Terrible noise when in 4lo

[offroadohio]

Locked our 07 in lo for the first time yesterday. We bought it about a month ago, it has 20k on the clock. When we puleld it into lo if felt like w eahd to pull harder than we should. Heck my 84 cherokee goes in easier than this thing did. Driving while not spinning the tires everything seemed fine but when it needed to spin the tires it would make a terrible grinding noise, it sounds like its comming from the front when in the vehicle. I thought maybe it was the traction aides working, but I'm not sure if the front has any traction control devices. The rear never makes any noise when it applies the brakes to one or the other wheels.

Any known issues on the 07's I should look into, its still under warrenty but I hate to take it in there to find soemthing stupidly simple, and have them tell me the mud underneath has voided the warrenty.

 

[tjkj2002]

Well being a '07 with 20,000 miles on it I doubt the original owner put it in 4low,that long without using 4low will make it hard to shift,the more you use it the easier it will get(heck mine sees a rock and darn near shifts itself into 4low).As far as the noise it could be alot of things,bad front driveshaft,front diff low on fluid(should be changed every 12,000 miles),t-case low on fluid,t-case shift linkage not adjusted properly(t-case not fully engaging into 4low),and yes the front end does has traction control----the ESP and ABS is present on the front wheels of your '07.Could also be the ESP kicking in trying to limit wheel spin if you say you are trying to spin the wheels(ABS pump).

 

[offroadohio]

Originaly I thought it was the ESP kicking in, but I dont like the sounds of it, I'd rather be paranoid and it be nothing than not worry and it be major.

I'm going to check the tcase linkage as soon as its dry enough to move around here, my yard is flooded as well as my garage cant check crap out floating on an innertube.

 

[Vtolds]

I have too pull mine pretty hard sometimes. SOmetimes mine does even like to go in 4 wheel at all unless I am moving or in Neutral.

 

[J-Thompson]

You need to be moving and in neutral to get a Jeep into 4lo
Both the wrangler ,231, and the KJ ,242, act the same as far as 4lo
the TJ goes into 4lo much easier but the KJ is by no means hard
the KJ may see 4lo 3-4 times a year but the TJ sees 4lo 2-3 times a month

 

[tjkj2002]

You need to be moving and in neutral to get a Jeep into 4lo
Both the wrangler ,231, and the KJ ,242, act the same as far as 4lo
the TJ goes into 4lo much easier but the KJ is by no means hard
the KJ may see 4lo 3-4 times a year but the TJ sees 4lo 2-3 times a month

I shift into low while stopped all the time,never had a problem before and it goes in with very minimal effort(but then again that silicon gel lube sprayed in the shifter cable may be the cause of that).Then again if I'm in 4wd it's 4low about 95% of the time,have not much use for 4hi.It's going to be a odd feeling when I get that Atlas installed,you need to be moving to shift that t-case.

 

[J-Thompson]

I shift into low while stopped all the time,never had a problem before and it goes in with very minimal effort(but then again that silicon gel lube sprayed in the shifter cable may be the cause of that).Then again if I'm in 4wd it's 4low about 95% of the time,have not much use for 4hi.It's going to be a odd feeling when I get that Atlas installed,you need to be moving to shift that t-case.

you may not "NEED" to be rolling but it does help with the 231 and 242
and like you 99% in 4lo when off road for both
the KJ every now and then see full time 4wd
now you are in for a shock with the Atlas
I know that when the had the one from Superlift at the Expo they would shift it while stopped in neutral with an auto but it was "well broken in"

 

[JeepJeepster]

Sounds like its not engaged in 4wd. Shift with the ****** in N while rolling 2-3mph. It shifts alot easier that way.

Ive had mine make that noise also.

 

[Vtolds]

My guess would be you are trying to pull it into 4lo while in gear? when I refered to hard engagement on mine while moving or sitting I am refering to 4hi I rarely use 4lo.

