Hey guys,

I've got a 97 Cherokee with a 4.0L, automatic, 242, selectrac. I live in Pittsburgh and in the snow storms recently had it in 4WD full time (during the storms) and 4WD part time (about two days later) when inclines were still bad and half lanes existed but level areas were pretty clear. Anyway, recently when making tighter turns like in parking lots WITHOUT the full or part time 4WD on I get the bumpy turn you get when you have 4WD on on pavement. No lights are on on the dashboard, everything looks okay under the front end as far as I can tell when I looked at the gas station.

At first I thought something was rubbing somewhere when I made tight turns but there is no evidence of that and plenty of clearance. It isn't lifted and has stock tires. The back was really full of stuff but has been unloaded and is still doing that. I put new tie rods and stuff on it before this winter and it has a new steering shock. I had the front end aligned after that.

It doesn't "feel" like the 4WD is stuck on, and like I said, no lights are on on the dashboard. Any thoughts as to what would do this when it's in 2WD? Could something just be stiff from all the snow and cold or does it need to be looked at? I have no facility to do any work on it where I am now, which sucks. I hate paying garage time. I don't know what to look for even if I did.

Please help!

 

*bump*

Anybody have any ideas?

 

back up for a while to unlock the 4x4, would be my only guess. maybe its stuck in 4x4 for some odd reason or the vacuum to unlock is messed up?

 

or it could be the u joints did you check those?

 

Do you have snow or ice packed up in the wheel wells that your tires are rubbing against at full lock? Or packed in/around the knuckles?

It sounds an awfully lot like it's not disengaging from 4WD fully. Maybe your 4WD dash light has gone out?

 

U-Joint binding feels A LOT like 4wd on pavement, however I believe it would feel like that all the time, rather than just turning. I would definitely check to see if it is a U-Joint. That's the name of the game, rule out everything but the problem.

 

first off, vacuum disconnect was ***** canned in '91. your dana 30 in the front is a live axle, the hubs are permanently attached to the axle shafts, therefore the driveshaft and front diff is in full motion with the rest of the truck. when you engage 4wd all it does is engage your differential. chances are the u-joints in the axle shafts are binding when you have the wheel fully cranked. my truck does the same thing, as far as im concerned its normal for a solid front axle truck.

 

simple test to see if your still in 4wd, DO A BURNOUT!!
if you cant get them to spin then you know

 

Thanks for the input guys! I'll double check for snow/ice packed up somewhere and check the u joints.

 

yeah when i 1st got my jeep it did the same same thing and it turns out it was the u joints check those out ciz that sounds like the problem.