Oh, crap :-/

prariepunk

Active member
On my way to work this morning, my front driveshaft started shaking... I know I needed to do u-joints... But then it popped :-O now there is NO resistance in the t-case :'( NO 4wd... Did I grenade my t-case?
 

It shouldnt have. It should be just fine. just take out the driveshaft and drive it until you can fix the u-joint. On the older cj's, they had lock out hubs that you turned to lock it in 4wd, the yj's and tj's dont have them so the front driveshaft spins but the front end isn't engaged until you shift it to 4wd. The resistance you are referring to is probably from the front shaft spinning at all times and now your driveshaft is gone so, no resistance.. your case should be just fine.
 
It shouldnt have. It should be just fine. just take out the driveshaft and drive it until you can fix the u-joint. On the older cj's, they had lock out hubs that you turned to lock it in 4wd, the yj's and tj's dont have them so the front driveshaft spins but the front end isn't engaged until you shift it to 4wd. The resistance you are referring to is probably from the front shaft spinning at all times and now your driveshaft is gone so, no resistance.. your case should be just fine.
I believe that is incorrect! On the yj, the front drive shaft does not turn till you engage the transfer case, I dont know about the tj, but I would guess it would be the same as the yj. The front drive shaft could be turning with out the transfer case being engaged,if the front axle is engaged for four wheel drive. The yj has a vacume controlled actuator located on the passenger side of the front axle,{rear side of front axle} that engages the front axle.
 
the driveshaft does turn, the front out put of the tcase is always engaged and you shift the shifter into 4wd the vac on the axle engages the the axle. the tcase is spinning the front shaft at all times, but the front axle isn;t engaged until you shift it. On the cj's you have to disengage the hubs then shift the shifter out of 4wd or it would spin the front driveshaft as well but the hubs would not be engaged. Not positive on the tj set up but his tcase should be ok either way. At least that the way my brother's 3 yj's were.
 
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I disagree. Maybe one of the gurus well step in and get one of us straightened out.
 

So what exactly happened? Did the bad ujoints in the front driveshaft cause too much vibration?

Does 2wd still work?
 
I dont understand that, how does losing a driveshaft u-joint blow up your tcase? Not saying it didn't, I just don't understand how. I am shocked that it distroyed your case.
gennybro, you may be correct about the shaft spinning, its been a few years since my bro had his last yj, it just seems that it always spun, but the front wheels were not engaged until he shifted the shifter. Curious how it just fell out though if its not spinning. Im not one of those "im always right and your wrong" type of people and will always welcome corrections. Just sayin, wasn't being arguemntitive. Im curious now though.
 
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man im sorry to hear that, and sorry I suggested it was ok. I have lost a driveshaft u-joint on the highway before and it violently slapped the floor of my jeep until I could pull over and it didnt hurt the tcase at all, so I based my answer on that. there seems to be many differances between the cj's, yj's, tj's that I was unaware of.
 

It is possible to have that drive shaft spinning when not engaged to the transfer case. Now if that actuator fork on the front axle had been installed backwards, keeping it engaged with the drive shaft, then the drive shaft would turn all the time the wheel is in motion. With out the transfer case being engaged.
That actuator fork that I am talking about moves a splined collar on the axle that engages the front axles togeather. When I first got my yj,I had taken it to a garage to find out what the issue was that I didn't have 4 wheel drive. The mechanic took it apart and showed me that the fork that moved the collar was damaged,and showed me how it worked. He told me that he could install it backwards,keeping the collar on the axles engaged all the time, resulting with the front drive shaft spinning when ever the jeep was in motion,and for 4 wheel drive,simply engage the transfer case. I didnt want that cause I felt that it just ment more moveing parts that wasnt necessary,and probably decrease my mpg.
Back to the original issue about the ujoints blowing up the transfer case, I'm ignorant about that,I dont see how that would happen . Unless the transfer case was engaged and somehow the front axle locked up resulting in tearing hell out of the transfer case. I'm still learning on how this beast operates myself.
 
I could see the driveshaft coming loose from the axle side and either flailing wildly, or making contact with the ground and doing a pole vault. Either case would beat the snot out of the transfer case and driveshaft.

This is all theoretical though - as usual I have no real world experience :eek:
 
TerryMason said:
I could see the driveshaft coming loose from the axle side and either flailing wildly, or making contact with the ground and doing a pole vault. Either case would beat the snot out of the transfer case and driveshaft.

This is all theoretical though - as usual I have no real world experience :eek:

yikes man the thought of a driveshaft pole vault made me cringe, that would hurt more than just the transfer case D:
 

Heres a pole vaulted t case on a truck in my shop. Front u joint broke. And dug into the ground. That's why only the planetary of the t case remains lol
 

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2010 ram 2500. He was doing about 45. He was in 2 week prior and didn't want to spend 250 bucks. This repair was over 8500.
 

The picture on the left,Is that the main wiring harness?:shock:
 

I think what happened was the bad u-joint caused the drive shaft to wobble so much that it wore out the bearings in the front of the case... causing the yolk to wobble out of control... then on one of the VERY few days that I actually needed my 4wd, it cracks in half at 55mph on the highway... 2wd still works but the front shaft sounds like h3ll because it's still spinning
I think I attached a photo
 

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