Posted: 6/4/2010 4:49:26 PM EDT
| So I took out my new to me, 99 jeep grand cherokee for the first time today. During a sharp turn in 4 lo It made a loud pop right in front of the driver. It shifted out fine, but on the way home there was a whining noise that comes and goes from that same area while in 2wd. Any ideas on what I screwed up? |
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First guess is an axle shaft. It should have CV shafts, which aren't very strong. I'm guessing you broke when when it got bound up turning in 4 lo. Raise the front wheels, turn one and see if the shaft turns. You may not see the break, it might be inside the boot. The good news is they are cheap.
In part time, it is really in 4wd. It's called part time because you only use it part of the time. Don't drive on road in part time, you will break things. The full time setting allows the transfer case to slip, so it doesn't bind. |
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First guess is an axle shaft. It should have CV shafts, which aren't very strong. I'm guessing you broke when when it got bound up turning in 4 lo. Raise the front wheels, turn one and see if the shaft turns. You may not see the break, it might be inside the boot. The good news is they are cheap. In part time, it is really in 4wd. It's called part time because you only use it part of the time. Don't drive on road in part time, you will break things. The full time setting allows the transfer case to slip, so it doesn't bind. Bingo! My first guess |
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First guess is an axle shaft. It should have CV shafts, which aren't very strong. I'm guessing you broke when when it got bound up turning in 4 lo. Raise the front wheels, turn one and see if the shaft turns. You may not see the break, it might be inside the boot. The good news is they are cheap. In part time, it is really in 4wd. It's called part time because you only use it part of the time. Don't drive on road in part time, you will break things. The full time setting allows the transfer case to slip, so it doesn't bind. How do I see this. If I spin one wheel, should the other one spin? |
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Quoted: First guess is an axle shaft. It should have CV shafts, which aren't very strong. I'm guessing you broke when when it got bound up turning in 4 lo. Raise the front wheels, turn one and see if the shaft turns. You may not see the break, it might be inside the boot. The good news is they are cheap. In part time, it is really in 4wd. It's called part time because you only use it part of the time. Don't drive on road in part time, you will break things. The full time setting allows the transfer case to slip, so it doesn't bind. Sounds right. You should be able to change the cv shaft yourself. It's good practice for when the other side takes a crap. |
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Were you on ashpalt? My guess is driveline wind up and a tire breaking free  Yeah, we were on asphalt at the time of the pop. If it was this though I should not have that lingering whining noise right?Whoops ... missed the lingering whining noise....... Thats what I get for trying to work and peruse arfcom at the same time ( don't use 4WD on ashpalt by the way, It is seriously bad juju unless you are in slippery conditions like snow and ice ) |
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Quoted: Yup, First guess is an axle shaft. It should have CV shafts, which aren't very strong. I'm guessing you broke when when it got bound up turning in 4 lo. Raise the front wheels, turn one and see if the shaft turns. You may not see the break, it might be inside the boot. The good news is they are cheap. In part time, it is really in 4wd. It's called part time because you only use it part of the time. Don't drive on road in part time, you will break things. The full time setting allows the transfer case to slip, so it doesn't bind. 99-04 Grand Cherokees used a Dana 30 front axle assembly. They came with either a C/V style axle half shaft with or without Vari-Lok. The vari lok style are notorious for going tits up. Looking at the front axle, on the tube will be a series of # these are the build #s you can run your VIN# and they should tell you what you have. Not that hard to replace if you have the tools and the time. |
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Were you on ashpalt? My guess is driveline wind up and a tire breaking free Yeah, we were on asphalt at the time of the pop. If it was this though I should not have that lingering whining noise right?Whoops ... missed the lingering whining noise....... Thats what I get for trying to work and peruse arfcom at the same time ( don't use 4WD on DRY ashpalt by the way, It is seriously bad juju unless you are in slippery conditions like snow and ice ) you broke it read the manual next time |
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I suppose it is possible that someone swapped a CV Dana 30 from a 94/95 into a 99, but it doesn't seem likely. Check the U-joints, check the driveshaft, buy some gear oil and RTV then check the diff. Also check the control arm for tire rub, the whining noise might be amplified in your imagination from the earlier sound. ETA - you can pull the front driveshaft in case the Tcase shift linkage is unhappy due to missing bushings. |
| I know we should not have had it in 4lo on dry asphalt (but thanks for point that out repeatedly). I bought it last week, drove it home, and left town for a week. I took it out today just to see if the 4wd worked and it popped within 30 seconds. Looks like it is probably the cv shaft. I will check it tomorrow and go buy a new one for $70 from autozone. no biggie and maybe I will learn something in the process about the jeep. For the folks who gave helpful insight, thanks. |
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My 2004 Grand Cherokee will make a loud POP if I accidentally leave it in Part-Time 4WD on a dry surface. Like if you're going through nasty snow on the way to work and you go to park in a plowed lot with bare pavement. It's loud and nasty sounding! I'm careful to shift out of that now before getting to a dry parking lot and making anything close to a tight turn.
ETA: I believe everything is still fine, just don't do it again. |