Grimlins to Work out.

Tonight was the first time i have taken the jeep out after 3 months from when i started my build. Now i knew going out tonight i would have some grimlins that i would have to work out. My brother, myself and a friend headed upto silverwood 2n17x trail. We lowered tired preasure disconnected sway bars and were good to go. Being as it was my XJ's first time out they let me go first... So i go and start my approach, im locked 4l and im thinking im READY. Well as i hit the hit i start spining my rear tires... So paying no attition to it figuring i took a bad line back up and hit it again... With the same result. Then we noticed my front wheels and not getting ANY power. :smsoap: So Crap... So i back up and we look at it and comfirm that the transfer case is engauging but no power is making it to the front wheels....

So i have put together a small list of things that showed up on me tonight.

1. Front Axle not working...

2. Shocks
the xj did fantastic as far as holding the ground and etc, but i could tell my shocks were done...

3. Battery/Alternator combo does not like running my off road lights. 2 130w, 4 100w i could watch my volt meter just drop like a rock.

4. Negitive battery cable. That damn thing through the bumps had come lose and poped off, so i make a corner and lose ALL power! i go black... so im like we this is not good.... grab my flashlight and start looking. found the cable had come off and used some elec tape and taped over it so it could not pop off again.


So other then my few issues that i need to work out, im happy with the progress on my XJ, it runs and shifs like a champ, starts right up, all that good stuff!

Thats my list of to do next... any advice on the axle issue would be helpful!



-Chris

How about info on your xj?

Year? which transfercase? things like that help.

the front driveshaft is spinning but nothings happening up front? hmm...

im guessing you have a front disconnect axle and the vacuum shift mechanism isnt working properly. and i would run your lights off relays. might help out some with the load

silverslk said:

How about info on your xj?

Year? which transfercase? things like that help.

Click to expand...

88 Cherokee, Not sure what xfer case is on it...


And i put it into 4wd i feel it engauge, but the driveshft will lock up to turn, but nothing goes to the wheels...

1990JEEPXJ said:

im guessing you have a front disconnect axle and the vacuum shift mechanism isnt working properly. and i would run your lights off relays. might help out some with the load

Click to expand...

they are all off relays

I can help you..if you need it. let me know

AdidasCJ said:

they are all off relays

Click to expand...

sounds like an alternator upgrade is in order

1990JEEPXJ said:

sounds like an alternator upgrade is in order

Click to expand...

Yea i agree. Im look into dual bateries too.

89cherokeexj said:

I can help you..if you need it. let me know

Click to expand...

Cool man i will let you know. I probly wont do to much to it this weekend. maybe next weekend. Imaa look into the vacum thing too.

You have what they call a diconnect axle. It has a vacuum operated slide the slides a locking ring to engae to sides of the passenger side axle. GEt under and look, You will see a block looking thing on the passenger side axle tube. see if the lines are there

Definitely a vac disco issue with the front axle. Do a search, you can permanently lock it in place with some washers, quite a few people did it and this feature was eliminated in 91 or 92 anyways so there's no real benefit to "unlocking" the front axle.

Did the terminal come off the post on the battery, or was the cable loose and came out of the terminal?

Upgrading/fixing your battery wiring should help a bit with your lighting. I'd go for a better alternator and a yellow top optima to take care of your power issues, I'm not sure you need dual batteries yet.

IslanderOffRoad said:

Did the terminal come off the post on the battery, or was the cable loose and came out of the terminal?

Upgrading/fixing your battery wiring should help a bit with your lighting. I'd go for a better alternator and a yellow top optima to take care of your power issues, I'm not sure you need dual batteries yet.

Click to expand...

Yea the cable just came lose from the post. so i will get a new connecter and clamp it on nice and tight.

silverslk said:

You have what they call a diconnect axle. It has a vacuum operated slide the slides a locking ring to engae to sides of the passenger side axle. GEt under and look, You will see a block looking thing on the passenger side axle tube. see if the lines are there

Click to expand...

I did notice all the lines when i was doing the lift. I dont know if any of them came out tho. i cant recall. Ima look at it today

I believe your transfer case is going to be an NP231. The other option for that year is the NP242, which has the option of part or full time 4x4 in high gear.

instead of a new alternator, and dual batteries, you could convert to HID...

Ok i crawled under there to take a look. I have 3 hose's running to the axle from a unit i cant really see to well... All three hoses are hooked up, but how can i tell if the unit is working? Also is there a way to by pass this thing and just locks up when 4wd is engauged?

Here is a picture.

Yep. You can go cable actuated with a 4x4 posi lok, or you can take that thing apart and use some washers to jam the fork to one side.

Do a search in OEM tech, this is a common issue.

ok so it looks like the 4wd fix will be really simple! My vacuum thing wasnt working so ima take it out and shim it to were there locked all the time.

yah that is a disco front end. Vaccum operated 4wd. It takes about 10 minutes to fix the problem. there are write-ups all over the net about it, very simple to do!

I havent yet seen a vac front axle work properly...

89cherokeexj said:

yah that is a disco front end. Vaccum operated 4wd. It takes about 10 minutes to fix the problem. there are write-ups all over the net about it, very simple to do!

I havent yet seen a vac front axle work properly...

Click to expand...

lol its not a very good design...

And thanks for the offer to help. I wasnt plaing on fixing today but got that wild "i need to fix it" bug. That and i put new rear shocks on so... might as well!:guitar:

I had problems with my vacume system on the axle. I tore out the lines going to the shift motor (in your picture) which consisted of an assembly. I then took rubber hoses and put in place of the assembly and it works. (I was going to do the move the shift fork over with washers or get a cable posi lock but havent done anything yet as after I replaced the old assembly with hoses it worked fine at Cleghorn.. my problem there was my motor mounts). I was told to look for a front solid axle and get rid of the thing all together, so its like the 93 and after front axles that are not vacume disconnect.