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dana 44 bang

T

Taro2413

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Arizona
Hey guys i got a problem with my dana 44 rear axle. Stock axle 3.54 gears stock limited slip, i believe. My problem is at extremely random times i will hear a bang from the rearand the jeep will jerk forward as if someone just bumped into my bumper.the random part is when it does it, it does it in neighborhood, main street, highway, offroad. So its not at any specific speed and it doesnt always do it. It may do it once one time then 2-3-4 times in a given trip and sometimes it wont do it at all. Always when straight, never when cornering and never right after a turn. Thx for the help in advance guys.

Tony
 
I have had a couple of limited slips or possi rear ends in a couple of different Chevy trucks. When they start to go out, the clutch packs start to weld themselves together, then the clutch packs will break loose, and i think this is what is giving you your lurching forward motion.

I would drain your rear diff fluid, or remove the diff cover and see how much clutch pack material comes out of the fluid. Then fill it up with fresh gear oil. There is also a additive you can put in the rear end to help the clutch packs from swelling up and sticking so bad. Here is a link to the additive from Napa!!
http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=BK_7652597_0006475992
 
Sounds like the clutch packs have worn out are metal to metal.
 
Since you mention a stock LS, and it could possibly be the Trac Lok version; those have a tendency to self destruct too. I had one in my '98 that exhibited the same symptoms as you're having. When I dropped the diff cover to check things out, I found large pieces of clutch plate at the bottom. Once the clutch plates toasted, it turned into a noisy open diff.....
 
Thanks for the replies guys. i started leanin towards what you all have said. So i pulled the diff cover tonight and it was actually really clean inside no cracked\broken gears, gears on posi looked fine too....no heat spots on anything and there were no shavings of any kind that came out as well as nothing laying in bottom of diff. But what i did notice was the oil smelled like S**T!!!! so im kinda thinkin cheap oil and probably no LS additive. So i refilled it with royal purple and correct weight. I also checked all my suspension bolts for anything that might have come loose, and greased up all my u-joints. Tomorrow i am going to drive it in to work and see if it still happens.

THANKS again for the advice guys i think its gonna be ok now. at least i hope it is!

One more thing if i do have to end up having to rebuild it what are u guys running out back? LS or Locked? im thinking lock right locker.....but not set on it yet. thx for ur input

Tony
 
Sounds like limited slip issues (as already covered) or possibly drum brakes seizing and unseizing to me. My rear drums on my old 96 XJ acted kinda like that, though it was always right after the first few stops.
 
Taro2413 said:
Thanks for the replies guys. i started leanin towards what you all have said. So i pulled the diff cover tonight and it was actually really clean inside no cracked\broken gears, gears on posi looked fine too....no heat spots on anything and there were no shavings of any kind that came out as well as nothing laying in bottom of diff. But what i did notice was the oil smelled like S**T!!!! so im kinda thinkin cheap oil and probably no LS additive. So i refilled it with royal purple and correct weight. I also checked all my suspension bolts for anything that might have come loose, and greased up all my u-joints. Tomorrow i am going to drive it in to work and see if it still happens.

THANKS again for the advice guys i think its gonna be ok now. at least i hope it is!

One more thing if i do have to end up having to rebuild it what are u guys running out back? LS or Locked? im thinking lock right locker.....but not set on it yet. thx for ur input

Tony
Click to expand...
I'm running a Lock Wright in the front of my L.C. which is my hard core wheeler, but it also has twin sticks in the T case, so the front end does not see much extended use, I only use the front end when i have too, then its back into 2 wheel 4 LO. I'm not sure how well the Lock Wright will stand up to every day driving in the rear end.

I have been running a Detroit Locker in the rear of my Cherokee with 35's for almost 4 years know, and it is my daily driver/wheeler, and it has been trouble free. I would see what the price difference is between the Lock Wright and the Detroit, but hands down, the Detroit is the superior set up.

If you can afford it, the ARB is the best way to go, I'm running one in the front of the Cherokee, but they are pricey.......
 
Taro2413 said:
......... But what i did notice was the oil smelled like S**T!!!! so im kinda thinkin cheap oil and probably no LS additive. ......
Click to expand...

LOL....That stink is the LS additive. Stuff is nasty.

I remember a while back someone started a post on how to remove the smelll from his carpet, after a bottle of LS additive spilled...
 
Ivan said:
LOL....That stink is the LS additive. Stuff is nasty.

I remember a while back someone started a post on how to remove the smelll from his carpet, after a bottle of LS additive spilled...
Click to expand...

Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
 
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