98 Durango 4wd help

[Damian]

I finally got all of the 4wd components to get the Durango offroad ready. Got another set of motor mounts and filled them with polyurathane and put them in and found the drivers side mount that bolts to the block broken. Replaced it and mounts work great. The motor barely moves and it doesn't even vibrate the interior. The next day I put the front diff carrier, half axles, and propshaft in and took it for a test drive. It was sluggish on take off and when I turned, the tires were under a huge load. The xfer case is a manual shifter and it is in the 2hi position. So I cycled it through the 2hi, 4hi, neutral, and 4low positions. Neutral and 4low definitely work. 2hi and 4hi feel exactly the same. Changed the xfer case oil and adjusted the shifter as per the manual and same thing. Tried backing up and going forward as per owners manual and no change. Ended up removing the propshaft and it drives normal again. The 4wd light on the gauge cluster doesn't come on even if it's in 4low.

Before I take the step of going to the junkyard and ripping out another xfer case and swapping it in, any ideas of what I can do to get this thing to work properly? I'm leaving for Nebraska on the 15th and I need 4wd to work properly since there is snow on the ground back there.

[94cobra69ss396]

Does the Durango have manual hubs or does it use vacuum to lock and unlock one of the CV shafts?

[Damian]

Neither. The xfer case only sends power to the front or it doesn't. The front diff is always spinning when the vehicle is moving.

[94cobra69ss396]

Then you won't feel any difference in the steering between 2Hi and 4Hi because the front axles will always be locked. Was the carrier you got open or a limited slip? It needs to be an open carrier or a selectable locker. This is the same way my Explorer is now with the Dana 30 and it's why I'm running an ARB air locker in the front. Most of the time when I wheel I don't lock the ARB because it is really hard to turn. With it unlocked it works like an open carrier and allows the wheels to move easily at different speeds.

[Damian]

It's an open diff. My question is why does the truck perform so much better without the propshaft than it does with it? The front wheels spin freely without it, and not so freely with it in.

[94cobra69ss396]

When you say propshaft are you talking about the front driveshaft? With the front driveshaft removed can you spin the front output shaft on the transfer case when it is in 2Hi? How about when in 4Hi?

[Damian]

Yeah, Ive only known the axle that goes from the xfer case to the front diff to be the propshaft.

When I put the kids to nap later, I'll bolt it back in and try that.

I'm seriously worried with the way it was acting, I would end up breaking something even with it in 2hi. I have a feeling that this is the reason the front diff exploded in the first place.

[blackax]

Only thing I can think of is that the front output on the transfer case isn't working and is binding up when you put in the front drive shaft.

[Damian]

So how do I fix that?

[blackax]

First can you spin the front output flange when its in 2wd? (the answer should be yes)

Can you spin the front output flange when its in 4wd? (the answer should be no)

How are the U joints on the front drive shaft? when you jack up the front of the truck does spinning the diff spin the wheels?

[Damian]

I'm gonna replace the u joints since I broke one yesterday taking the axle out. Here in about 2 hours, I'll go get new u joints and bolt it back in and report back.

[94cobra69ss396]

You want to test it with the driveshaft removed, not installed.

[Damian]

So I finally got to go out and play around with it a bit. Jacked up the front end with the xfer case in neutral and the front axle removed. Rotated each front wheel by itself and it just rotates by itself, expected. Rotated the input shaft and both wheels will spin together. Tried to rotate the output shaft on the xfer case by hand, no go. Used the handle part of a hammer and put it into the grooves for the u joint and still nothing. Any ideas?? Forgot to try it with it in 4hi, can still do it if needed.

[94cobra69ss396]

Sounds like the transfer case is stuck in 4Hi. Does the truck have a manual shift for the transfer case or is it an electronic switch?

[Damian]

Manual shifter.

[Damian]

But it's not stuck stuck in 4hi, it will go into neutral and 4 lo.

[Damian]

I tried shifting it at the xfer case. Going between 2hi and 4hi is easy, going to neutral won't go without loosening the nut. If I use the shifter and put into 4low, I can shift it all the way to 2hi at the xfer case.

[Damian]

Should I try a few love taps with a hammer?

[94cobra69ss396]

Do you have the trans in neutral or park? Try it with the trans in park.

