front end shudder
 

hey -

first of all, this is the first time I've posted to this group...
I've been reading the threads here for months though, doing a ton of
research on Wranglers before I decided to buy one, which I did just a
couple months ago - got a new 2004 TJ X. Loaded it up with the
full-hard doors/top, limited slip, ABS, and some other niceties.
Gotta love it!

anyhow, after breaking it in for about 1000 miles, I started taking
it off road - nothing serious, no river-fording or huge boulders to
crawl - and I've gotta say that I'm extremely pleased with how it
handles, even without any custom mods.

there's one thing that kinda concerns me a bit, though, that
hopefully someone here knows about: I've noticed that a couple of
times when I'm in 4-HI and in a position where my traction isn't very
good (most recently, when I was blazing a trail through a foot of snow
in the woods behind a friend's house), that I notice the front end
shuddering. Sounded like the engine was trying to break free... *dunk
dunk dunk dunk*. I was stopped, then tried moving forward in first
gear while slipping the clutch (yes, now I know when to use 4-LO), and
that's when it happened. I didn't actually go anywhere. I think
perhaps my front wheels were turned a bit, maybe sharply to the left -
could that have anything to do with it? it didn't do any noticable
damage, still runs great on and off road as far as I can tell. just
one hell of a nasty sound!

so yeah, if anyone knows anything about this, I'd love to know what's
causing the shudder and if it's likely to have caused any damage to my
new toy.

thanks!

Matt

Re: front end shudder
 

Hi Matt,
Congratulations.
On a tight turn in four wheel drive you're going to feel the
oscillations of a single universal joint used on TJ axles as it binds
against the difference in turning radius between the rear and front
axles, it's normal when you have too much traction. Know that when your
forcing this, it is limiting it's life.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Matt wrote:
>
> hey -
>
> first of all, this is the first time I've posted to this group...
> I've been reading the threads here for months though, doing a ton of
> research on Wranglers before I decided to buy one, which I did just a
> couple months ago - got a new 2004 TJ X. Loaded it up with the
> full-hard doors/top, limited slip, ABS, and some other niceties.
> Gotta love it!
>
> anyhow, after breaking it in for about 1000 miles, I started taking
> it off road - nothing serious, no river-fording or huge boulders to
> crawl - and I've gotta say that I'm extremely pleased with how it
> handles, even without any custom mods.
>
> there's one thing that kinda concerns me a bit, though, that
> hopefully someone here knows about: I've noticed that a couple of
> times when I'm in 4-HI and in a position where my traction isn't very
> good (most recently, when I was blazing a trail through a foot of snow
> in the woods behind a friend's house), that I notice the front end
> shuddering. Sounded like the engine was trying to break free... *dunk
> dunk dunk dunk*. I was stopped, then tried moving forward in first
> gear while slipping the clutch (yes, now I know when to use 4-LO), and
> that's when it happened. I didn't actually go anywhere. I think
> perhaps my front wheels were turned a bit, maybe sharply to the left -
> could that have anything to do with it? it didn't do any noticable
> damage, still runs great on and off road as far as I can tell. just
> one hell of a nasty sound!
>
> so yeah, if anyone knows anything about this, I'd love to know what's
> causing the shudder and if it's likely to have caused any damage to my
> new toy.
>
> thanks!
>
> Matt

Re: front end shudder
 

Hi Matt,
Congratulations.
On a tight turn in four wheel drive you're going to feel the
oscillations of a single universal joint used on TJ axles as it binds
against the difference in turning radius between the rear and front
axles, it's normal when you have too much traction. Know that when your
forcing this, it is limiting it's life.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Matt wrote:
>
> hey -
>
> first of all, this is the first time I've posted to this group...
> I've been reading the threads here for months though, doing a ton of
> research on Wranglers before I decided to buy one, which I did just a
> couple months ago - got a new 2004 TJ X. Loaded it up with the
> full-hard doors/top, limited slip, ABS, and some other niceties.
> Gotta love it!
>
> anyhow, after breaking it in for about 1000 miles, I started taking
> it off road - nothing serious, no river-fording or huge boulders to
> crawl - and I've gotta say that I'm extremely pleased with how it
> handles, even without any custom mods.
>
> there's one thing that kinda concerns me a bit, though, that
> hopefully someone here knows about: I've noticed that a couple of
> times when I'm in 4-HI and in a position where my traction isn't very
> good (most recently, when I was blazing a trail through a foot of snow
> in the woods behind a friend's house), that I notice the front end
> shuddering. Sounded like the engine was trying to break free... *dunk
> dunk dunk dunk*. I was stopped, then tried moving forward in first
> gear while slipping the clutch (yes, now I know when to use 4-LO), and
> that's when it happened. I didn't actually go anywhere. I think
> perhaps my front wheels were turned a bit, maybe sharply to the left -
> could that have anything to do with it? it didn't do any noticable
> damage, still runs great on and off road as far as I can tell. just
> one hell of a nasty sound!
>
> so yeah, if anyone knows anything about this, I'd love to know what's
> causing the shudder and if it's likely to have caused any damage to my
> new toy.
>
> thanks!
>
> Matt

Re: front end shudder
 

Hi Matt,
Congratulations.
On a tight turn in four wheel drive you're going to feel the
oscillations of a single universal joint used on TJ axles as it binds
against the difference in turning radius between the rear and front
axles, it's normal when you have too much traction. Know that when your
forcing this, it is limiting it's life.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

Matt wrote:
>
> hey -
>
> first of all, this is the first time I've posted to this group...
> I've been reading the threads here for months though, doing a ton of
> research on Wranglers before I decided to buy one, which I did just a
> couple months ago - got a new 2004 TJ X. Loaded it up with the
> full-hard doors/top, limited slip, ABS, and some other niceties.
> Gotta love it!
>
> anyhow, after breaking it in for about 1000 miles, I started taking
> it off road - nothing serious, no river-fording or huge boulders to
> crawl - and I've gotta say that I'm extremely pleased with how it
> handles, even without any custom mods.
>
> there's one thing that kinda concerns me a bit, though, that
> hopefully someone here knows about: I've noticed that a couple of
> times when I'm in 4-HI and in a position where my traction isn't very
> good (most recently, when I was blazing a trail through a foot of snow
> in the woods behind a friend's house), that I notice the front end
> shuddering. Sounded like the engine was trying to break free... *dunk
> dunk dunk dunk*. I was stopped, then tried moving forward in first
> gear while slipping the clutch (yes, now I know when to use 4-LO), and
> that's when it happened. I didn't actually go anywhere. I think
> perhaps my front wheels were turned a bit, maybe sharply to the left -
> could that have anything to do with it? it didn't do any noticable
> damage, still runs great on and off road as far as I can tell. just
> one hell of a nasty sound!
>
> so yeah, if anyone knows anything about this, I'd love to know what's
> causing the shudder and if it's likely to have caused any damage to my
> new toy.
>
> thanks!
>
> Matt