98 Durango 4wd help - Motorgen - Automotive Events, Meets, Cruises and Forums

Damian · 01-07-2013, 10:40 PM

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 · 01-08-2013, 08:13 AM

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

Damian · 01-08-2013, 08:27 AM

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 · 01-08-2013, 08:37 AM

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 · 01-08-2013, 08:41 AM

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 · 01-08-2013, 09:20 AM

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 · 01-08-2013, 09:46 AM

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 · 01-08-2013, 10:37 AM

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 · 01-08-2013, 10:59 AM

So how do I fix that?

blackax · 01-08-2013, 11:05 AM

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?