VC and Removing the Front drive shaft

mike50401 · 06-02-2009, 12:50 AM

I have a 1995 Grand Cherokee. All I own are Jeeps, but this one has my over a barrel. If I drive it for very long on the highway it starts to feel like it's pulsing. Then when I get off the highway it pops when I turn. Sounds like a CV joint. It does not do it unless I have been on the highway, and if I let it sit for a few minutes it stops until I get back on the highway. I don't seem to have any problems in town for local driving.

I am hearing a lot that sounds like it is the VC thingy (official term). I really can not afford the repair bill for that. I have heard two things and hope someone will clarify.

One is that I can remove the front drive shaft. It seems to me that I will lose fluid if I do that, and I started to when I realized that the front drive shaft is what holds it in park. Any thoughts about having it removed? Also, how do you remove the front of the front drive shaft?

The next thing i have had a couple people on Yahoo Answers tell me that they have driven years with this problem. They said it is just annoying and might be hard on tires, but that there is not big problem with driving it with a bad VC beyond annoyance.

4.3L XJ · 06-02-2009, 01:49 AM

Do you have full time four wheel drive? It sounds like it. If so you would have to leave it locked in 4WD to be able to remove the front drive line.

mike50401 · 06-02-2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4.3L XJ

Do you have full time four wheel drive? It sounds like it. If so you would have to leave it locked in 4WD to be able to remove the front drive line.

If it is full time 4wd how would I "keep it locked in"? Yes it is full time 4wd. Thanks for the help.

What do you think about just running it with the bad vc? I don't have a lot of choice, but would like to know what I get into. I work with troubled teens. The money is just above volunteer.. LOL. The rewards are huge, but I can't buy another car on the joys of seeing the boys succeed.

4.3L XJ · 06-02-2009, 09:42 AM

Ultimately I don't think it would hurt anything. Just annoying. You might want t do one of two things. repair it or convert to a NP231 part time tcase. They don't have any real issues. The VCs do wear out.

nick_n_ii · 06-02-2009, 10:11 AM

If you remove your front drive shaft you will completely junk your T-case. Pre-97 I be leave is the year you can't remove the front shaft from teh 249 T-case with out killing it..

seed · 06-02-2009, 10:38 AM

96 is when they changed the design of the 249. If your vicious coulper is already shot you can remove the front shaft so that it's not binding,however IT WILL ROLL IN PARK!

nick_n_ii · 06-02-2009, 12:15 PM

Thank you for the year clarification.. I wasn't far off..

nyfreakinrican7 · 06-06-2009, 01:56 PM

Just a little lost is the VC a part of the transfer case or the front diff?

nick_n_ii · 06-06-2009, 01:59 PM

It's in the t-case.. But acts as a differential. If you don't have a front drive shaft it sends power in the direction of the least resistances. That's why it would send all the power to the lack of a front driveshaft.

redinak · 04-12-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick_n_ii

It's in the t-case.. But acts as a differential. If you don't have a front drive shaft it sends power in the direction of the least resistances. That's why it would send all the power to the lack of a front driveshaft.

Raising an old thread here. We are looking at buying a '96 which has had the front drive shaft removed for probably 10k miles at least. It doesn't roll in Park. We are assuming there is a NP 242 QuadraTrac II in the GC.

So the VC would be messed up because it has been spinning all this time because it was thinking there was a giant variation in speeds between the front and rear?

Thanks...

country_boy454 · 04-12-2010, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redinak

Raising an old thread here. We are looking at buying a '96 which has had the front drive shaft removed for probably 10k miles at least. It doesn't roll in Park. We are assuming there is a NP 242 QuadraTrac II in the GC.

So the VC would be messed up because it has been spinning all this time because it was thinking there was a giant variation in speeds between the front and rear?

Thanks...

The quadra trac system is the np249 not the selec trac np242. If it is the V8 it has the 249 unless the previous owner swapped it for either the 231 or the 242.

Also if it is the 242 then removing the front shaft will have no effect on it because the 242 has the 2 wheel drive option.

The np249's were redesigned in the 96-98s. It is fine to run them with no front shaft. I do it with mine in the summer and put it back in come winter.

