Im new to this forum. I just bought my first xj 1990 jeep cherokee laredo. It had bad front and rear axles. I bought axles and just got going. The 4wd actuator on the front axle was not hook up. I had been told that I could engage it and leave it engaged. When I place it in 4wd drive in my gravel driveway it feels like it in a bind and if I move slow you can see hear the tires spinning in the gravels slightly. Like the ratios are wrong in the front and rear axles. But the axles came out of the same jeep. I need some help. Can I engage the slide on the axle? WHy is the tires slipping or spinning?

Also I was driving and it was in od and it started free wheeling and would not pull. So I thought the tranny came out of it but a few minutes later it started working fine again. ??? THanks Jared

 

you posted this in the wrong section...

 

yes you can slide the collar across the axle shaft and lock it into place with any means necessary. i used a hose clamp for years.

as for the gears, remove the covers and along the edge of the large ring gear, there is a series of numbers. take the last set of numbers and divide them. so like 45-11 which would be 45 divided by 11 is 4.09090909 (4.10) ratio.
looks something like this...


make sure they are both the same. you could get away with 3.54 and 3.55 or 4.09 and 4.10/4.11 but not 3.55 and 3.73 that is too much difference. same with 3.07 and 3.55 etc.