Think I broke another differential (maybe a false alarm now)

OK. In august both of the brackets that hold my front differential cracked and I had to get new ones. NOW, yesterday I put it in 4 locked while driving through the snow and sleet, and apparently it didn't like a turn I took. I could feel the stress. After that, now I have the same kinda symptoms I had before, where when I'm in first or second gear and I let up on the gas, the H3 violently jerks letting up and giving it gas. This is the same exact way it started last time when the brackets cracked. Apparently they aren't strong enough to handle certain turns when the front wheels are put under pressure in locked mode. I was slippery out so I figured it would be ok. I did smell that smell you all know when you lock your wheels and it doesnt like what you are doing. Now I think I have to take it in on Monday morning and hopefully they can get it fixed before I close on my house on Thursday or I'm in trouble lol.

Maybe this is just a manual transmission thing. I have had 2 other SUV's in the past, a 4 Runner SR5 and a Rodeo LS that had absolutely no problems with 4 locked. If there was any pressure the tires would usually skip or spin. I'm starting to wonder just how durable this H3 is if every time I put it under a pressure situation something breaks. It makes me really not ever want to take it off-roading. I don't have time to keep dumping it at the dealer all the time. HummerMike broke two front differentials already off-roading, but in my case it's just the brackets and bushings that hold it on. I'm never getting rid of this truck, but it's getting annoying already. The brackets were supposedly the NEW Stronger replacements. I guess they aren't strong enough!

Is the H2 having similar problems?

I don't think so. I never saw anybody post anything like it on here, but this is becoming a known issue with the H3, either the differential blowing out, or the brackets cracking for the differential.

Man that sucks for the H3 owners.

I would be curious to know if this is related to the torsion bar turning. I used to have an S-10 and when it was in 4x4 and I turned on dry pavement, it would get all bound up but then the front tire would start to skip which released the pressure on the diff. With the tightened t-bar, the suspension is much stiffer and it could be limiting the skip and just forcing that tire around. Just a thought but if I were a dealer, that sounds like a valid excuse to not honor your warranty on that one...

Well, this happened the first time and before I ever adjusted the torsion bar and I have the paperwork from the last time. I drove it this morning for a bit and it's not happening now. But the last time it happened, it only happened after driving it for a while. Though yesterday it was pretty slick out so maybe it happened because it was transferring power between the wheels when i let up on the gas. I'm going to drive it a little more today and see what happens. Maybe it's just me being paranoid.

Well, everything is fine. I just drove about 50 miles and the symptoms are gone. MAYBE it was because it was wet and slippery out, and whenever I would let up on the gas while in second gear, the front wheels would bear the momentum and the tires would slip causing the power to be transferred to the rear wheels. The front tires are about half way worn. This is the only thing I can think of that would cause what was happening. It was stop and go ALL the way home. What should have taken me 45 minutes took me two hours just because people are afraid to go over 15 mph when it rains.

was it 4 high locked

was there an accumalation of snow on the ground ? If the roads were just wet then it may have not needed 4 lock. 4 lock changes the ratio between the front and rear and on pavement it will cause lurches , especally when making turns.

Yup it was 4 high, and the ground was sleet rain and a little snow. It seems ok now. I guess reading so many problems with the differentials has made me a bit paranoid now.

quote:

ORIGINAL: importkiller

was there an accumalation of snow on the ground ? If the roads were just wet then it may have not needed 4 lock. 4 lock changes the ratio between the front and rear and on pavement it will cause lurches , especally when making turns.

As importkiller said, if there isn't enough snow on the ground for 4 wheeldrive to be needed the vehicle shouldn't be placed into 4 HI. It will cause the front wheels to lurch. This is caused from lack of slipage of the wheels.

Main thing to remember is when you can't go move in snow (or mud) without a problem than that is time to lock it in 4 HI. In most cases you don't even need 4 HI unless you are driving in a heavy snowstorm with AWD.

