Hi,

I have a '02 stock Liberty 2.5 CRD with manual gearbox and the 4x4 version where you have the choice of 2HI/4HI/N/4LO.

I have only owned it since this summer, and yesterday, I drove it in a LOT of snow for the first time and it handled really well. In a slope, starting from standstill, I could confirm that there was a clear difference between 2WD (2HI) and ordinary 4WD (4HI).

However, later i parked in a bad spot, a downhill slope with about 8" of snow and had big trouble backing up. The car didn't manage to find traction, the wheels just spun. This was in 4HI mode.

My neighbour, watching this, first maintained that he could only see the rear wheels spinning, the front ones did not move. I told him this couldn't be, since I understand there is a locked rear/front differential.

He moved around the car and watched me have another go. Now he said that only the front right wheel - which he could not observe before - spun (together with both rear wheels), while the left one was still.

Is this possible if the 4WD is functioning as it should? Can just three wheels spin? Would it be different in 4LO mode?

(Please bear in mind my specification, I understand there are different 4WD systems in the various KJs)

Unless you have lockers in both the front and rear all 4 will not spin at the same time

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03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

With your transfer case, when you're in either 4HI or 4LO, both front and rear driveshafts are turned in unison. They are connected by hard gears, not a planetary differential that allows them to turn independently (wheras differentials assure that the TOTAL rotational output of both sides is equal to the input, such as in turns where the inside and outside (and front to back) go slightly different distances.

As Tom points out, if you have more than 0 spinning wheels per axle, you're still stuck. Each spinning wheel effectively uses all the (total) power for that driven axle.

Dan

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2005 Silver CRD Limited
245/75R16 GoodYear Duratracs
Fumoto drain | ProVent CCV Filter
Stanadyne FM100 filter | Cummins fuel pump
GDE Eco | SEGR | BoulderBars | FrankenLift | Frankenskids

Ok, thanks for your answers.

I thought that there was some kind of locked differential on each axle, which forced the right and left wheels on a given axle (e.g. front) to turn in unison.

Apparently, I was wrong.

There CAN be:
http://store.arbusa.com/ARB-Air-Locker-Chrysler-825-Inch-29-Spline-All-Ratios-RD93-P3565C7.aspx

_________________

2005 Silver CRD Limited
245/75R16 GoodYear Duratracs
Fumoto drain | ProVent CCV Filter
Stanadyne FM100 filter | Cummins fuel pump
GDE Eco | SEGR | BoulderBars | FrankenLift | Frankenskids