All four wheels not spinning in 4x4

JD27

JD27

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Sep 28, 2019
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Carlisle, Kentucky
When I put my Jeep TJ in 4x4 it will only use 2 of the 4 tires. Back and front spin, but only 2 of the 4. I assume there is a way to lock all 4 and use the full potential of my Jeep. Any advice would help. Just getting started in the Jeep community and will be building a great mud slinging Jeep!
 
To be clear, you are only seeing one spinning front and one spinning rear? How familiar are you with locking differentials?
 
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jjvw said:
To be clear, you are only seeing one spinning front and one spinning rear? How familiar are you with locking differentials?
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Yes that’s what I’m seeing. I’ve heard of locking differentials but haven’t looked into them to see exactly what they are. Is that what I need to solve this problem?
 
JD27 said:
Yes that’s what I’m seeing. I’ve heard of locking differentials but haven’t looked into them to see exactly what they are. Is that what I need to solve this problem?
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Pretty much. Selectable and automatic lockers, spools all have the same end result. A limited slip diff can reduce wheel spin, but only to a limited extent compared to a locker.
 
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All 4 wheels drives except those with stock lockers like the Rubicon actually have open diffs front and rear, or at best an open front and rear limited slip like a Jeep Traclok, so yeah, it's normal to only have power to one front and one rear tire. You need front and rear limited slip differentials to minimize it, or lockers to eliminate it.
 
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89grand said:
All 4 wheels drives except those with stock lockers like the Rubicon actually have open diffs front and rear, or at best an open front and rear limited slip like a Jeep Traclok, so yeah, it's normal to only have power to one front and one rear tire. You need front and rear limited slip differentials to minimize it, or lockers to eliminate it.
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Thanks they will be put in very soon!!
 
JD27 said:
Thanks they will be put in very soon!!
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Think about re-gearing at the same time, as this it's better to do it all at once. I'm just assuming if you don't have lockers or limited slips of any kind, you may not have the best gearing either, but I could be wrong about that.
 
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JD27 said:
Thanks they will be put in very soon!!
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Spend time researching. There a several options and it is cost efficient to include a regear and a few maintenance items at the same time.
 
Here's a copy of an article I wrote many years ago on this subject. All four tires are actually driven equally when in 4x4 but the way standard "open" differentials work is that once one tire on an axle loses traction, it'll start spinning and the tire with better traction no longer receives enough power to keep it rotating.

Have a read, sorry it's a bit wordy but it's not an easy subject to write about... https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-is-torque-delivered-to-the-wheels-on-a-4x4.1738/

89grand said:
...so yeah, it's normal to only have power to one front and one rear tire.
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Not really, even open diffs always split the power equally/50:50 between the two sides. It's only when the two sides are seeing differing amounts of traction when one side will start spinning and the other side stops spinning. As explained in the above link.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
Not really, as explained several times above. Read the article linked to above and understand why.
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The OP said only one tire spins in both the front and rear. That is normal for an open diff. If the tires are spinning he /she already has a difference in traction causing one or more tires to spin. If they had traction, the tires wouldn't be spinning, they'd all be going at the same speed so they wouldn't know it was happening.

If I thought open diffs meant only power to one side, and the other was a free wheel, then spider gears would have no purpose.
 
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To me , lockers are 4 wheel drive on steroids.

I like the ready -to-go Rubicon package , but any way to get good lockers that doesn't put you in jail should be considered if you want the most capability off road.

Jerry is really one to take note of what he says...he recently did the Rubicon trail ... neither he nor anyone in his group had any significant mechanical failure, I think... one guy had a fuel line issue.

He and some of the guys on here go places that just make you shake your head....and they get back home.
 
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Excellent write-up Jerry. I thought I understood how it worked, but still learned a little bit more.
 
Years ago I crossed a windrow and ended up with theleft front andright rear stuffed as the other two hung in midair spinning uselessly. Its a Rubi so lock front and rear diffs and idle off the high center.

Lockers are way more valuable than a winch.
 
I would recommend quite a bit more research on this before throwing cash at it. This is not a dig or snide comment. Mr. OP. If you aren't clear how 4wd works it would be a very wise idea to spend a while and learn what 4wd, AWD, and the many other types and names of traction aids mean and how they work.
And spend several months learning about your TJ. What it does well, what it is lacking. This is advised to everyone joining the Jeep community. We all started at 0. And as we learn and do more our knowledge increases. Throwing money and parts at the Jeep without knowing what you want it to do and where you want it to take you is a quick way to become unsatisfied with it, and off roading in general. Find a club near you. Make friends with the guys (and gals) that have experience with Jeeps. You will then be able to build your Jeep your way for what you want to do. This is not meant in any way to belittle you. Just to help you get what you really want.
 
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About the only way to get an open axle Tj to drive like that is 4 lo and power breaking, basically just enough brake and power to force all the wheels to move whil3 the brakes are engaged, the brakes being on prevents the wheels without traction from spinning the power to the engine over comes the braking
 
Goatman said:
I would recommend quite a bit more research on this before throwing cash at it. This is not a dig or snide comment. Mr. OP. If you aren't clear how 4wd works it would be a very wise idea to spend a while and learn what 4wd, AWD, and the many other types and names of traction aids mean and how they work.
And spend several months learning about your TJ. What it does well, what it is lacking. This is advised to everyone joining the Jeep community. We all started at 0. And as we learn and do more our knowledge increases. Throwing money and parts at the Jeep without knowing what you want it to do and where you want it to take you is a quick way to become unsatisfied with it, and off roading in general. Find a club near you. Make friends with the guys (and gals) that have experience with Jeeps. You will then be able to build your Jeep your way for what you want to do. This is not meant in any way to belittle you. Just to help you get what you really want.
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Damned good advice. I have increased my knowledge quite a bit by reading posts on this site, asking questions, doing my own research and coming back here for a sanity check on my choice(s). The off road community consists of many vendors selling products that may or may not fit your needs. Some are just plain snake oil that are advertised as enhancements when the only enhancement you will see is a lightening of your wallet. Determine what type of driving and off roading you intend to do and use this site to ask questions and get advice. From there do your own research to enhance your knowledge in order to ask the right questions. Do you want a lifted vehicle, what size tires do you plan on running, what is the proper gear ratio, do you want auto, air, electric lockers, limited slip, etc., etc.? Once you determine how you are going to use your Jeep, off road and on, and have narrowed down what mods. you want research the quality and reputation of the components by asking people here what their experiences have been with product X, Y or Z. It sounds pretty basic but these are what I see to be the fundamentals you need to explore first before spending money.
 
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