I just replaced the right front passenger U joint on the weekend, I drove it in 2wd to and from school a couple times a day. I went to tow my friends boat and i had to put it in 4 wheel high so i could park it. I went to hard lock right in reverse and my right wheel felt like it was binding and it started dragging, i turned it alittle back to center and that popping sound you get when your U joints are bad came back, but the binding stopped. This is very frustrating and i need some ideas on what I could have done wrong when installing or anything else that comes to mind.

Thanks Dan

 

You said 4 hi, could it be the transfer case chain jumping from being stretched?

 

hey

i ran into that same problem but worse it sound like just a t case chain stretched from what ive found out about mine but it was also driven for a year with front wheel drive only.

 

did you have it in part time 4WD on dry pavement?

 

yup but it was not a dd

 

This is normal on mine, and its stock from what I know. wheeled plenty of times and never had a problem yet. It does it on hard surfaces only, and when your turning hard.

 

The binding you describe is because of how the 4WD system works. When in 4wd, the front and rear driveshaft each get equal torque. This means that ideally, all four wheels would get power, but in reality, only one in the back, and one in the front will, the two with the least traction. Being that there is no center differential, the wheel in the front and wheel in the back are tied together and turn at the exact same speed. When turning, especially sharply, the front tire generally needs to cover more distance in the same time. Because the front and back are tied together, the axles need to spin at the same rate. On soft, slick, wet surfaces, the tire will slip a little bit and you'll never feel the binding. However, on pavement, the tire gets too much traction, and cannot slide as easily. You will feel a 'hop' or binding feeling when turning. It will wear out your transfer case, differential, (usually front) and/or other driveline components. This is why you are advised not to use 4wd on dry pavement.

 

I must clarify I don't put it in 4 wheel drive on hard surfaces. I have had it do this to me while I was shifting it into 4 on a hard surface just before I went out on the sand otherwise I would be the cool guy who buried himself at the entrance. haha

 

Yeah, I do once in a while too. I'll do mine if I'm pulling something in reverse, or even accelerating hard onto the highway once in a while. Stop sign at the end of the entrance, busy, 2 lanes, and no merge lane. Need it just so I don't spin out and get slammed. Of course, I shift out immediately after the burst of acceleration. I just hate spinning my tires.

 

Am I comprehending this right? You put it in 4x4 on the highway cause you burn out too much accelerating too hard?

I must have gotten a wimpy jeep.

 

hahaha your jeep is a wimp

 

So the popping and binding noise is normal if i was just testing out my new joints on the pavement? It sounded exactly like when they were bad before i changed it so i was just wondering if i installed it wrong, but thats great if it was normal ill be sure to stick to the mud\snow in 4 wheel.

thanks alot Dan

 

Only when getting on at a certain entrance of Rt. 2 out by leominster. The entrance is uphill, just enough, with a stop sign at the end. The entrance lane, in about 300 feet, is the next exit. So you really have to switch fast. And get up to speed pretty fast, given the traffic on that road. I won't slip if the pavement is completely bare, but if there is any sand, yeah, I'll slip a little. And that is pretty scary. (I am running 215 size tires). After slipping on some sand there that I didn't notice, and almost getting hit by an 18 wheeler, I just put it in 4wd all the time for that entrance. Better safe than sorry.

 

Usually both front U-joints are done at the same time. I noticed you only changed the right front? Is the left front the same age?

 

yeah it was my first time doing the joints so i decided to do the first one, but it was a b**** getting the cover off and the joints out so im gonna take some time to let my hands recover till I start the second one.