 

[offroadohio]

No, I dont shift into 4lo when in gear. I've tried shifting it while rolling frotnwards and backwards, I've tried it with it in park, and n, it all leads to the same, you have to jerk it to get it in 4lo. I know my 231 on the cherokee is a PITA becuase its an 84 model and until this year 4lo was never used. it has 184k on it. The kj has 20, if it has a problem already I had better take the pile of crap back to the dealer. If it has to go back to the dealer they cna keep it, as I've had it just over a month and its already been in there twice. It gets worked on more than my 91 rodeo with 250k on the clock.

 

[tjkj2002]

No, I dont shift into 4lo when in gear. I've tried shifting it while rolling frotnwards and backwards, I've tried it with it in park, and n, it all leads to the same, you have to jerk it to get it in 4lo. I know my 231 on the cherokee is a PITA becuase its an 84 model and until this year 4lo was never used. it has 184k on it. The kj has 20, if it has a problem already I had better take the pile of crap back to the dealer. If it has to go back to the dealer they cna keep it, as I've had it just over a month and its already been in there twice. It gets worked on more than my 91 rodeo with 250k on the clock.

A mis-adjusted shift cable is not a big problem,you may just have some road crap on the shifter area of the t-case not allowing it to fully engage.

If you think it is a big problem,please get rid of it and stop whining.

 

[offroadohio]

If its a mis adjusted cable I'll fix it. If its something else I'm going to be rather upset with this thing again.

 

[offroadohio]

Alright before I slide up under this thing what size tools do I need to adjust it, and whats the best route to get to it? I have a torn apart vehicle in my 1 car garage so I hav eto do it on the snow covered ground, the faster I get under there and back out the better.

 

[Kevin]

I'm having some issues with 4lo as well although my KJ has 1200 miles on it. I noticed its real hard to even get to 4lo, the only way that seems to work is to put it in neutral then switch to 4lo. However, on 2 occasions I've engaged 4lo then about a minute later it slips out and the entire ****** seems to go into neutral.

Anyone ever experience anything like this?

 

[JeepJeepster]

****** doesnt go into N, the tcase does.

You should always put the ****** in N before shifting into 4low. Theres your problem.

Cant help ya with the adjustment offroad. Ive never done that so I would have to take a good look at it.

 

[Kevin]

****** doesnt go into N, the tcase does.

You should always put the ****** in N before shifting into 4low. Theres your problem.

Cant help ya with the adjustment offroad. Ive never done that so I would have to take a good look at it.

Well, if you put the command track into neutral, both the front and rear driveshafts are disengaged so there is zero power to the wheels.

I read the manual and my problem was I was shifting at a complete stop, not while rolling.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Well, if you put the command track into neutral, both the front and rear driveshafts are disengaged so there is zero power to the wheels.

I read the manual and my problem was I was shifting at a complete stop, not while rolling.

Right, the tcase can be in neutral with the ****** in any selection though.

The manual states that you should slow to 2-3mph, place the ****** in N, then pull the handle back with one firm movement.

This is a good watch:

http://www.jeep.com/en/4x4/how_systems_work/command_trac/

 

[ms5490renegade]

i do it by stopping first and it seems like its easier to pull the handle

Right, the tcase can be in neutral with the ****** in any selection though.

The manual states that you should slow to 2-3mph, place the ****** in N, then pull the handle back with one firm movement.

This is a good watch:

http://www.jeep.com/en/4x4/how_systems_work/command_trac/

 

[tjkj2002]

Well, if you put the command track into neutral, both the front and rear driveshafts are disengaged so there is zero power to the wheels.

I read the manual and my problem was I was shifting at a complete stop, not while rolling.

Yes that is true but you need to put the ****** in "N" so no torque is getting to the t-case to make it easier(not to mention make the t-case live longer) to shift into 4low.

Oh and I alway's shift my t-case(command-trac also) into 4low while stopped(****** in "N") and it goes in very easy,it can be done stopped or rolling at 2-3mph,then again I use 4low often,I rarely use 4hi.Kinda seams when my KJ see's a nice rock pile it almost shifts into 4low by itself.

 

[JeepJeepster]

You ever take it out of 4low while leaving the ****** in D tjkj?