One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed, Command-Trac,
standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm expecting
too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do have
tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is in
2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.

Re: One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

Hey Bob,
Nothing wrong with your differential... use 2nd gear and feather the clutch
or use 1st gear with no throttle for spin free take offs. You could also
toss a couple sandbags in the back for some weight... or better yet, 4 12"
subs in a ported enclosure.

Putting it in 4wd engages the transfer case which divides power to the front
and rear axle. While increasing traction, it also decreases power to any
given wheel lessening the tendency to spin. Wheel spin may be less apparent
in reverse for a couple reasons. Lower gear ratio and you're less likely to
be applying as much throttle as you would be going forward. Your rear
springs can play a huge roll in traction as well... less evident in slippery
conditions however.
-Brian

"Bob" <j_522a@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FFYXb.11194$n17.9956@clgrps13...
: 4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed,
Command-Trac,
: standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm
expecting
: too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
: driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
: without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do
have
: tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is
in
: 2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
: Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
: something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
: on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
: be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.
:
:
:

Re: One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

Hey Bob,
Nothing wrong with your differential... use 2nd gear and feather the clutch
or use 1st gear with no throttle for spin free take offs. You could also
toss a couple sandbags in the back for some weight... or better yet, 4 12"
subs in a ported enclosure.

Putting it in 4wd engages the transfer case which divides power to the front
and rear axle. While increasing traction, it also decreases power to any
given wheel lessening the tendency to spin. Wheel spin may be less apparent
in reverse for a couple reasons. Lower gear ratio and you're less likely to
be applying as much throttle as you would be going forward. Your rear
springs can play a huge roll in traction as well... less evident in slippery
conditions however.
-Brian

"Bob" <j_522a@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FFYXb.11194$n17.9956@clgrps13...
: 4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed,
Command-Trac,
: standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm
expecting
: too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
: driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
: without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do
have
: tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is
in
: 2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
: Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
: something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
: on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
: be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.
:
:
:

Re: One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

Hey Bob,
Nothing wrong with your differential... use 2nd gear and feather the clutch
or use 1st gear with no throttle for spin free take offs. You could also
toss a couple sandbags in the back for some weight... or better yet, 4 12"
subs in a ported enclosure.

Putting it in 4wd engages the transfer case which divides power to the front
and rear axle. While increasing traction, it also decreases power to any
given wheel lessening the tendency to spin. Wheel spin may be less apparent
in reverse for a couple reasons. Lower gear ratio and you're less likely to
be applying as much throttle as you would be going forward. Your rear
springs can play a huge roll in traction as well... less evident in slippery
conditions however.
-Brian

"Bob" <j_522a@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FFYXb.11194$n17.9956@clgrps13...
: 4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed,
Command-Trac,
: standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm
expecting
: too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
: driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
: without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do
have
: tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is
in
: 2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
: Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
: something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
: on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
: be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.
:
:
:

Re: One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

Welcome to Jeeps!

You are describing how an open differential works on any vehicle.

If you are on ice, the wheel with the least traction can break away
first and spin. Using 2nd gear loads the wheel up slower so it is less
likely to spin.

This is why lots of folks put limited slips or lockers into their
differentials.

Both wheels get equal torque all the time. If one is spinning on ice,
that takes almost no torque to do, so the one sitting on dry land is
seeing almost no torque and it just sits there.

Here is a trick for you that works really well with practice.

Get one wheel on the ice and the other on dry land and try to go forward
in 2 wheel drive for learning purposes. When the one wheel starts
spinning away, hit the brake pedal in a hard pulse and give it gas at
the same time. You might have to hit it a few times with different
pressures.

With practice, this will put a load on the spinning wheel. If you get
it right, this load will equal the load needed to break the wheel on dry
road free or equal that load.

Then you have 2 rooster tails and away you go.

It also can work in 4x4 to get all 4 spinning, but it is difficult to do
with the front disk brakes. The rear drum brakes transfer the load
better.

The owners manual for my 88 Cherokee says you can use the emergency
brake to load up the spinning tire in the same way to get both spinning,
but I have never had any success with that method.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Bob wrote:
>
> 4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed, Command-Trac,
> standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm expecting
> too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
> driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
> without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do have
> tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is in
> 2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
> Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
> something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
> on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
> be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.

Re: One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

Welcome to Jeeps!

You are describing how an open differential works on any vehicle.

If you are on ice, the wheel with the least traction can break away
first and spin. Using 2nd gear loads the wheel up slower so it is less
likely to spin.

This is why lots of folks put limited slips or lockers into their
differentials.

Both wheels get equal torque all the time. If one is spinning on ice,
that takes almost no torque to do, so the one sitting on dry land is
seeing almost no torque and it just sits there.

Here is a trick for you that works really well with practice.

Get one wheel on the ice and the other on dry land and try to go forward
in 2 wheel drive for learning purposes. When the one wheel starts
spinning away, hit the brake pedal in a hard pulse and give it gas at
the same time. You might have to hit it a few times with different
pressures.

With practice, this will put a load on the spinning wheel. If you get
it right, this load will equal the load needed to break the wheel on dry
road free or equal that load.

