Installed lock right, and super u joints. Now it want steer.?

W

wormycrm99

NAXJA Forum User
Location
alabama
I have a 88 MJ I have wheeled for years basicly stock with 3.73 gears 235/75 tires and a powertrax no-slip in rear. After breaking a couple of front axle ujoints I decided to up grade. I found a deal on ebay for some yukon 4340 front shafts with super ujoints all new in box. When I assembled and installed I also put in a new lock-right locker.
The problem is after I was finished I went for a test drive and it was extremely hard to steer. almost impossible to drive. when I tried to steer the power steering sounded like it was a full lock. Sitting still if I jack up either front wheel the steering turns and feels about normal, but with both on the ground even running at fast idle to help steering pump its all I can do to turn steering wheel.
Could one of the ujoints be binding causing this. Could the steering pump have went bad just sitting for a couple of months. Any other ideas?:(
 
To start w/ if your running Yukon super joints.. im pretty sure they arent good for a DD...

Also... are you sure you're not in 4wd? Finally are you 100% sure you installed the Lockright correctly?
 
Its not a dd. Im planning lift and tires but want better axles first since I have broken some with the 235/75s.Tried 2wd and 4wd, which I hope i turns better than this in 4wd or I could not drive it on trails. The lock-right shouldn't affect steering sitting still should it?
 
Search a little about hard steering, but when I locked the front of mine it became very hard to steer. After doing some research on here I learned that it's just the normal characteristics of being locked in the front. Mine is a vac disco so it does drive normal in 2wd, but in 4 it's nearly impossible to turn at times.
 
without being able to disconnect the front end it's gonna be hard to steer because you just basically put a spool up there, lockrights don't like to disengage in front ends to well(not when there is pressure on them at least)
 
Thats wierd I have a lockrite in the front of my XJ....and in 2 wheel it makes very little difference in the steering....in 4 wheel it gets stiffer to turn but still nothing like the symptoms described.....

You aren't trying to drive this on pavement in 4 wheel are you???
 
I have pretty much this same set-up. The only time I can even tell I have a locker up front is when I have it in 4wheel. Adding a locker did not not make much difference for me when your i'm two-wheel drive. The disconnect should have nothing to do with it. double check that you are not in 4H.
 
did you test that the locker was install correctly per the instructions?

Jack the front end up, in 2 wheel drive spin both tires forward they should lock and spin a the same time, then spin one tire backwards while someone holds the other side, It should spin independent of the other wheel. You should also hear a slight clicking sound. If you can't get one wheel to spine independent of the other the Lockright is probable not installed correctly or binding with the springs.

some times they have a little trouble unlocking after being if 4WD as well but look to the above first check the manual.
 
Ditto on the install of the locker. Another common problem is not re-using the thrust washers behind the side gears which causes the entire assembly to bind in the carrier.

Another concern is whether the axle shafts you bought were for the correct width Dana 30 (assuming that's what you have). Are you certain they are from an XJ/MJ Dana 30?

Have you tired driving it without the locker and just sides and spiders? What does it do with an open carrier?
 
jrowell said:
I have pretty much this same set-up. The only time I can even tell I have a locker up front is when I have it in 4wheel. Adding a locker did not not make much difference for me when your i'm two-wheel drive. The disconnect should have nothing to do with it. double check that you are not in 4H.
Click to expand...

Jeremy, what locker are you running in the front?
 
I'm running a lock-right in my Dana 30 front axle and can't even tell it's there when in 2 wheel drive. If you have replaced your axle shafts and used a 1 piece shaft on the passenger side you have essentially "locked" your front axle all the time, it just isn't powered. When you turn your steering wheel, the wheels can't turn at different speeds because they are locked by the locker.

By adding the locker, when in 2 wheel drive, you have locked the differential, turning both shafts at the same time, adding alot of unecessary stress on your front end. The disconnect allowed the wheels to spin independently of each other, but connected them when 4wd was engaged.

Try this test:
While in 2 wheel drive, jack up your front end with both wheels off the ground and turn one wheel. The other wheel will probably turn because you locker locks the differential (The lock right will rachet under certain conditions). If not, then I would open the differential and check your lock right for proper installation.

Your steering troubles are coming from your front wheels not being able to negotiate turning at different speeds. Sounds like you need a manual hub conversion.
 
SmkyMtn4x4 said:
I'm running a lock-right in my Dana 30 front axle and can't even tell it's there when in 2 wheel drive. If you have replaced your axle shafts and used a 1 piece shaft on the passenger side you have essentially "locked" your front axle all the time, it just isn't powered. When you turn your steering wheel, the wheels can't turn at different speeds because they are locked by the locker.
By adding the locker, when in 2 wheel drive, you have locked the differential, turning both shafts at the same time, adding alot of unecessary stress on your front end. The disconnect allowed the wheels to spin independently of each other, but connected them when 4wd was engaged.
Click to expand...
This is not correct. When no torque is applied to the locker, the side gears will overrun and allow the outside wheel to turn faster while turning. As long as it's in two wheel drive the locker will allow this. I have one, a non-disco axle, and that's the way it is.

It will only bind IF torque is being applied to the locker causing the carrier to rotate and the pin to push the locker outward to engage with the side gears.

If it binds in 2 wheel drive then something is wrong.
 
I think it's the installation as well. I broke the pins in mine once and they jammed the locker gears to the point that they wouldn't disengage, and it was just like you said. Power steering pump sounded like it was working overtime when trying to steer. A correctly installed lunchbox locker will not act like that, even on a non-disconnect axle. Like was mentioned before, raise one of the front wheels off the ground (t-case in 2 HI)and try to spin it by hand. With no input from the driveshaft, it should spin freely with some audible clicking coming from the differential.
 
The lock right locker is always locked. The pins and springs force the locker to always be locked. It's when the locker rachets that it "unlocks".

While you are driving, and turn the steering wheel, the wheels rotate at different speeds. After installing a lock right locker the wheels can no longer rotate independently, thus causing torque to be applied to the differential. This is why you hear your lock right click when turning, because it has locked the differential and then rachets.

Since he has replaced the 2 piece shafts with 1 piece shafts he has effectively done the same things as if you installed a lock right locker in the rear axle, which stays locked all the time. The only time it "unlocks" is when turning, because it is forced to rachet.
 
SmkyMtn4x4 said:
The lock right locker is always locked. The pins and springs force the locker to always be locked. It's when the locker rachets that it "unlocks".

While you are driving, and turn the steering wheel, the wheels rotate at different speeds. After installing a lock right locker the wheels can no longer rotate independently, thus causing torque to be applied to the differential. This is why you hear your lock right click when turning, because it has locked the differential and then rachets.

Since he has replaced the 2 piece shafts with 1 piece shafts he has effectively done the same things as if you installed a lock right locker in the rear axle, which stays locked all the time. The only time it "unlocks" is when turning, because it is forced to rachet.
Click to expand...

That's not what you said earlier. It's going to ratchet which is the locker allowing the wheels to differentiate, or turn at different speeds....exactly as designed. If it was as you previously suggested and didn't allow any differentiation, it would be a spool and would always exhibit the characteristics you mentioned.

The problems he is facing are characteristic of an install issue.
 
Bad install or the pins sheared (unlikely if you just installed it).

As suggested get the front end on jackstands and go through the verification steps in the installation manual. If you can't get the thing to ratchet take it apart and figure out why.
 
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