to go.

Yeah right!

I checked the power steering fluid, don't think it's ever been changed since new (it's black like tar).
One tire was at 25lbs, the rest were between 28-33. The one with 25lbs was loosing 2lbs per day.
It was out of alignment (ball joints done on recall 2 months earlier by the original owner).
Doing the diffs, transfer case, and tranny right now - they don't look like they've ever been changed either....
Oh, and it had Zero washer fluid...

Yeah, it was ready to go alright...

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:47 pm

Dutchy wrote:

You guys are right!

A friend of mine has a garage with a pit and all the tools in the world, he is working on his Landrover all the time, he is the kind of guy who finds the faults in the Haynes manual and thinks fitting a new bulkhead is fun and now and then I get down and dirty too.

So from now on I will do the work on the Jeep myself, I will order a repair manual for the KJ and the first job is to fit a Detroit Truetrac.

For the jobs I can not do myself, I will check the KJ in at the local village garage which is run a former Porsche mechanic.

I spend $2000,00 so far this year on a service and new brakes and I think by doing it myself I could have saved $900,00

With doing the LSD myself I will save another $1000.00 as the dealer want’s to charge me $1700,00

I can spend 2 weeks on a Greek isle for that including flights. Pfffff!

$1700 to overhaul the trac-lok?????? I hope they were drunk when they gave you that estimate. Parts are about $100 for the clutches and gear oil. I'd estimate a 5hr. job at the most. That means they're charging you about $300 and hour!! WTF!!! That is flat out stealing.

I HATE DEALERS!! :evil:

Dutchy · **Posted:** Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:43 am

[/quote]

$1700 to overhaul the trac-lok?????? I hope they were drunk when they gave you that estimate. Parts are about $100 for the clutches and gear oil. I'd estimate a 5hr. job at the most. That means they're charging you about $300 and hour!! WTF!!! That is flat out stealing.

I HATE DEALERS!! :evil:

[/quote]

Welcom to the UK, everything Jeep related is charged at the same amount as you guys but in Pounds Sterling. that means that everything is twice as expensive as in the US, they just change the $ sign for £ en voila 100% profit.

Jeep 2.8 Sport £20.080,00 = $40.160,00
Normal Service £350,00 = $ 700,00
Front Mopar mats £35,00 = $70.00
etc.

Add to that the Hourly labour charge of £70,00 = $140,00.

Oh and I just found out I need 4 new BF Goodrich at's due to dealer involvement, 2 front ones are 5 mm in the middle but totaly bold at the inner sides as no allignment was done after the LBJ recall and one rear is down to 2mm in the middle due to the LSD locking up at round- a- bouts

Thanks

Thats's an other £420,00 = $880,00 down the drain.

KJ LSD problem

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