Rear end going out

[Mason Schmidt]

So once again I come asking for some help. I wish I could give as much as I've received from the help and advice yall having givin me. Thanks... So I guess the rear end in my jeep is on Go-Going- Nearly Gone. It still drives and can catch speeds of 65 but it's on its last few miles. I was wanderin if this was a project that could be tackled with some studying and YouTube. My Jeep Is a 2000 with an Automatic transmission. I don't really know my gears so notsure how much that can help with the description....

 

[Sancho]

What exactly is going out? Just gears?

 

[Mason Schmidt]

Im hoping and praying it's just the gears. Last time I changed it. I seen some shavings and wear on the gears. But stupid me never took it very seriously.... Is there any way of telling whether its the pinion too? Is that a possibility?

 

[Chris]

How do you know the gears are going out?

 

[Rob5589]

Videos are all you need. That's how I learned

Some pics will be helpful.

 

[Daryl]

Pull the cover and take a look. Post pictures.

 

[Mason Schmidt]

Okay thanks for all the input. I'll pull the diff cover once I get home and send some pictures... As far as knowing whether it's bad. There was quite a few shavings in the diff. Previous to that I had snapped something while I was at the beach once. It never crossed my mind what that pop was and why one tire was only spinning. Was something with my diff. As you can tell I'm not super bright. So it might be something more or different than what I was thinking it was. Me being the noob I was i continued to drive it and wrote it off as nothing. Til i was visiting with a friend and related the story. He strongly encouraged me to do something with my gears. So I changed the fluid and found quite a few shavings and the gears looked pretty rough. I put it back together and it drove really good. But soon enough it was back to pullin hard. Like it can't keep up. I dont know if any of that helps explain my problem other than I could've saved myself what might be more of a serious problem if I had listened more closely!

 

[freedom_in_4low]

well,

why one tire was only spinning

one tire spinning is completely normal for a stock open differential (or a worn LSD) and wouldn't have anything to do with your gears.

So I changed the fluid and found quite a few shavings and the gears looked pretty rough. I put it back together and it drove really good. But soon enough it was back to pullin hard. Like it can't keep up.

Jeep feeling sluggish isn't usually how bad gears present themselves. It's usually more of a noise and then you don't go anywhere.

 

[Mason Schmidt]

Man this is emberassing. Lol I completely thought I had my problem figured out... What do you suspect it might be? I jus finished installing a rebuilt transmission. And everything seems to shift and run fine. It just won't run over about 65 mph. And that's at really high RPMs...

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I don't mean this to sound insulting at all, but are you sure the sluggishness is new? Or is it possible it was always there but now you're focused on it?

I only ask because I'm an overthinker and I have fallen into the trap myself on multiple occasions.

If you have stock gearing (especially 3.07) and a tire size that we typically see matched with a 4" lift, 65mph may be the best you see on flat ground, and even worse with any uphill grade or a headwind.

Another thing is what do you consider high RPM? Don't be afraid to rev it a little, the 4.0 doesn't mind it. There are passes in Colorado so steep that I have to maintain 3500rpm just to hold 35mph.

 

[John Scoggins]

It just won't run over about 65 mph. And that's at really high RPMs...

How high is high, do you have all the gears in the transmission?

 

[BuildBreakRepeat]

Man this is emberassing. Lol I completely thought I had my problem figured out... What do you suspect it might be? I jus finished installing a rebuilt transmission. And everything seems to shift and run fine. It just won't run over about 65 mph. And that's at really high RPMs...

If you’re sitting at high RPM at 65 mph, that’s your transmission screaming.

 

[Mason Schmidt]

Freedom_in_low4
I don't want to admit that I may be over thinking it. But theres a good chance. I guess in my mind I was thinking that my rear end was in bad shape. So that was kind of my instant reaction.
Once I get home I'll drain the fluid and send some pictures. If yall dont mind... Also a while back Jerry had helped me out with My TV cable and it not letting it shift right. I thought I had gotten that all set correctly. To where it was shifting fine. But maybe somehow could that still be something that might be involved...
As far as running high RPMs itll run up to 4,500 and 5.

 

[BuildBreakRepeat]

Freedom_in_low4
I don't want to admit that I may be over thinking it. But theres a good chance. I guess in my mind I was thinking that my rear end was in bad shape. So that was kind of my instant reaction.
Once I get home I'll drain the fluid and send some pictures. If yall dont mind... Also a while back Jerry had helped me out with My TV cable and it not letting it shift right. I thought I had gotten that all set correctly. To where it was shifting fine. But maybe somehow could that still be something that might be involved...
As far as running high RPMs itll run up to 4,500 and 5.

Yeah you’re not getting your last gear. I’d bet your rear diff is completely fine. You need one more shift in the transmission

 

[Mason Schmidt]

Thanks so much Everybody for the replies and help. Feelin kind of silly that I maybe over reacted to my problem. If it's just as simple as an adjustment... I guess while were on this topic. At some point soon I would like to install lockers. What kind would yall recommend or would work best for my set up?. 4 in lift with 33s. I don't really trail to much beings it's a little hard to find places out in the prairie where we live. But couple hrs away theres some really Awesome trails. Still not Colorado tho lol

 

[BuildBreakRepeat]

Thanks so much Everybody for the replies and help. Feelin kind of silly that I maybe over reacted to my problem. If it's just as simple as an adjustment... I guess while were on this topic. At some point soon I would like to install lockers. What kind would yall recommend or would work best for my set up?. 4 in lift with 33s. I don't really trail to much beings it's a little hard to find places out in the prairie where we live. But couple hrs away theres some really Awesome trails. Still not Colorado tho lol

I would go with a selectable locker since it’s your DD, selectable provide the most flexibility. ARB is my personal favorite.

 

[John Scoggins]

Feelin kind of silly that I maybe over reacted to my problem.

Don't, and if someone make you feel silly for this then ignore them.

 

[BuildBreakRepeat]

We are all always learning

 

[Mason Schmidt]

Thanks a Bunch Guys. Really Appreciate all the Help!!!

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Don't, and if someone make you feel silly for this then ignore them.

This. I try really hard to make sure I don't do this, so I hope I haven't come across this way.

Believe it or not, there were actually forums out there 20 years ago and I was the young'n asking questions that might have seemed silly to the veterans but I was fortunate enough to get a lot of good advice from some patient and knowledgeable folks that were willing to point me in the right direction. I hope to be able to pay that forward.