pulls to right in 4wd

Hey everyone, I have not been here in a while. College keeps me real busy and I don't get a lot of time to work on my jeep. My friends have started off-roading with me and they too now have the jeep bug. I have been driving my jeep around the block every weekeend for the past winter just to keep it all in good order. I have invested way to much heart, soul, and money into it to just let it die again. Feels good to actually take trips again and spend the whole day enjoying it.

My question is... When I put the jeep into 4wd (hi or low doesnt seem to matter, but i spend most of my time in low) it will gradually pull harder and harder to the right. At first it is no big deal but as i try to drive straight for a while, it really gives my power steering pump a hard time. It makes it difficult to turn left at all but turning right is way too easy. It is the original Dana 27 with a powerlock (can't remeber what the name is) it also has locking warn hubs which i use every time and i make sure they lock all the way. I know the locker and hubs are working right because both front tires work together when they need too.

I have been thinking about this for a while now and I can't really understand the mechanics behind it or why it does this. When i put it back into 2wd (locked hubs or not) everything works great and it drives straight and true.

 

I'm thinking you have a low tire or a shorter tire on the right side. but more inclinded to think that it's driveline bindup.

if you unlock the hubs and drive in 4low, does it still do it?

 

What about heat build-up in that right knuckle area? Lube?

 

Jack up the front axle and put it in 4wd. Lock the hubs and be sure that both hubs are locking. It may be that your left hub is not engaging. Some hubs engage via a spring loaded connecter, if they get clogged with old grease and dirt they won't engage. Definitely check tire size to make sure they are all the same size too. If you have a Powerlock it's possible that the clutches are worn on one side, but I've never heard of that happening. You might also check you brake adjustment. Drive it until it starts pulling to one side, jack up the right wheel, unlock the hub and see if it drags on the brakes when you turn it. That would indicate the brake shoes are out of adjustment on that side.

 

I agree it is a little confusing. I will check those things mentioned this weekend and see if I can come up with a little more information. One other thing that might be relevent is the stiffness of the hubs. I can always lock the driver hub without any problem. The passenger side hub is always stiffer. Sometimes i use a small wrench to get some leverage on it so that i can lock it. It is never binding up, just stiff to turn. I know there is plenty of grease in the knuckles and hubs because the PO installed a grease fitting to the knuckle and I use it when needed.

 

I'd pull the passenger hub. If the driver's hub turns easily, the other one should also. Both of mine are like butter. Sometimes the grease just gets old and stiff, needs to be cleaned out.

Also, I don't understand how a zerk fitting on the knuckle will grease the hubs?

 

I'd pull both hubs, maybe the left is easy becuse it's broken and not engaging causing the "pull to the right" while the right is locking in. What type hubs do you have? Do they have two levers on them (dualmatic) or a single cap (selectro) or are they warn where only the center turns?

 

The hubs are warn locking hubs, the inside portion turns clockwise to "lock" and couterclockwise to "free." I had them apart about six months ago. I cleaned out the entire front differential when I installed the Powerlock. I took a part the hubs to regrease them and make them operate better since the PO mentioned it had been a while since he had done it. Everything was put back together properly i believe.

Everything has to be working right because both front tires turn together and don't slip in loose dirt or mud. When I get on asphault, the locker allows me to turn without bindup just like it ought to. If the hubs were not locking, I would not have traction on that wheel. If the locker was not working, my wheels wouldn't lock up.

I am frankly baffled by this. Like I said before, as soon as I put it into 2wd, everything works GREAT. If the tires were causing this, the jeep would still pull while in 2wd. I know it cant be the brake either because up until last weekend, I drove it without brakes (not advisible but doable). Has anyone every experienced this? As much as I don't think it is the locker, that is the only think I can narrow it down to, but I have no real idea. I was hoping someone else had experienced this and had an idea.

I will still check up on it much more closely this weekend and try some of the things yall have mentioned. I really appreciate the help!

 

I would drop rear D-shaft and put front up on J-stands and run it thru the paces. Might eleminate some of your unknowns. You would be able to monitor possible heat build by hand touch from one side to the other.