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My differential slipped on me?

Muddy Beast

NAXJA Forum User
Location
WA
So I went out in my new '89 Limited XJ to a local trail to show my friend how it handles...I'd gone on the trail several times in my 2 days of owning the thing, so I went to the same spots. One of the roads goes down a hill very steeply and goes to a mud pit, and since my Jeep is stock I just back it up on the down slope to a clearing so I dont have to go threw the mud pit and turn around. Well, when I went to do it with my friend the engine rev'ed high until it finally made a loud "saw" type sound (Part time 4wd mode...) which I immediately stopped then. So then I switch it to full time 4wd and the same thing happens. Finally I gave up, put a stump in front of it and let it roll till it stopped and put it in park, called a ZJ owner friend with a winch to get me. But as a last resort before he went out of his way to get me, I desided to put the gearing in 4wd low. I managed to get moving but not quite enough to get up, so then I desided to find a new attack point and I got out great, and made it home just fine!

So why did my XJ make that loud sound? Was my differential slipping? Is it possibe I damaged anything? If so, how bad could it be for a 203k engine and parts?

Thanks.

(Sorry if this is newby stuff, but I'm 17 and this is my first XJ)
 
Soinds like the Transfer case just slipped out of gear.
 
GI-John said:
Soinds like the Transfer case just slipped out of gear.
I would have to agree, mine does this when compression braking goind down steep grades in 4 low ( screwed trans and eng mounts to blame. MORE mounts en route from northridge4x4dotcom
 
So is slipping going to break anything? I dont try to do it, but if it happens I want to know I dont have to rip the darn thing apart or something.
 
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