hey. need some help.
i have a 1994 grand cherokee laredo 5.2 all time AWD. it has 200K plus miles on it. stock suspension still tight but abused in every way. when i turn, the front differential seems to be locked in and will slide the inside tire. this makes my cv axles cry and i dont like that sort of thing. i haven't tore into it yet. hoped to get some suggestions before slapping the wrench to it. it is as thou the friction disks are fused together. i know its not in the transfer case. i put it in neutral,rolled down a hill, turned, and it still made the grinding noise. the sharper you turn the faster it moans and groans.
any intelligent or technical answer appreciated.
ps. i assume its a dana 30, never really checked, its a huntin rig.

 

It's in the transfer case. The VC in the 249's typically go bad by the 100,000 mark, so you're lucky. The reason it still does it in neutral is because when you put the transfer case in neutral, you're only disengaging it from the transmission, but not from the VC and the rear differential.

The VC is acts as an open differential inside the transfer case to prevent wheel hopping around turns. As they get old, the fluid begins to break down/leak out and the VC locks.

Good news is that now is a perfect time to swap to an NP231 or NP242. The 231 will give you 2wd, 4 part time, and 4 lo. The 242 will give you 2wd, 4 full time, 4 part time, and 4 low. Both are reliable transfer cases, and the 242 eliminates the VC so you don't have to worry about it going bad again if you still want full time.

There is a write up on everything you need to know about swapping transfer cases as a sticky at the top of this section.

Btw, yes you have a Low Pinion Dana 30 in the front. Never offered with a front LSD differential, so no friction discs here.

 

Jr. Mechanic. thank you good sir. your knowledge enabled my laziness. haha. really thank you thou. that same day i began to be bothered by it and unhooked the drive shaft. did some playin with the front diff. figured out it was my TC and began the hunt for an older cherokee 242.

 

Yup. Just remember too that without the front drive shaft it will roll in park with the current transfer case.

 

had a TC lying around. its a TC out of a 90 cherokee 4.0L with AOD AW-4 transmission. believe the TC is a 231. what besides the 21 or 23 spline difference do i need to worry about. will it bolt up to my 42re 44re 46re. whatever i have. thanks

 

All the info is here: https://dodgeforum.com/forum/jeeps/2...swap-info.html

You have a 94, which is a tricky year. There's no way to tell which length input shaft you have until you have the old case out. If the 231 and 249 have the same shaft, you can swap it in and it will bolt right up. If not, check the date on the tag of the 249. If it is sometime in 93-mid 94, you can be 99% Sure it's the old style gear cut. If it's late 94, there's a good chance it's the newer style gear cut. If you must swap input shafts, you have to have the same gear cut on both input shafts.

 

my jeep was made in late 93 and my TC was made in early 93 so im sure it will fit. i read your how to after posting the last comment and you do good work. your descriptions were easily understood. i wasn't sure if the bolt pattern on the back of the trans/front of the TC were the same. i posted a little prematurely. i've been my own mechanic for the last 12 years but a novice when it comes to 4 wheel drive vehicles. thanks a bunch

 

No problem. It's good to learn about new things