Need help w/ a diagnosis.

I was out of town for two weeks for some training in AL, and my jeep was parked at the airport. I got home friday night and drove the jeep back to my house and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

Yesterday my father in-law and I were going out to run some errands, I backed out of my driveway, and when i went to shift from reverse to drive, the jeep just wouldn't move, almost like i had the parking brake on (it wasn't). I put it back in to reverse, rolled back a few more feet, and it went in to drive just fine.

We get to the store, park it, I check the under carriage/drive shaft/pumpkin/trans/transfer case, couldnt see any obvious leaks or shavings, signs of rubbing or binding.

We finish our shopping, I back out of my parking spot, and the same thing again. I get to my house, and notice that when creeping in drive at an idle the jeep kinda lopes, almost like i am touching the brake, then frees itself, and does it again a few feet later

my rear axle is a dana 44 with an ARB, and 4.56s. I haven't cracked the cover yet, but I'm thinking that there may be something wrong in the locker. Was wondering if anybody might help me with what else to look for. Also wondering if anyone has ever had to rebuild an ARB?

I'm a little irritated right now, I just installed these axles. When I bought them I had the guy pop the covers so I could inspect the gears. I also put air to them to make sure they engaged/disengaged properly prior to putting them under my jeep.

:rattle:

When ya put it in drive, and it doesn't move. Can you rev the engine freely. Or is it more like something is bound preventing it from moving?

It feels like something is binding, the engine doesn't rev. I think having no SYE may have finally caught up to me.... donno though.

Don't lay literally underneath it. But get to where you can see all the u joints and have your lady replicate the process and look for issues. That 'lobe' sensation could be the rear slip yoke ujoint maxing out :dunno:

Check your tranny fluid? Is it at the proper level?

Sure wish folks could grasp the fact that it really helps to have the specs and year of the vehicle posted before stating the problem.........

Is this binding silent? No noises at all when it's moving? Nothing when "forced" to move through the binding?

If the rear has drum brakes, did you inspect and or adjust them when you installed the axles? Is it possible something is loose or came apart in the drum allowing the shoes to bind up in the drum? Did you have the e-brake set before backing out of the driveway? Possible that one or both e-brake cables could be seizing up holding the rear brakes kinda tight?

Can you isolate the issue to the front half of the XJ or the rear half? I'm wondering if you don't have a front axle shaft u-joint going bad and binding. I've had those give a "loping" feel as they rotate at slower speeds and could feel it in the steering wheel, but never had them bind up enough to cause movement forward to be an issue.

Still has me thinking rear brakes - they'll generally turn easier in reverse, but really catch going forward.

YELLAHEEP said:

Sure wish folks could grasp the fact that it really helps to have the specs and year of the vehicle posted before stating the problem.........

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werd

sorry troy.

96 cherokee
4.0 HO
AW4
NP231
5.5" lift
35/12.50 AT's
spidertrax 1.25" wheel spacers
x-case drop
XJ dana 44 with drums/hp dana 30
ARB's front and rear, 4.56's

any other specs needed?

i get what i thought were some drive line vibes that are the loudest around 35 mph in 2nd gear. i am ordering a slip yoke eliminator as soon as i get my extra set of 35's sold, which should be very soon. already have a front drive shaft ready to be modified to replace the old non-CV drive shaft.

i havent pushed it through the binding, as soon as it started, i backed up a few feet, and the jeep took off just fine.

when i did the axle swap, i didnt touch the passenger side drum, but i did have the drivers side completely pulled apart because i had to replace the wheel cylinder due to a stuck bleeder valve. i thought i reassembled the brakes and adjusted them correctly, but am a novice, so its possible i made a mistake.

i will check the e brake lines tonight.

thanks!

Yeah, I'd think that if your driveline was binding enough to hinder forward movement it'd be more than just a vibration. It'd be some good thunking/banging going on. If a slip yoke is barely on the end of the output shaft enough to bind..... it's not likely going to un-bind and work ok afterward. It'd likely twist off, split/crack the slip yoke and drop off, or break a u-joint.

I'd also think that an ARB that's having issues would be noisy as well.

Binding brakes can be kinda quiet, but may make a bang noise when they let go after a bind. E-brake cables wouldn't make noise, but I'd think you'd feel a loose/dead spot in the pull/drop of the e-brake handle as if nothing was connected to it when the tension was released.

:dunno:

How about a good quality (Non-Cell phone) pic of the front and rear driveshaft angles?

I'm thinking that a 5.5" lift and TC drop are the root of your problem.,

Frank Z said:

How about a good quality (Non-Cell phone) pic of the front and rear driveshaft angles?

I'm thinking that a 5.5" lift and TC drop are the root of your problem.,

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i can take one but it won't be untill tomorrow. i am stuck on a 24 hr CQ shift till 9am tomorrow morning, then i have a 4 day weekend, hoping to find some time fri-sat to really figure out whats going on.

the pinion angle is quite drastic, i hate it and have every intention of doing the SYE right away.

also, should i take the tc drop off when i do the sye? and do you guys think shims would help after the sye install? i have a set of 2* and 2.5* shims that came with my ubolt set when i did the axle swap.

Does the t-case drop NEED to come off after the SYE? No, but there won't be any real need for it.

I have a 6" lift on my XJ with a D44 rear axle, SYE/slip shaft and even with a couple degrees of pinion angle built into the BOR leaf packs, I still added a 4 degree shim. I assume your 5.5" lift is an RE lift? I believe RE leaf packs also factor in a couple degrees of angle in their leaf packs but not enough - based on others with similarly lifted/equipped rigs. It's always been kind of the standard to add degree shims to the leaf packs with a 4.5" or taller rear lift.

HTH.

its a mut lift. i know the coils and adjustible lca's are skyjackers and the leaf packs have a RE part number label. i will go look at the parts label.

the jeep didn't have any shims with the d35c, so didnt add any with the d44. but kept them just in case i needed them.

also, i think i will take the tc drop off, like you said, no need, and more clearance/less to get hung up on.

i bought the jeep with the current lift, no sye. had i built it myself, i definetly would have run one. i came to jeeps from tuning imports, and hate hack jobs, but being a SPC in the army with two kids means i have to do things one at a time.

after i do the sye, i am going to start saving for a nice long arm conversion....

scottydoes said:

after i do the sye, i am going to start saving for a nice long arm conversion....

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I know a guy....














:wave1:

Frank Z said:

I know a guy....














:wave1:

Click to expand...

haha, frank your long armZ are at the top of my list. i'll prob have to place the order from afghanistan, just found out im leaving in august.

I'm sure you've more important things on your mind right about now then.:us: