Jeep wanders like crazy in 4wd

I put my 92 briarwood in part-time 4wd the other day and I could barely control it, works perfect in 2wd. Jeep is bone stock with a np242 case. Any suggestions, searched for a bit and didn't find anything helpful

This happens on dry pavement or off pavement ?

Well, that certainly seems odd given that you don't experience any issues in 2wd. Were you on solid pavement or offroad? If on pavement, I can see that happening at least to some degree.

If you are off pavement, it would seem that maybe the steering or trackbar would be loose or out of spec somehow to cause those types of issues.

On paved roads, it just recently started happening, steering doesn't have any slop in it. Worked all winter without issue

H8PVMT said:

I put my 92 briarwood in part-time 4wd

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Part time? You'll want it in full time on pavement. I bet your dana 30 axle ujoints are ragged out. If you don't care about strength put in some CV axle shafts and it shouldn't feel like it will wonder.

Just messed around in a large pea stone lot, same issue, I'm going to swap the axle for one without abs soon, just hoping it's not the transfer case

Part time on dry pavement is not recommended and is hard on your vehicle. You should only run that on dirt/gravel/or slick roads. It will definitely drive squirrely. The NP242 has full time capability, you should run that. It works because instead of a direct connect between the front and rear shaft, it inserts a viscous coupling to reduce the strain.

Check tire wear. One tire being significantly worn more than the rest can cause all sorts of woes when the drive train is locked into part time.

The np242 has a part time mode?

I know the 231 engaged on pavement feels wild. Is one of front tires getting power and the other not? Alternating which side gets power?
Wandering make me think of something in the steering moving too much because the front axel is getting power. I don't think the transfer case could cause it, but, maybe if it were intermittent in applying the power.

Just in general I'd check the axel ujoints, sway bar, and tires. Maybe see if the control arms look ok.

Could wheel bearings going bad cause something like this?
Being a np242 with full time it shouldn't have a vacuum disconnect right?







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My money would be on a torque steer problem. Do you still have normal open diffs front and rear? So that, even in 4x4 mode, you truly still only have two driven wheels? Power going out one side of the front axle during forward movement will exacerbate an issue caused by loose steering or suspension components, or an alignment issue.

Maybe it doesn't do it in 2wd because in that case the power is being applied at the rear. Farther from the faulty component, and the thrust angle is applied more evenly to the steering, so the effect is not noticeable.

My .02, anyway. :dunno:

--Chris