What did I break?

I got stuck yesterday afternoon, and just managed to dig out tonight. I have a 99xj with 4.5 inches of lift and 32inch Bfg Muds. Havent gotten around to the lockers yet, might get a winch first now. Anyway I got stuck in some really tacky dirt and my bumpers where wedged in to ledges front and rear. I was pretty desperate by 10 last night (and cold) after a avlanche and a z-71 got stuck just tryin to get within sight of my jeep. Anyway got on the gas to much, and something went pow in the front, then alot of popping and no more 4 wheel drive. I figured it was a ujoint like last time but they look fine. I think its maybe an axle shaft? I dunno. What does this sound like to you? I wont be able to tear it down till tuesday so not knowing is killing me.

Also today when I finally got enough strap (about 100 yards) to pull it out I was letting my buddy drive while I pulled. he started yelling so I went to investigate. He said there was a pop, hissing and lots of smoke. I opened the hood and there was power steering fluid everywhere, and my power steering doesn't work at all now. What does this sound like? A line? Will I need a new pump? I know I will have to look to be sure, but until I get a chance I would love to know If this happened to anyone else and how bad I screwed up my jeep. Thanks.

the front axle has a couple u-joints , plus there are spider gears, and the front driveshaft. souns like somting internal. spiders, r&p. not too sure what to think about PS.
How many miles on you XJ?
I would say iff you still can get an extended warranty.
Mine has saved my ass a few times with new t-case, altenator, front driveshaft.
It also depends on the service techs where you take it in too.

Im sure its internal, what would go first gears or shaft? If I broke stuff this easy unlocked with 32's in dirt, I wonder how it will hold up with 35's locked on rocks. I didn't even get on it that hard. Maybe I just have an aggressive driving style. I broke the u-bolt straps with the stock tires, replaced it with u-bolt straps, no more problems there. And its got 65k miles on it.

I would guess spider gears since they shift the torque from the diveshaft to either side and spinning one then the other. unless you broke an axle shaft which could be as well. Interesting.

Ill find out in the morning. If its the shaft then I can upgrade. Can you get stronger spiders? I have stock 3.55 r&p now. I want 4.56's but i've heard that they would be even weaker.

the 3.55 is the gears. ring and pinion. the pinion goues outside the housing where the yoke is mounted. the ring is mounted onto the carrier
the spider gears go inside the carrier and send the torque to the axle shafts.

you can get a "lunchbox" locker like a lockright or detriot ezlocker to replace spider gears.
regearing or swapping out the ring and pinion is a big deal and gotta be done by a shop or service tech that knows what he is doing.

what about a aussie locker? I was getting one soon anyway. would it replace the spider gears.

Every single locker will replace the spider gears. Some will also replace the carrier at the same time, like an ARB, OX, or full Detroit.

Going to higher # than 3.55 in the XJ HP30 uses a different (ring gear offset) carrier. The Aussie/EZ/Lockrites will work in either open carrier, in place of the side & spider gears. The full case lockers/LS are ratio specific.

It was the spider gears. They were busted up pretty bad. I guess I'll just order an aussie locker. Will it replace the gears on the shafts (don't know what they are called)? They are missing most of there teeth.

About power steering. It appeares to be leaking between the pump and the fluid reservoir. I put fluid in but steering still didn't work. I only let it run for a minute. Does it take a while to preasurize? How do I get the air out if I get a new one?

if the splines on the axle shafts are bad you need new shafts.
you can upgrade the shafts or get some from a junk yard. 95+ are same as the '99 the other years have smaller u-joints. but will still work.

dwhiddon said:

It was the spider gears. They were busted up pretty bad. I guess I'll just order an aussie locker. Will it replace the gears on the shafts (don't know what they are called)? They are missing most of there teeth.

About power steering. It appeares to be leaking between the pump and the fluid reservoir. I put fluid in but steering still didn't work. I only let it run for a minute. Does it take a while to preasurize? How do I get the air out if I get a new one?

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If you're asking whether a lunchbox replaces both the side gears and the spiders, yes. A lunchbox type locker (aussie, lock right, quick lok)will replace all of the gears inside the carrier. But, if you boogered the splines on the shafts, its new shaft time...

I think the splines are ok. side gears are missing alot of teeth.

dwhiddon said:

I think the splines are ok. side gears are missing alot of teeth.

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yeah as long as the splines on the actual axle shaft are good loking then no need to replace.

After a big mess like that inside your axle, make sure you get all the metal bits out. Change the fluid often and soon until it drains out CLEAN. That crap will wreak havoc on every moving part in your diff.

Jared

I was wondering if I should clean it out with brake cleaner or something, i'm about to install a locker and it is really messy.

might wanna reconsider that aussie locker, I hear the wait time on those is pretty bad. From my experience with vendors and australian parts, you might be in for months of waiting. just my $.02

dwhiddon said:

I was wondering if I should clean it out with brake cleaner or something, i'm about to install a locker and it is really messy.

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I would not only thoroughly douse it with brake fluid, I would change the fluid weekly for a couple weeks to make sure you got all those metal nasties out of there, as mentioned above.

Did you go with a lockright or aussie?

WOW. How hard did u get on it to blow apart the front diff like that??? Your steering probably overheated while you were trying to free yourself (twisting and turning the wheel every which way). I've seen people get on it before but never quite with those results...did it grab on something while u were gettin on it or what.

The wheels were barely turning, then it started spinning one then the other, back and forth. Then it broke. I was just so frustrated that I didn't really think. I had already dug out the avalanche twice that had come to pull me out. It couldn't get within a hundred yards of where I was stuck at. And all my buddies were leaving they said it was to late and cold. I did NOT want to leave my jeep out in the middle of nowhere to be vandalized. A winch just went to the top of my "to buy" list. The power steering went out later when I got enough strap to reach my freinds z-71. I had to drive the truck and I had told my friend to straighten the wheels out when I started pulling. He started yelling and I found out he had been tryin to turn with all his might for about 15 minutes while I was checking the straps. Then the power steering blew.
It turns out the fitting on the plastic reservoir melted.