dana locker

While driving on pavement slowly I heard a loud pop sound and discovered I had lost power to my rear wheels! The drive line turned ,but nothing. I limped home on the front axle and pulled the plate, but saw nothing unusual. The wheel turned while in the air and when I lowered the right tire down the left axle turned!! What should I be looking for? I beleive it is a 44.

 

Crud

Check to see if your pinion yoke turns and the ring gear is turning also, could be a broken pinion shaft. Jack it back up to check support it with jackstands. Have someone turn a tire while you look in the diffy, for problems. What did the oil have in it when you drained it, lota of tiny metal parts? Report findings.

 

diffy

Thanks for the quick responce. There was no metal or anything in the oil or inside the case. We started the engine and put it in gear and the diffy turns normal!!! wheel even turned. I can see a little of the spiders and all looks good. I remember breaking an axle and heard a similar sound, but knew right off what the problem was (on the Reubicon).

 

If you have the 2 piece axles you may have stripped a hub, and while you have it in the air it is tight enough the wheel still turns, but once on the ground, no power to the wheel. Take the little hub cap things off and watch the big nut and shaft on the end, it should tell the story...shaft turns but not the wheel(while on the ground, assuming no locker)
Please keep us informed and good luck...

 

I had a similar problem on an old CJ6 and it was the 2 pc axle scenario. It sheared a key connecting the 2 axle parts, allowing the one pc. to turn and not the tire/wheel.

Jim

 

Thanks for the suggestions, but I don't have a nut on the end of the axle!! No metal inside the case and nothing visible broken or out of wack!! That is why I'm a little curious as to what it could be before I start tearing everything out.

 

sounds like a broken axle shaft to me.