The Dreaded Wabble?

[daniel.99.tj]

I have a 99 tj with ox lockers in the rear. The cable broke and I think that the locker engaged and I can't get it to disengage. NOW THE PROBLEM, everytime i turn left, or right for that matter, the left rearend lifts up slightly and a loud metalic pop that sounds like a joint or gear popping in and out of place can be heard, and the rear tires peel out like the locker is engaged. AND now the rear wheel wabbles when it's driven. Now, I have downed the jeep and haven't driven it except in my yard to see the wabble. NOW THE QUESTION, do I have the dreaded death wabble I hear about?, and should I try to fix it or replace the rear end and salvage what i can?

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

No, death wobble is in the front end and is a viloent uncontrollable side to side shaking that is only brought under control by slowing or stopping.

Let me get this straight, even if you're turning right and the weight transfer is to the left side, the left rear lifts up somehow and you hear a loud pop?

 

[SteelHeadz]

X2," Death Wobble" only occurs on the front, uncontrolable and violent. I think you should start by disengaging the locker somehow and retest it. If the rear left wheel wobble's , that is an indication of something is bent, a locker doesn't cause a wheel to wobble.

 

[Turbogus]

a death wabble? that wascally wabbit stwikes again!
On my D44 the locker clunks normally going around sharp corners, normal to this type of locker.

 

[jtm703]

I thought that Ox lockers had a failsafe embedded so that if the cable broke, they would default to the open diff position. I could be wrong, or it could be broken.

Have you called the folks at Ox to see if they can help?

 

[phall92139]

This isn't going to solve your problem but will give you a better handle on what's going on...

HowStuffWorks "How Differentials Work"

A little long but worth the read.

 

[daniel.99.tj]

yeah it will still pop and spinout when i turn right. I'm not sure about the fail safe in the locker. the only reason i think that it's engaged is because of the tires spinnig out when i turn like it's in 4wd

 

[SteelHeadz]

IMO, opening the rear diff. cover will answer some questions if not all. Since the source of the popping is in the rear axle and it only occurs during a turn, you can't go wrong doing a thorough inspection of the internal components. I'm not familiar with the OX lockers components but in my past experience, with a stock differential on a TJ, when turned either right or left there was a popping noise on the rear differential and it turned out to be the spider gears causing the abnoxious noise.