Binding front axle

Renegade · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:40 pm

I have a 2003 Renegade that has been driven 129,000 miles. I have never had any problems with the drivetrain until yesterday. The vehicle is mostly driven on dry pavement in 2WD, except during rain or the winter months when it is driven in full time 4WD. Yesterday, while driving in full time 4WD during a torrential downpour that resulted in a few inches of water on the pavement, I pulled into a parking lot. As I attempted to turn into a parking space, the front axle bound up. Up until this point, the vehicle was performing fine. When I attempted to back out of the parking spot, the axle bound up to the point that the vehicle wouldn't not procede any farther. I shifted into drive, and as I pulled forward, shifted into 2WD. There was a loud noise and then the vehicle performed flawlessly in 2WD. I have yet to shift into Full Time 4WD again.

Any idea why this occurred? Is it related to having driven for the previous half hour through standing water? Is there anything I should check before attempting to shift into Full Time 4WD again?

Boiler · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:52 pm

does it actually say "full-time" 4wd on your shifter or dash?

Renegade · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:00 pm

Yes, my Renegade is equipped with Selec-Trac. I ordered it that way so that I could drive in Full Time 4WD on dry pavement. The transfer case shifter goes from 2WD to 4WD High to Full Time 4WD to Neutral to 4WD Low.

Quicksilversurf917 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:18 pm

When it binds up, what does it feel like? Ive never expereinced it before...

Renegade · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:26 pm

The feeling is one of rolling resistance resistance, as if a brake was hanging up. The more I turned the wheels, the greater the rolling resistance became. When backing up out of the parking space, again turning the front wheels, the resistance became so great that the vehicle refused to continue moving.

I talked to Jeep (not the dealer, but an actual Jeep engineer) and they indicated one of two things may have happened. One, I may actually have had 4WD High engaged instead of Full Time 4WD. This is possible.

Secondly, the system may have engaged 4WD or actually been between settings resulting in the system not really engaging Full Time 4WD.

Jeep was pretty sure it was driver error and I had engaged 4WD high instead of Full Time 4WD.

djui5 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:38 am **Posts:** 536

Renegade wrote:

Jeep was pretty sure it was driver error and I had engaged 4WD high instead of Full Time 4WD.

It was

What happened was you were trying to turn a corner with all 4 wheels receiving power and nothing to let one of the wheels slip slightly. When you are in dirt and have the vehicle in 4wd the tires are allowed to slip slightly while cornering. When you are on pavement you they have no slip ability and will make turning very difficult. If you had stepped on the gas enough the tires would have chirped as they hopped up and down on the pavement. If you are traveling at higher speeds the vehicle is able to turn corners more easily, but when you slow down and make a sharper turn like into your driveway, you'll notice the affects quite a bit more. This is actually the "problem" with running full time lockers on pavement which you probably already know.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:50 pm

Thats what it sounds like to me. :wink:

So you really do put it in Full Time 4WD when its just raining?

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:26 pm

Sounds like the plastic fork or a spring in the Transfer Case is worn out and not releasing the front drive line from the rear while you are turning. This would cause the binding you are experiencing. [i.e. your full time mode is esentially operating as a regular four wheel drive system]

Me thinks that it's time for a rebuild or repair of the transfer case.

I also drive in full-time in the rain. It's an excuse to use the transfercase capabilities to their fullest extent.

Renegade · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:39 pm

I use Full Time 4WD whenever the pavement is wet or covered with snow. I have the hardware and technology, why not use it? I know some Liberty owners with Selec-Trac that leave it in Full Time 4WD 100% of the time when driving on pavement. I don't see any reason to do that when the pavement is dry.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:02 pm

When I had a crappy power trax locker I had to use full time most of the time in rain just to pull out. Now that I have better tires and an open diff I can actually pull out in the rain.

Sounds like you either had it in part time and thought it was in full time or the tcase got stuck in part time. Make sure it pulled all the way back to full time.

Binding front axle

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