grinding noise when steering

hey i have a 96 cherokee 4.0 4wd. since were supposed to be getting 8" of snow tonight into tommorow, i went out and popped my jeep in 4H to make sure everything was working properly since i just replaced the axle shaft u-joints. when i turned the wheel it sounded like there was a grinding noise coming from the front end. i can feel the steering wheel jerking as im turning to. it starts a when i turn the steering wheel past 45 degrees which isnt much at all.. its starting to snow now so any quick help would be appreciated. also i checked the fluid level and it was full.. just a wierd looking color.

with a 231 transfer case on a relatively sticky surface, that's normal. The 231 case ti trying to turn the front and rear axles/ wheels at the same speed, but the radius of the turn is needing differential speeds from all four wheels. Assuming you haven't had strange noises from the front since the u-joint change, I'd say they are probably ok and you're binding the transfer case in the turn (still not good for it, but as long as you don't keep trying to drive like that on surfaces that have four wheels of traction, you're ok)

ok thanks. i was thinking that it mite of just been because of the roads just being wet and not slick. I'll go out when we got more then a inch or 2 and see if it does anything different. I only made a few turns when i noticed the binding then put it back into 2wd came to my computer and went right onto naxja to save the day.

did the same thing when I first got this Heep- I had only driven "full time" 4wd junk in the past and wasn't aware of the difference.

Now, send me some of that snow!!!!!

well i've had 2 xjs in 3 years but where i live theres mainly mud and whenever i was in 4wd i guess ive never had that problem since this is the first time in 4wd when not needing it. but this is the first 3"+ snow storm we've got in central jersey so im pretty excited to have some fun tomorrow since theres no class :roll: but ill overnight a few inches to VA tommorow. hope its not melted by then.

so now that theres a inch of snow i put it back in 4wd and it did it but not as much, maybe still to much grip? how do you rock crawling guys deal with the binding when your out wheeling.

i went out again when there was 4+ inches on snow on the ground and it was still making a grinding/growling noise..is there anything i can check to figure out why this is happening, i haven't done much work with diffs before.

Check your PS fluid...it's working harder now. Also, you could stick a finger in your front diff to see if you have enough gear oil (not when running).

When you're driving in snow it should be a nice easy cruise unless you have a large area to blast around in. Just having 4X doesn't make it invincible.



6400 ft. elev. Under Spanish Peak, Plumas County, CA 12+ inches of frozen treat on a hard gravel road. This is livin' baby.