[Damian]

I had it in park with the e brake on, not that the brake makes a difference.

[Damian]

Well, I'm done with this xfer case. I jacked up the rear to get the tires off the ground and blocked the fronts. Put the trans and xfer case in neutral. I then put a socket and breaker bar on the front output shaft and spun it back and forth. The rear wheels spin right along with it. Put the xfer case in any gear and same thing happens but witha bit more resistance with it. With the tires in the ground and xfer case in neutral, I can't spin that output shaft at all.

So unless there is any logical reason why I shouldn't just go for the one at the junkyard, I'm gonna get it today or probably tomorrow.

[94cobra69ss396]

Pull the transfer case and open it up first. They are pretty simple and it may be something simple that you can fix without any cost.

[Damian]

I have no clue what I'm looking at though. Plus the Durango is the only car I can drive legally. Typhoon can't pass the visual test for smog and the Jeep has no engine.

[Damian]

When I get the stock xfer case out, I'll tear it down and take some pictures of the internals.

I found two xfer cases at the local junkyard, one is a 98, the other is a 99 or 00, can't remember. The 98 output shaft won't move like mine does, could just be mildly stuck, but I'm not gonna waste my time and money on a hope. The other one does freely spin while in 2wd, front output shaft that is. I almost got it out today, only had 30 minutes to work on it. Gonna go back first thing tomorrow and rip it out.

There is light at the end of the tunnel.

[Damian]

Finally go it put in today. 2wd works just fine. Headed to the muffler shop now. Finally!

[Damian]

Everything is done. Used Magnaflow muffler, installation, and reweld one of my cuts only cost me $75. Xfer case works good so far, haven't tested out 4wd yet though. Kinda scared to now.

[94cobra69ss396]

I'm glad it the used case worked for you.

[Damian]

I really should test it out to make sure it will cycle through the gears properly. Need to find some place near where I can test it out though.

[94cobra69ss396]

Put it up on axle stands.

[Damian]

I would but I read several places on the Durango forums saying not to do that. Even the owners manual recommends putting it into 4 hi or even back into 2hi while moving. It does say stop to go into 4low since there is actual gear changes in the xfer case. I'll read more on it. I do have to meet my in laws up in Bakersfield to drop off my dogs with them, I'm sure I can find some place up there or even in the mountains. Ill just take some tools in case I need to pull the front axle off again. Only need a 8mm wrench and a 15mm socket.

I really do like the fact that I can just crawl under the Durango to work on things without having to jack it up all the time. I love my Typhoon and all my previous lowered cars, but I couldn't even touch the engine oil drain plug without jacking it up.

That last nut on the xfer case took me about 2-3 hours to get off and pull the xfer case out, it took me about an hour to put everything back in, add oil, and drive it down the street. Just my luck I guess.

[94cobra69ss396]

Go to Hungry Valley OHV in Gorman.

http://www.ohvguide.com/maps/hungryvalley.htm

[Damian]

Sweet! I was honestly thinking of pulling off on that exit and finding something around there. Saving that website too, thanks.

[Damian]

4wd works good but I fucked up. I forgot to tighten the bolt on the adjustment rod and the bolt fell out. So when I went to put it back into 2wd, it was still in 4wd. Crawled underneath and manually put it into 2wd and drove home. Put a bolt in and works great. It was not exactly warm up there, ice and snow on the ground.

[94cobra69ss396]

Hungry Valley can be fun. Miller's Jeep slide is up there. We did it once in the snow which made it really fun.

[Damian]

I was running late on the way up there so I didn't hit the trails at all. Just drove down the road until I found some place to pull off on the side of the road and tested it there. The mud was half frozen, didn't make much of a mess thankfully.

I'll get the Jeep fixed and get some suspension parts replaced, new tires and I'll have to go out with you guys.

[Damian]

Yay, made it all the way to Nebraska and nothing broke, knock on wood. 4wd works great, used it a couple times in CO just to have some fun in the snow. My 4wd dash light doesn't come on though, it did once a couple days ago for about 5 seconds.

[Damian]

Drive 1600 miles with zero issues. Go to my brothers house, back up 5 feet and ripped the drivers side mirror clean off.