06-02-2009, 10:11 AM	#5
nick_n_ii CF Veteran Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Shelby, Ohio Posts: 5,821 My Photos 1996 Cherokee Engine: 4.0L Transmission: AW4 Transfer Case: NP231 Front Axle: D30 4.10 gears Spartan locked Rear Axle: Ford 8.8 4.10 gears open Tires: 32x11.5-15 MTRs Lift Specifications: 5.5" long armed Misc Accessories: More than a few.. :)	If you remove your front drive shaft you will completely junk your T-case. Pre-97 I be leave is the year you can't remove the front shaft from teh 249 T-case with out killing it.. __________________ Brian Perrine RIP, may you wheel on in the big offroad park in the sky. You will be missed. American 4x4 Adventure

06-02-2009, 10:38 AM	#6
seed Senior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: pa Posts: 772 My Photos 2000 Grand Cherokee Engine: 4.0 Transfer Case: 242 Tires: 285/75/16 Lift Specifications: 4" iror	96 is when they changed the design of the 249. If your vicious coulper is already shot you can remove the front shaft so that it's not binding,however IT WILL ROLL IN PARK! __________________ 2000 laredo lifted & stuff

06-02-2009, 12:15 PM	#7
nick_n_ii CF Veteran Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Shelby, Ohio Posts: 5,821 My Photos 1996 Cherokee Engine: 4.0L Transmission: AW4 Transfer Case: NP231 Front Axle: D30 4.10 gears Spartan locked Rear Axle: Ford 8.8 4.10 gears open Tires: 32x11.5-15 MTRs Lift Specifications: 5.5" long armed Misc Accessories: More than a few.. :)	Thank you for the year clarification.. I wasn't far off.. __________________ Brian Perrine RIP, may you wheel on in the big offroad park in the sky. You will be missed. American 4x4 Adventure

06-06-2009, 01:59 PM	#9
nick_n_ii CF Veteran Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Shelby, Ohio Posts: 5,821 My Photos 1996 Cherokee Engine: 4.0L Transmission: AW4 Transfer Case: NP231 Front Axle: D30 4.10 gears Spartan locked Rear Axle: Ford 8.8 4.10 gears open Tires: 32x11.5-15 MTRs Lift Specifications: 5.5" long armed Misc Accessories: More than a few.. :)	It's in the t-case.. But acts as a differential. If you don't have a front drive shaft it sends power in the direction of the least resistances. That's why it would send all the power to the lack of a front driveshaft. __________________ Brian Perrine RIP, may you wheel on in the big offroad park in the sky. You will be missed. American 4x4 Adventure

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

06-02-2009, 01:49 AM	#2
4.3L XJ CF Veteran Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Chico, CA Posts: 3,229 My Photos 1986 Cherokee Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system Transmission: 4L60E with manual lockout. Transfer Case: Atlas 4 speed with 2.7, 3.8 and 10.38 Front Axle: D30 going to Toyota 8.25 with ARB Rear Axle: D35 going to Toyota 8.25 with ARB Tires: 31X10.50X15 going to 38s Lift Specifications: 7.5" RE coils on custom 3 link Tereflex high steer, bastard pack rear. Misc Accessories: Warn 9.5ti, a bag of goodies and custom onboard air	Do you have full time four wheel drive? It sounds like it. If so you would have to leave it locked in 4WD to be able to remove the front drive line.

06-02-2009, 09:42 AM	#4
4.3L XJ CF Veteran Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Chico, CA Posts: 3,229 My Photos 1986 Cherokee Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system Transmission: 4L60E with manual lockout. Transfer Case: Atlas 4 speed with 2.7, 3.8 and 10.38 Front Axle: D30 going to Toyota 8.25 with ARB Rear Axle: D35 going to Toyota 8.25 with ARB Tires: 31X10.50X15 going to 38s Lift Specifications: 7.5" RE coils on custom 3 link Tereflex high steer, bastard pack rear. Misc Accessories: Warn 9.5ti, a bag of goodies and custom onboard air	Ultimately I don't think it would hurt anything. Just annoying. You might want t do one of two things. repair it or convert to a NP231 part time tcase. They don't have any real issues. The VCs do wear out.

06-06-2009, 01:56 PM	#8
nyfreakinrican7 Newbie Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4 My Photos Cherokee	Just a little lost is the VC a part of the transfer case or the front diff?

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
SYE and front drive shaft question...	GamblySmurf	OEM Cherokee Tech	17	10-27-2010 10:53 PM
Does the front Drive Shaft always turn?	tkdtim	OEM Cherokee Tech	14	05-15-2009 04:32 AM
front drive shaft	littlejon	Grand Cherokee Tech	1	01-30-2009 08:46 AM
XJ Front Drive Shaft.	XJClay	OEM Cherokee Tech	3	10-27-2008 11:09 PM
i blew my front drive shaft	wicked_xj	OEM Cherokee Tech	4	08-12-2008 12:08 AM

04-12-2010, 12:26 PM