Can I temporarily turn my 99 TJ into a 2WD convertible?

[SamwiseGamJeep]

You have a good start on process of elimination,keep going.

Yessir. Sad part is, I now have to undo everything I just did, reinstall all the front end stuff, to be able to get that front wheel drive back, so I can now pull that rear axles.
That will be the proof.
So basically instead of the original title to this post, I will now be Turning my TJ into a "Front wheel drive" convertible.

 

[SamwiseGamJeep]

I once dropped a belly skid and pulled a transfer case because we were convinced by the sound under the seat that we didn't do it correctly when we did the raised belly and larger 241 install. We knew we had contact between the case and tub or at least it sounded that way. We beat the tub up way more than enough and the sound did not change one tiny bit. Still under the seat. We only found the rear diff made the noise by running it on jack stands and listening to all the moving bits.

Incredible. I'm a believer.
And this jeeps certainly convinced me.
I

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Just a thought... check the top bend of your drag link to see if the balancer/crank pulley isn't making contact...

 

[SamwiseGamJeep]

Front diff put back together, rear Driveshaft pulled. Quiet outside, quiet in the cab.
Nice and smooth.
After a shower I'll test drive in Front Wheel drive and call it a Fiat.
All that sound, that sounded like Front, was from rear diff.
Un-real.

 

[SamwiseGamJeep]

Just a thought... check the top bend of your drag link to see if the balancer/crank pulley isn't making contact...

Man it sounds and drives great with that rear D-35 disconnected! And everything in that 35 is fairly new except the ring and pinion, pinion and carrier bearings. Ten factory axles, spider gears, new u-joints in rear shaft.

Just a thought... check the top bend of your drag link to see if the balancer/crank pulley isn't making contact...

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Man it sounds and drives great with that rear D-35 disconnected! And everything in that 35 is fairly new except the ring and pinion, pinion and carrier bearings. Ten factory axles, spider gears, new u-joints in rear shaft.

yeah, I posted that suggestion way before I watched the videos, and caught back up on your progress...

I do find it amazing how fast Outlaw got blacklisted by the Jeep community here... they quickly followed the reputation of Landers Jeep...

 

[SamwiseGamJeep]

yeah, I posted that suggestion way before I watched the videos, and caught back up on your progress...

I do find it amazing how fast Outlaw got blacklisted by the Jeep community here... they quickly followed the reputation of Landers Jeep...

Didn't they though. I tried to give them business, but every interaction was odd, uncomfortable, angry and unhappy feeling there. And then when going to pay and ask what kind of warranty and how long, and immediately hit with " No warranty or guarantee" . I mean, I understand it's an old Jeep, and it's pinion seals, but you can clearly see I do not abuse it, beat on it, or off-road it.
Literally a restoration in progress and trying to make each step in the process with as much quality as I can afford.
And of course it wouldn't have done any good anyway, figure that was two years plus ago and I've put less that 10k on it since, but I could imagine what dealing with them on any sort of warranty work would be like.
When I'm able to get Re-gearing done it will probably be "Locked in 4x4". I hear nothing but good out of them, and Christopher's Customs.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Didn't they though. I tried to give them business, but every interaction was odd, uncomfortable, angry and unhappy feeling there. And then when going to pay and ask what kind of warranty and how long, and immediately hit with " No warranty or guarantee" . I mean, I understand it's an old Jeep, and it's pinion seals, but you can clearly see I do not abuse it, beat on it, or off-road it.
Literally a restoration in progress and trying to make each step in the process with as much quality as I can afford.
And of course it wouldn't have done any good anyway, figure that was two years plus ago and I've put less that 10k on it since, but I could imagine what dealing with them on any sort of warranty work would be like.
When I'm able to get Re-gearing done it will probably be "Locked in 4x4". I hear nothing but good out of them, and Christopher's Customs.

4wd on 72 just a mile or so east of Shields Rd is good too. If you need general mechanical work, Slater's Automotive in Brownsboro has been awesome.

 

[SamwiseGamJeep]

4wd on 72 just a mile or so east of Shields Rd is good too. If you need general mechanical work, Slater's Automotive in Brownsboro has been awesome.

I was wondering about the new place there. Neighbor girl over here also has a 99 TJ, they did some work for her and misquoted it, charged her too much, but I believe she said they did make it right.
And yeah, heard good things about slater's also. I'm working on getting someone to look at this diff and repair it right.
Sure would be a good time to find a good D-44 laying around that somebody doesn't want.

