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Help won't drive in 4-HI

derian06

derian06

Red Rockett
Messages
1,866
Location
Madison, AL
Just got done trying to help a friend in a deep rut he was high centered and I ended up getting stuck trying to help him. I got out, but my power steering blew. On the way home I tried to shift from 4-hi locked to 4-hi and it came with a grinding noise from under the h3. 4-Lo and 4-hi locked work perfectly, it's just 4 hi. I just had the transfer case replaced a couple of thousand miles ago.

Any recommendations would be great.
Thank you
 
derian06

derian06

Red Rockett
Messages
1,866
Location
Madison, AL
I was thinking I blew the front diff? I hope its something else.

As a side note, all of this could have been avoided if I would have ordered a replacement winch remote instead of trying pull him out. Live and learn.
 
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L

LagunaH1

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,733
Location
Idaho
Can you have a helper look under the truck while stopped and the truck in 4 hi? If the front drive shaft spins and the truck isn't moving then that'd be pretty interesting
 
4speedfunk

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,250
Location
Tardville
No viscous coupling in the H3....the t-case torque split (in 4HI-Street) is 100% mechanical.
All your symptoms point to a smoked front diff. It's very easy to check: Put the case into 4HI-Street....put the truck in drive....give it some gas....have someone look underneath to see if the front driveshaft is turning. If the front shaft spins (grind grind grind) and the truck does not move....the front diff is blown. Very common.
Next time...use 4LO-Lock anytime you're tugging on another vehicle. It may not have made a difference but 4LO is there for that purpose.
 
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4speedfunk

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,250
Location
Tardville
For what it's worth...I got (2) AAM-7.6s, (4) Dana44s, and (1) Corp10b. solid axles....all with various gear ratios and options. Let me know if you need any help repairing or replacing yours. Myself (and many other H4O members) have been in your shoes several times and it totally sucks.
e3b8ffbd0c67f3fd4cf5772272ae1399.jpg
9af977ce49af806c75ebe4cc2dde2d7f.jpg
 
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derian06

derian06

Red Rockett
Messages
1,866
Location
Madison, AL
Thanks 4speed I'll shoot you a pm in a second, and the weird thing was that I never got out of 4lo when I was tugging, only switched to 4hi locked when I was driving out, then 4hi when I was on the road.
 
4speedfunk

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,250
Location
Tardville
Yeah....it's an all-too-common scenario. Even a completely rebuilt, brand new, perfectly assembled AAM-7 is only temporary. If you keep wheeling...you will keep breaking. Period. No "if"...just a question of "when".
I got a couple stock "cores" laying around...
245ab728e1e26e2c9418ca414899ddf1.jpg

I can build to suit if you want a cheap fix....let me know.
 
derian06

derian06

Red Rockett
Messages
1,866
Location
Madison, AL
4speedfunk said:
Yeah....it's an all-too-common scenario. Even a completely rebuilt, brand new, perfectly assembled AAM-7 is only temporary. If you keep wheeling...you will keep breaking. Period. No "if"...just a question of "when".
I got a couple stock "cores" laying around...
245ab728e1e26e2c9418ca414899ddf1.jpg

I can build to suit if you want a cheap fix....let me know.
Click to expand...

Pm sent
 
06 H3

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,506
Location
Meridian, ID
37s, pulling someone out, V8, stock front diff....money's on the front diff. Been there done that 4 times!
 
derian06

derian06

Red Rockett
Messages
1,866
Location
Madison, AL
Just got off the phone with CJ and after talking with him and checking out my gears we're thinking its just a broken stub shaft. The ring and pinion is perfect.

I'll be replacing the driver side cv Saturday so i'll know for sure then.

A huge thank you to 4speed!!
 
4speedfunk

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,250
Location
Tardville
You're welcome. Here's a diagram that might help you too....

attachment.php


After you pull the drivers-side CV-shaft you will be able to swap the stub shaft. Leave parts #8 thru #16 all together...bolted to part #22. All you need to do is remove the four bolts holding #22 to the side of the pumpkin. Be careful to not rip gasket #25! From there you can pull #22 off, and slide shaft #21 out. There will be a small broken piece still remaining in part #37. You will need to grab that with a magnet or by hand...and clean out all the metallic shards. After that...text me and let me know if you need that stub shaft and I will get it out in the mail immediately. When you put it back together...tighten four bolts #24 to only 25-30 foot-lbs. Fill it with fluid...carry on!

On the rack...if it is totally screwed...it will look like this...
attachment.php
attachment.php

That black metal tube should not be pulled away from the aluminum casting like that. It should be nice and tight. If you look closely, you can see the fractured looking area of the casting where it has broke and allowed the steel sleeve to push away from it. If you see any gap here at all where the black sleeve meets the casting...its toast.
 

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derian06

derian06

Red Rockett
Messages
1,866
Location
Madison, AL
I just blew another cv.

I cranked the Tbars a bit after installing new keys to level the front and the rear. After doing so I noticed at full lock I couldn't turn completely and I was messing around with it trying to figure it out when the new cv blew.

I also noticed when installing the new cv is was longer than the old one, any idea on why it couldnt turn? And why I blew the cv?
 
alrock

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
Messages
10,677
Location
Scottsdale
So before you cranked the torsion bars you could could turn at full lock, and after you cranked the torsion bars you couldn't? Certainly seems that you cranked the torsion bars too high.

If you are cranked high enough that the front CV has a downward bend in the middle, then when you try and turn right or left you are essentially trying to force it upward and right/left. It can't turn fully right or left because you have it outside of it's designed range of motion. To move fully right/left, it needs to be closer to level or at least not at the extreme ends of its up/down range.

A perfect front end height, at least as it relates to the CV, is perfectly flat from inner to outer shaft allowing for a full range of left/right motion without binding.
 
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