Jerky steering in the snow?

OK, got a question/ comment. Please keep in mind I am not new to winter driving and 4wd's, just new to front traction diff's. Last year I regeared my '00 XJ and installed a TruTrac in the D30 front. The C8.25 has had a Powertrax since 2002. I have 31's and stock wheels. Lately in Kansas it has not snowed much, but I got a good test drive last week picking up my kids. I am very used to the driving with a rear locker, but the front limited slip kinda felt strange. I was on the highway and the truck/steering wanted to jerk back and forth while in 4hi. Shift it to 2hi and all was well, just not as good traction. Admitedly I was going faster than one typicaly goes in snow and 4hi (40-55), but it usualy feels more controlled. Is this "normal" for patchy plowed roads and a limited slip? I was thinking it was a result of the front trying to get the same traction right and left even though the road had uneven snow/ice pack. This traction uneveness was feeding back to the steering wheel. My steering stabalizer is new and bolted to a flat hi steer linkage. I do have some bump steer since the tracbar angle is still being dialed in, but it drives very nice normally. I had bought the trutrac over a locker for snow driving, now I'm not sure it was a good deal if it feels more controlled in 2wd.

Thanks Angus.

Sounds like what you were saying, trying to get traction on slippery spot in the road while the other wheel is on a dry patch. I'm not really sure, i don't have any expereince with the trutrac.

Well..... I drove for several years with a front TrueTrac, NP231 and an AX15. I found it to be practically transparent, but I also practically never engaged 4wd on pavement.

I did have fun on the 2 separate occasions when I ran without a rear driveshaft, and had to run in 4wd, effectively front wheel drive. I rapidly learned to not get on the gas in corners, especially tight corners. I'd get a shudder left and right. All I could come up with is that the u-joints in the steering knuckles are *NOT* constant velocity type joints. As the knuckles turn, you'll get a sine wave in the rotational speed of the wheel. Even if the axle speed remains constant, at steering lock, you'll get a pulsing in the rotation speed at 2x wheel speed.

Unfortunately I've not had much oportunity to play with the TruTrac and that may be the issue. The times I have engaged the front end, it does feel heavy, which I expected. Yes, I know that highway driving in 4x is not the best thing, but it has allways worked well when the roads were not perfect. Of course if the road has a long stretch of just wet road I would switch back to 2x. My 2000 XJ has 106,000 miles and lots of it on the highway. The more I think about it the more a NP242 would fit my needs and compliment my other mods.

Tire pressure? If they are off it will show 10x worse in 4wd.

Im used the the tire presure issue since I have had the locker for awhile. On that note I do have a wear issue with a front tire. The tire was on the rear when I had one of the little Powertax springs go out. The partial one wheel drive wore the tire down more than its mate. That is my best guess to my jerking issue. I did not want everyone concentrating only on that so I did not give that info, you got me.

Angus

My DD for several years was a FSB w/Detroit in the back and Dana LS in the front. Great off road, but in 4x4 on slick pavement--be careful! The truck would suddenly head in whichever direction traction was best. Running a 425 ci stroker, 35" BFG mugs and 4.56 gears, this truck was a handful in the winter, to say the least. This experience has led me to purchase an ARB for the front of the XJ (plus, I want to retain the Full Time option). Just my .02, FWIW.

I have the same set-up as you do

01 Trutrac/Powertrax 32" tires. My Trutrac is completely transparent in the snow and ice.

Not sure your problem But I don't think it is the Trutrac.

On this note and idea, has anybody other than myself installed a lockrite in the front with the 242 case? Well I was a little worried at first and thought about swapping my lockrite out, but I got to drive it today in the snow and ice, finally, and I can say that in Full-time is like driving a front wheel drive car with traction control. Nothing too exciting and not really a handfull at all. Though I have a L/S in the 8.25 so that might help, but it was a point and shot set-up. Didn't even try the part-time, wasn't needed. But then I did hit dry, semi-dry pavement, the t/c went back to 2wd. I am gonna run it, until I feel its unsafe or will cause too much bind on the 4wd system.