 

[mrblaine]

Didn't they though. I tried to give them business, but every interaction was odd, uncomfortable, angry and unhappy feeling there. And then when going to pay and ask what kind of warranty and how long, and immediately hit with " No warranty or guarantee" . I mean, I understand it's an old Jeep, and it's pinion seals, but you can clearly see I do not abuse it, beat on it, or off-road it.
Literally a restoration in progress and trying to make each step in the process with as much quality as I can afford.
And of course it wouldn't have done any good anyway, figure that was two years plus ago and I've put less that 10k on it since, but I could imagine what dealing with them on any sort of warranty work would be like.
When I'm able to get Re-gearing done it will probably be "Locked in 4x4". I hear nothing but good out of them, and Christopher's Customs.

The rig above that we did a substantial build on had a bad rear axle in it. The owner rolled his rig, bought another one and we moved all the good parts over to the newer one. What he failed to mention is after he rolled it, it was still drivable and after a few adult beverages that evening, he took it out and got into a tug of war with an F-150 in the sand and managed to blow up the rear axle. It came in on a tow truck and due to how terrible it looked, no way were we going to chance a test drive.

As I got more pointed in my questions about WTF was going on with the axle, he said he told us it was making noise when he drove it home from trailer storage. Yeah, but you said it was making a little noise, you didn't say it was blown up and you weren't sure you were going to make it home. You also didn't mention the drunken shenanigans.

Anyway, we took it to our gear guy, he replaced the gears, bearings, and all the seals. About a week later, the pinion seal went out, he replaced that, a week after that, both axle seals went out. Best we can figure is the housing didn't get all the broken bits flushed out and they eventually got picked up by the oil and circulated through the seals. What we do know is the axle was completely emptied, completely flushed, and we had no more blown seals after that.

 

[SamwiseGamJeep]

The rig above that we did a substantial build on had a bad rear axle in it. The owner rolled his rig, bought another one and we moved all the good parts over to the newer one. What he failed to mention is after he rolled it, it was still drivable and after a few adult beverages that evening, he took it out and got into a tug of war with an F-150 in the sand and managed to blow up the rear axle. It came in on a tow truck and due to how terrible it looked, no way were we going to chance a test drive.

As I got more pointed in my questions about WTF was going on with the axle, he said he told us it was making noise when he drove it home from trailer storage. Yeah, but you said it was making a little noise, you didn't say it was blown up and you weren't sure you were going to make it home. You also didn't mention the drunken shenanigans.

Anyway, we took it to our gear guy, he replaced the gears, bearings, and all the seals. About a week later, the pinion seal went out, he replaced that, a week after that, both axle seals went out. Best we can figure is the housing didn't get all the broken bits flushed out and they eventually got picked up by the oil and circulated through the seals. What we do know is the axle was completely emptied, completely flushed, and we had no more blown seals after that.

Hmmm. Interesting thoughts, and now you've set me to thinking. -
It's been a long five years, but back when the spider gears flew apart in it, I got in there, everything pulled out, and it was mostly big chunks of the spiders, but I cleaned it and tube's out the best I could with what I had.
The fluid wasn't terrible but did have sparkles of steel. I probably still have pictures of all this.
Sprayed it out with solvents with a hand spray bottle, went through it by hand picking everything out, used a small magnet until I got it as clean as I could. Wiped it all out with rags by hand and swabbed the tube's with rags and stick handle like swabbing out a rifle barrel.
Then new gears, both outer seals and bearings, new axles.
I wonder if I didn't get it clean enough?
And the microscopic particles did this.
Now wondering if all my new stuff and outer bearings are ok.
And wondering if whoever I have repair this now needs to be more that pinion and carrier bearings??? Man. Suggestions welcome.

 

[Weasellee]

Quite recently we had noise in Ben’s jeep. After disassembly and reassembly of the front axle and a rear axle rebuild we found the issue to be with the DC joint in the rear driveshaft.This after mechanic put his microphones under it during test drive and was certain the problem was the transfer case. Nope. Don’t assume. Put the jeep on jack stands, run it and find exactly where this noise is coming from. You’ll thank yourself.

 

[SamwiseGamJeep]

Quite recently we had noise in Ben’s jeep. After disassembly and reassembly of the front axle and a rear axle rebuild we found the issue to be with the DC joint in the rear driveshaft.This after mechanic put his microphones under it during test drive and was certain the problem was the transfer case. Nope. Don’t assume. Put the jeep on jack stands, run it and find exactly where this noise is coming from. You’ll thank yourself.

Thank you sir, that is very sound advice.