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Axle Wrap 101

techno1154

techno1154

NAXJA Member
NAXJA Member
Location
In the islands
The class is assembled :dunce: , the students are waiting eagerly the arrival of the professor.

My XJ have always had a bit of axle wrap but nothing to worry about. Now fast forward to post ECTED. The amount of axle wrap is down right scarry. Since the ECTED, I have not had a chance to wheel her but during my work, I sometimes have to drive in mud, and grass that are on an incline that causes the wheels to loose traction. When the wheels spins, it sounds and feel like the rear axle is trying to kiss the front axle before exiting out back.

What is the root cause of axle wrap. Is there a quick quick dirty way to fix this. I am near Baltimore now and may be here until the end of the year. Welding tools and a good place to work is non-exsistant.

Please professors, take the podium. :clap: :clap: :clap:
 
Axle wrap is caused by the drivetrain torque, twisting the spring while under load. When the spring unwinds and slams the tire down into the ground causing the vehicle to bounce. This bouncing can quickly anihilate spring, U-joint and axles.....

Are you using lift blocks?

If you are, ditch them before the axle wrap breaks your springs and other important items....
 
Traction Bar






Do your research and build it right or it will cause just as many problems as it solves.
 
poorboy_616 said:
Axle wrap is caused by the drivetrain torque, twisting the spring while under load. When the spring unwinds and slams the tire down into the ground causing the vehicle to bounce. This bouncing can quickly anihilate spring, U-joint and axles.....

Are you using lift blocks?

If you are, ditch them before the axle wrap breaks your springs and other important items....
Click to expand...


No I have no blocks. I am using a main spring from a Dakota with eyes cut off and inserted directly under the OEM main leaf and a 1" lift shackle to give 3" of lift down from 3.5" a couple of years ago.

Funny but I think it was happening all along but was not as pronounced with an open diff since only one wheel used to spin. Now with both wheels spinning it is really severe.

Would different springs help? A ladder bar is what I would love to build and put on but;... well that have to wait until I return to Miami unless it is all bolt on.
 
Until you can fix it, just take it easy on the skinny pedal. When you start to spin, let off the gas dont add more. when it starts to hop, let off.
You could take your shackle off and add another leaf to the pack, that may keep it under control.
 
mine is starting to also, i think it is because of the bastard pack. my passenger side main leaf spring looks a little warped near the end. so i think i need to buy some leafs.
 
Make your rear leaf pack stiff. I added 3 leafs to an old man emu leaf pack. Then run the Deaver coils up front to force the rear to flex. You can keep your rig low and flexy this way. I loved mine. All Xj's spank TJ's when built close to the same size but with our combination of leaf/coils and wheelbase we have the advantage. Just have to make that advantage work right first. Deaver coils and stiff rear end will do it.
 
I would also think a weak spring, would also give axle wrap. I know a lot of times money is a n issue and the bastard packs does do the lift, but think where the parts are coming from. The orgional main that you refer too, is the same old sagging spring just boud up with some more old weak springs. I would suggest taking it to a spring shop have them rearch the spring s and rewrap, should solve. The problem with thsi Idea, around 200 bucks to do this, a few years ago. new leaf, not installed and w/o shipping 250 bucks...result either way will resolve issues....
 
All I can add is that 1.5x.120 tube is not strong enough for a traction bar, even braced with .25" angle. It snapped on the first run before the day was over.
 
Ramsey said:
All I can add is that 1.5x.120 tube is not strong enough for a traction bar, even braced with .25" angle. It snapped on the first run before the day was over.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about the bar Timmay made in the link I posted?
 
Ramsey said:
All I can add is that 1.5x.120 tube is not strong enough for a traction bar, even braced with .25" angle. It snapped on the first run before the day was over.
Click to expand...

I made mine out of 1 in (od) schedule 40 pipe. It has held up fine. And I'm running 5:38's and an atlas II 4 speed. talk about torque at the axles!! :fuse:
 
Running 5.38s and stock t-case and was doing a lot of bouncing on a big ledge, also running 42s.
 
techno1154 said:
The class is assembled :dunce: , the students are waiting eagerly the arrival of the professor.

My XJ have always had a bit of axle wrap but nothing to worry about. Now fast forward to post ECTED. The amount of axle wrap is down right scarry. Since the ECTED, I have not had a chance to wheel her but during my work, I sometimes have to drive in mud, and grass that are on an incline that causes the wheels to loose traction. When the wheels spins, it sounds and feel like the rear axle is trying to kiss the front axle before exiting out back.

What is the root cause of axle wrap. Is there a quick quick dirty way to fix this. I am near Baltimore now and may be here until the end of the year. Welding tools and a good place to work is non-exsistant.

Please professors, take the podium. :clap: :clap: :clap:
Click to expand...

Anti-wrap traction bar, $119 Foothill Offroad, reqires some welding.
traction-bar.jpg
 
Sierra Drifter said:
Anti-wrap traction bar, $119 Foothill Offroad, reqires some welding.
Click to expand...

You sure? Doesn't seem to be on their website...

:dunno:

Robert
 
Stumpalump said:
Make your rear leaf pack stiff. I added 3 leafs to an old man emu leaf pack.
Click to expand...

i have a ridiculously heavy-duty leaf pack, and i still suffer from axle wrap.

2008_0516_xjproject47.jpg


2008_0516_xjproject42.jpg
 
altierior said:
i have a ridiculously heavy-duty leaf pack, and i still suffer from axle wrap.
Click to expand...

or so i'm told. i've never seen it first-hand (obviously). but a wheeling buddy has.

and i've had obscene amounts of problems, which i suspect are because of the axle wrap. broken sye output shaft, numerous u-joints, broken pinion yoke, axle tube twisted in the diff housing. :bawl:
 
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