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4WD questions

rooneypower

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Woodinville, WA
So the other day i shifted into 4W high for some wheelin. You know put it through its paces. Then all of a sudden there came a click click click noise from what seemed to be the front right wheel when i put it in reverse. Now, it does not affect the 4WD at all. Looked under the XJ and saw no liquids coming out, no broken pieces, no nothing. Still works just fine. It seems to only do it when i push the 4WD hard and then put in reverse. Tryed it out today and made the same noise.. Its a fast click noise, it seems really weird to me but maybe someone can point out what to look for..

Thanks for the help, just want to make sure nothings broken internally, last thing i want is a broken __________ in the middle of wheelin!!
 
well, what year is it. does it have a CAD? (central axle disconnect...vacuum actuator) that could be the problem...you could essentially be in 3wd and just have a bad/badly connected CAD.

that's the noise mine made when it was non-functional.

only other thing I can think of is something wrong with your u-joint, or a rock stuck inbetween the dust shield and brake rotor, or bad wheel bearing...
 
Its a 97

How do i tell if its the CAD?? Is that the bubble thingy in the bumper, if so, how would i fix it?
Might be a rock, what would i do, take the tire off and squirt it with water?
How do i tell if its the u joint?
 
rooneypower said:
Its a 97

How do i tell if its the CAD?? Is that the bubble thingy in the bumper, if so, how would i fix it?
Might be a rock, what would i do, take the tire off and squirt it with water?
How do i tell if its the u joint?

CAD looks like this

n69205416_32154055_439.jpg

it's the round thing with the green and yellow and white hoses going to it. you don't have one.

that "bubble" thing is your vacuum reservoir. without it none of your heater system would work.

you could have CV's instead of u-joints, I'm not sure. but to check you would turn it and if it pops at any angle, it's prolly a problem. also jack up that side of the axle and rotate the tire if it has any free play while you look at the ujoint, it could be bad.

if it's a rock between rotor and dust shield, you remove caliper (easy) after removing tire, pop rotor off, clean off debris, reinstall, and drive away.
 
ok ill check for the rock or something unless someone can think of another reason


So i put it in 4 Lo the other day and didnt pull the lever all the way down and put it in drive and got that sound when you dont have a clutch in gear and you let it out. Ya, you know that sound. Is my transfer case ok? I would think becasue it was for so short of a time right?
 
your t-case could be grinding.

do you have selec-trac or command trac? (idk if selectrac was availabile that year) if you have the np231 t-case, it could be a bound chain or it could need more lube (trans fluid in t-case). check the lube in the front axle too (remove plug and stick finger in. if not up to plug, then you need more lube...same with t-case).

if it's an np242 (selec-trac) I believe it's a gear-driven t-case and could be a complicated mess if that's the issue.
 
rooneypower said:
ok ill check for the rock or something unless someone can think of another reason


So i put it in 4 Lo the other day and didnt pull the lever all the way down and put it in drive and got that sound when you dont have a clutch in gear and you let it out. Ya, you know that sound. Is my transfer case ok? I would think becasue it was for so short of a time right?

Doesn't that sound like it's falling apart? It's fine just try not to do again.
If you haven't already check the 3 bolts on the back of steering knuckle and while your back there check the u joint on that side. It's a common failure. Jack up that tire and put your hands on top and on bottom and see if it rocks around.
By the way how are your breaks? Does the pedal go down all the way in reverse?
 
no its not repeated grinding i have just done it once. When i remember to pull the lever all the way back it does fine. So, no biggie, right?

Should i check the fluid in the front axle since i have that clicking noise??
 
rooneypower said:
no its not repeated grinding i have just done it once. When i remember to pull the lever all the way back it does fine. So, no biggie, right?

Should i check the fluid in the front axle since i have that clicking noise??

Sure it's a maintenance thing! What about those brakes? Mine didn't seem to work in reverse because those bolts I mentioned were loose and my brake caliper was moving around. It also took out my bearings.
Yeah I think you just don't have it all the way in low and so it's grinding. Should be fine as long as it's not grinding when actually in all the way.
 
ya its completly fine "when" i put it in gear. i just had a brain fart when it was happening.

About my clicking noise is something i should check NOW or can i drive on it for, oh say a week or something and not really worry about it..
 
CHECK PROBLEMS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER!!!

:twak:

not even a question to ask. do you wanna postpone something that could be a wheel bearing or very serious that would cause either loss of your life (or others) or a need for a entire new front end?

I think the answer is no
 
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