CV joints or transfer case?

[FlyingV77]

I did a search and couldnt find it, but i am mecanchly inept so i might have missed it.

I took my vx to the shop for some ruteen matnence, and to see if they could find out why my TOD is always transfeing power even when its not slipping. (tire pressure is the same at all 4 wheels) and under hard acceleration there was a popping and a hard hitting noise that can be felt that coisides with the TOD lights lighting up.

Ive only noticed the hard hitting a couple times and i thought it might be the cv joints. ( the boots were torn) But, my shop says its the transfer case, somthing a bout a chain inside?

what do you guys think it is? is it fixable? or should i start looking for a new case?

i guess ill be missing Moab :(

[Triathlete]

Chain+VX tcase=find a new mechanic. The TOD uses clutch packs.
When your tranny shifts under hard acceleration the TOD will kick in. The clunking could be a number of things. If it only happens when the TOD kicks in I will assume it is in the front end. So a good chance it could be CV's especially if you have been running torn boots for amy length of time. Another possibility is the front prop shaft (drive shaft)...it too has CV's. Mine are going bad and make terrible noise...everyone will get to hear it in Moab :) After that you might have to dig into the front diff.

[FlyingV77]

it is in the front end, i can feel it in the floor boards. as for a new mecanic, they have always been good to me. they said i can still drive it as long as i dont floor it.
we are fixing the cv's. and narrow down the posiblitys

[Zu4two]

Check the transmission fluid level. I was having this same problem and all it turned being was the fluid was low.

[Bob Barker]

are all 4 tires the same size with the same amount of wear?


The reason he said get a new mech. isn't to insult how they treated you in the past, it's that they did no research on your vehicle and took a stab in the dark at what it might be, and if you were to have said "ok just fix it" they would be into that transfer case for no reason, charging you useless labor.

[FlyingV77]

they dont do that kind of stuff, they always give all options and think things though be for they open stuff up. the guy that said chains was the front office guy, both the owner and the mechanic knew better.

[PK]

So, why rule out the chain in the transfer box??

It comes under more load when TOD kicks in, and the noise he is hearing could be the chain jumping teeth.

I hope not, 'cause that would be mega dollars.



http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3284/JDM_Brochure_1_Page_12.jpg


PK

[SilverBullet75]

Also do a search for "mode switch".
I've changed 3 out (different VXs) with the same symptoms. Fixed every time. Look for dash shifter lights "dancing" too. Easy fix..

[Grif]

Also do a search for "mode switch".
I've changed 3 out (different VXs) with the same symptoms. Fixed every time. Look for dash shifter lights "dancing" too. Easy fix..

Mode switch only if dancing shift lights as well IMHO. Mode switch does commonly go bad, but when it goes the you get hard shifts from underneath, not the front end. And clunks from underneath and the dancing shift lights too. Plus mode switch does not control the TOD in any way AFAIK. Not mode switch. IMHO.

[SilverBullet75]

Agreed. :yesgray:

[Y33TREKker]

Any chance that your front or rear speed sensor is malfunctioning, making the TOD think that the front and rear wheels aren't rolling at the same speeds during acceleration, and that's causing the TOD to be actuating the transfer case/front wheels unnecessarily?

Both speed sensors are located on the transfer case.

[crotchrocket]

From my understanding of the TOD system the chain that drives the front end is only engaged in low ratio which is centre diff lock so to speak. in high ration the chain is not engaged but the electromagnetic clutches drive the front prop.......... i may be wrong :D

The popping you mentioned could be CV, although you should be able to clarify this buy putting it in low ratio and doing some S bends, if you here some crunching on tight turns the CV's are dead.

[Marlin]

Transfer case is cheap, go to a yard, find any zu with tod, and voila. Better yet, find one without tod, get the regular transfer case, gives you 2hi, 4hi and 4lo. Then u eliminate front prop shaft cv and it becomes a regular driveshaft with universal joints, much better.
We pulled A 4l30e tranny from a rodeo sat, 50 bucks and it had a dipstick! It was for joe d's vx.
-sent from my droid2 global

[FlyingV77]

jut got it back, we rebuilt the cv's and so far that seems to have fixed it. we'll see in the next few days if the symptoms come back. i hope not...