Then you have 2 rooster tails and away you go.

It also can work in 4x4 to get all 4 spinning, but it is difficult to do
with the front disk brakes. The rear drum brakes transfer the load
better.

The owners manual for my 88 Cherokee says you can use the emergency
brake to load up the spinning tire in the same way to get both spinning,
but I have never had any success with that method.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Bob wrote:
>
> 4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed, Command-Trac,
> standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm expecting
> too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
> driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
> without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do have
> tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is in
> 2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
> Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
> something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
> on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
> be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.

Re: One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

Welcome to Jeeps!

You are describing how an open differential works on any vehicle.

If you are on ice, the wheel with the least traction can break away
first and spin. Using 2nd gear loads the wheel up slower so it is less
likely to spin.

This is why lots of folks put limited slips or lockers into their
differentials.

Both wheels get equal torque all the time. If one is spinning on ice,
that takes almost no torque to do, so the one sitting on dry land is
seeing almost no torque and it just sits there.

Here is a trick for you that works really well with practice.

Get one wheel on the ice and the other on dry land and try to go forward
in 2 wheel drive for learning purposes. When the one wheel starts
spinning away, hit the brake pedal in a hard pulse and give it gas at
the same time. You might have to hit it a few times with different
pressures.

With practice, this will put a load on the spinning wheel. If you get
it right, this load will equal the load needed to break the wheel on dry
road free or equal that load.

Then you have 2 rooster tails and away you go.

It also can work in 4x4 to get all 4 spinning, but it is difficult to do
with the front disk brakes. The rear drum brakes transfer the load
better.

The owners manual for my 88 Cherokee says you can use the emergency
brake to load up the spinning tire in the same way to get both spinning,
but I have never had any success with that method.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Bob wrote:
>
> 4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed, Command-Trac,
> standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm expecting
> too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
> driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
> without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do have
> tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is in
> 2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
> Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
> something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
> on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
> be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.

Re: One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

"Bob" <j_522a@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FFYXb.11194$n17.9956@clgrps13...
> 4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed,
Command-Trac,
> standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm
expecting
> too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
> driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
> without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do
have
> tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is
in
> 2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
> Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
> something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
> on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
> be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.
>
>

I must be missing something here.. you bought a 4x4 so that you could use
4x4 in snow? So use 4x4 in snow.. most 2wd vehicles will spin a wheel in
snow if started in 1st gear.. that is why most start in 2nd gear and light
gas pedal.. but you should know that as you admit to being a 4x4 newbie
which suggests that you are a 2wd oldie.. reverse and 1st gear are different
ratios so of course there will be a difference.. also, in reverse, the
torque produced by the direction of rotation of the wheels, will pull the
rear of the vehicle down which helps transfer weight from front to rear so
traction will be marginally improved..

Re: One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

"Bob" <j_522a@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FFYXb.11194$n17.9956@clgrps13...
> 4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed,
Command-Trac,
> standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm
expecting
> too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
> driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
> without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do
have
> tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is
in
> 2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
> Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
> something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
> on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
> be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.
>
>

I must be missing something here.. you bought a 4x4 so that you could use
4x4 in snow? So use 4x4 in snow.. most 2wd vehicles will spin a wheel in
snow if started in 1st gear.. that is why most start in 2nd gear and light
gas pedal.. but you should know that as you admit to being a 4x4 newbie
which suggests that you are a 2wd oldie.. reverse and 1st gear are different
ratios so of course there will be a difference.. also, in reverse, the
torque produced by the direction of rotation of the wheels, will pull the
rear of the vehicle down which helps transfer weight from front to rear so
traction will be marginally improved..

Re: One rear wheel spinning on XJ
 

"Bob" <j_522a@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FFYXb.11194$n17.9956@clgrps13...
> 4WD newbie here, I just bought a 1989 Cherokee, 4.0l, 5 speed,
Command-Trac,
> standard differential (not limited slip) and I'm wondering if I'm
expecting
> too much, or is there something seriously wrong with this vehicle. When
> driving in 2wd and 1st gear on snow, there is almost no way to accelerate
> without completely spinning one (only one) of the rear wheels (which do
have
> tread btw). If I put it in 4wd it hauls out excellently. What is weird is
in
> 2wd and reverse, less traction than 4wd of course but no insta-spin.
> Question: is this normal for 1st on manual transmission Jeeps, or is there
> something wrong with the differential? If a bearing or something was tight
> on one side I could see this happening, but why would it go away in 4WD or
> be less apparent in reverse? Everything is stock on the vehicle. TIA.
>
>

I must be missing something here.. you bought a 4x4 so that you could use
4x4 in snow? So use 4x4 in snow.. most 2wd vehicles will spin a wheel in
snow if started in 1st gear.. that is why most start in 2nd gear and light
gas pedal.. but you should know that as you admit to being a 4x4 newbie
which suggests that you are a 2wd oldie.. reverse and 1st gear are different
ratios so of course there will be a difference.. also, in reverse, the
torque produced by the direction of rotation of the wheels, will pull the
rear of the vehicle down which helps transfer weight from front to rear so
traction will be marginally improved..