Well, the only reason I did it was because I hadn't put it in 4 Hi since my differential brackets were fixed back in August. Everybody says its good to put it in 4 HI every once in a while to get the gear oil to mix so it doesnt settle and get thick. I don't know how true that is though, but I've been told it 100 times.

I drove the H3 last winter through some really nasty snow storms, and I never put it in 4 HI because the AWD system seems to e really awsome in any slipper situation. I drove it through some nasty mud one time and I literally tried to spin the wheels and couldn't. I don't see a need to ever put it in 4HI unless I get stuck or like you said its really really bad out.

Is there any validity to that oil thickening theory? If it's AWD shouldn't the parts all be moving at one time or another anyway?

Well, it's definitely broke again. It's the same thing as before, the bushings that hold it on must have cracked, again. The same symptoms as before, progressively getting worse, the clanking, the jerking, etc. I'll take it in once I recover from the move.

In a two wheel drive vehicle, it's good about once a month to put it in 4 wheel drive to keep everything lubricated. In an all wheel drive vehicle, the only difference between 4 high and 4 high lock is the locking of the center differential. All the parts are turning and all the fluids are being warmed up all the time.

I agree with importkiller and H3_Hummer. Wet isn't really "slick" and with a locked diff, all the minor rotational differences between F & R axles accumulate as extra torque on the system thats "locked in" unless there's some wheel spin...or something breaks. Same thing can happen when the rear locker is engaged on pavement. Jeep sold a lot of half axles to people who learned the hard way not to put it into 4WD on the pavement.

Glad to hear the symptom cleared up after more driving. If it happens again, find a gravel road, and I'll bet the "lurching" goes away immediately.

Well, I got the car back, and they couldn't find anything wrong.  They say the bushings I broke the last time are fine.  I know it isn't acting normal.  HummerMike suggested I wait until it gets worse so that the problem is more apparent.  I took it to his dealer in Indiana.  The guys there are great but said they couldn't find it.  I may take it to my dealer at the beginning of the year, but they are just so damn far now.  It's very frustrating.

Okay, I have to ask this again. Is the front differential an open or a limited-slip differential?

There's nothing more frustrating than a situation like this. You know there's a problem but the dealer can't figure it out. In most cases like this it's always best to wait a little while and see if the noise gets louder and then take it back. Then they can't tell you there isn't a problem and have to tear it apart. I always wanted to stand next to the tech when they worked on my car just to see for myself, but we all know that can't happen! You could always try re-creating the time when you heard it break. That could escalate the situation a little bit too but if it broke all the way you might be calling onstar. :)

quote:

ORIGINAL: CCMDoc

Okay, I have to ask this again. Is the front differential an open or a limited-slip differential?

 
Hey Doc...I think the front is a limited slip...Just a SWAG

quote:

ORIGINAL: HummerMike

There's nothing more frustrating than a situation like this. You know there's a problem but the dealer can't figure it out. In most cases like this it's always best to wait a little while and see if the noise gets louder and then take it back. Then they can't tell you there isn't a problem and have to tear it apart. I always wanted to stand next to the tech when they worked on my car just to see for myself, but we all know that can't happen! You could always try re-creating the time when you heard it break. That could escalate the situation a little bit too but if it broke all the way you might be calling onstar. :)

 
That's what I get for taking it to YOUR dealer with all the kiddies working on the cars   That's ok.  They are really nice, but I still think before we do the show I may take it back to my dealer.  It's just SUCH a pain in the !@#$.  I'll give them one more chance though.  I am waiting for it to get worse.  It's not TOO bad, not as bad as it was the first time, but I think it is something different.  This time it sounds like it's coming from inside the diff or trans.  I know for sure it's not supposed to jerk around like that when you take your foot off the gas.  The guys at Weil noticed it right away when they drove it and fixed it, but because the guys at Schepel have never seen or worked on a Manual before, they said that it "seemed normal" like every other stick, but I told them this isn't like a normal stick.  It's supposed to be smooth and used to be, and they even market it that way.  I'm starting to think I have 1 of 10 Manual H3's out there lol.

Okay, thanks. Maybe i won't need that e-locker for the front ... maybe.