Question about front axle on Cherokee Sport

Are the front axles and drive shaft "engaged" (ie: being turned by the front wheels) while in 2WD?

If so, is it a worthwhile investment, *gas milage wise*, to get a setup that includes manual locking hubs?

TIA

PS: I've just finished my second full tank of gas. The first one I was *trying* to get good milage and got 14.x MPG. (A/C ON most of the time, little highway time.) The second I was lead footing it all the time and got 13.x MPG. (A/C OFF most of the time, a lot more highway time this time.)

I was a bit surprised. I thought I was going to hit single digits :/

I plan on installing a washable air filter (K&N or the one of the other brands now available), and am thinking about replacing the axle/xfr case fluids with "Royal Purple" lube. Anyone have experience with this stuff?

I also found a tire size calc

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indicated that my oversized tires (235/75-15) cause my speedo toread about 4% under actual. Is the odometer affected to the same degree?

And, lastly , I've lost my reference to this: My Cherokee is an XJ, right?

(Again, TIA)

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Reply to
noneyabusiness
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The answers to your questions depend on the year, and transfer case. If you have "full time four wheel drive" aka SelecTrac, then your axles are engaged all the time and there is nothing you can do about it. If you have "part time four wheel drive" aka CommandTrac, then you may have a "passenger side axle disconnect". With CommandTrac, you have "2H 4H N 4L" on the transfer case shifter. With SelecTrac there is an additional selection. If you have CommandTrac, look under the vehicle, at the middle of the passenger side front axle tube, for a squarish box, that encloses a vacuum control. It will have vacuum and electrical lines going to it. If you have this, then one of your front axles is disconnected in two wheel drive. This keeps the drive shaft from turning, but does not prevent all energy losses due to friction.

There is a front locking hub kit, available for the Wranglers. If you have the CommandTrac system, with or without the vacuum disconnect, then it should fit your Cherokee, because they use essentially the same front axle. Last year, I would have said that the cost was not worth it, but with the price of fuel going up, and no end really in sight, who can say? If you are interested in this conversion, look on the

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web site for "Warn® Front Lockout Hub Conversion Kit". The parts are about a thousand dollars, plus new brake disks and the cost of labor. You will probably do a front brake job too, while you are installing the conversion.

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

Yes, the later model XJs and the TJs have the front propeller shaft spinning all the time, no matter if you are in 4wd or not. ___________________________________________________________ tw

71 Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco 03 TJ Rubicon - Rubicon Express 4.5" 01 XJ Sport

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

-- Dave Barry

Pronunciation: 'jEp Function: noun Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 inch wheelbase') A small general-purpose motor vehicle with 80-inch wheelbase,

1/4-ton capacity, and four-wheel drive used by the U.S. army in World War II.

(Please remove the OBVIOUS to reply by email) ___________________________________________________________

n> Are the front axles and drive shaft "engaged" (ie: being turned by the

Reply to
twaldron

Yes, you have an XJ More information of Jeep models is available here:

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Well....depending on your driving route and habits you might get 14 mpg. In strictly suburban driving I get 17 in my WJ, in general driving (suburban, open road, highway) it goes up to about 20. At reasonable highway speeds it will get 24. I've never driven it any real distance at 55 mph as driving that slowly is dangerous.

I am a strong proponent of Synthetic fluids, they have superior lubricating and cleaning capacities, especially in extremes, but have never used any Royal Purple Brand products.

I read/watched a few of the posted tests on Royal Purple's web-site and was not impressed. The routine appears to be that several changes are made such as fluids (+ a tune up) or fluids (+ new exhaust components) or thermal imaging (+ a floor fan is running).

An honest test would only change the test fluids and not other factors that are also known to increase engine power and decrease temperature.

As for K&N (& clones) filters you will find that people either swear by them or swear at them, no one who uses them is indifferent.

You should be aware that K&N make more power by lowering the resistance in the air intake just like the advertisements claim. What they don't tell you is they have lower resistance because they only filter the very large particles, all the fine ones (that get trapped by a paper filter) go right through. I am sure someone will supply links to pix of K&N protected engines.....

Reply to
Billy Ray

Might be time to clean the gunk from your throttle body.

Yes, but the best test of exactly how much you are off is to clock yourself on mile markers or a GPS. Depending on your model's transmission ad diff gears, the 235s may actually be more 'on' than the stock tires.

Steve

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Reply to
Steve

Thanks to everyone who replied so far. I forgot to mention that it's a 95 Cherokee Sport with part-time 4WD, the 4 speed auto trans and the 4.0L engine.

Another question: I have a tape deck head unit (w/ JEEP on the tape door cover) and a "sound bar" across the roof in the back (no speakers in the tailgate). The front door speaker grills have JENSEN on the frame. Are these after market or factory?

Also, does this head unit have a separate amp (One installer said it would cost more to install a cd head unit because of this)?

This helped clear it up, thanks.

[snip]

I'm going to discuss it with my mechanic when I get a chance, but since most synthetics *seem* to be around $10 a qt., I'll probably flip a coin to decide which brand if I go with a synthetic (the local parts store person also swears by synthetics).

I've used a K&N air filter in my old Toyota pickup for most of the 15 years I drove it, and AFAIK it never caused any problems.

I already bought one for the Jeep since it was on sale ($10 off).

While in the store, I noticed that FRAM is selling an OILED *PAPER* air filter for $12 ! I *almost* bought it.

[snip]

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Reply to
noneyabusiness

Where do you live? The reason I ask is that the name brand synthetics sell for $4-$5 a quart here in the Cincinnati, Ohio area and as little as $3 when on sale.

When I was in the auto-parts store last time to get filters for the WJ I noticed that they carried paper filters that look to replace the K&N cone 'oiled" type. I guess the filter companies want to play both sides of the street.

Reply to
Billy Ray

So. Calif. And I might have been generalizing a bit on the price of synthetics as I really only saw the Mobile One and something else at around $8 or so, so I ASSumed most others would be about that as well :/

Fram also makes the "Air Hawg". It's a clone of the K&N. Someone else makes one now too, but the name escapes me ATM.

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Reply to
noneyabusiness

Mobile 1 Synthetic 10w-30 is $5.19/qt at NAPA

Reply to
Billy Ray

When my Jeep was young, I worked for Microsoft, and their stock doubled in value two or three times a year, I put this stuff in it. Now I don't bother. Gear oil is another story.

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

I'm using a synthetic blend right now. A local place was dropping Phillips

66 products over the summer and I asked "How much if I take ALL the 10w-30?" I got the last three and one half cases of Trop-Artic 10w-30 for $1/qt.
Reply to
Billy Ray

AH! Perhaps I miscommunicated. I was referring to GEAR OIL, not engine oil.

Engine oil gets changed often, so normal stuff is OK, but axles and transfer cases sometimes go a lifetime w/o ever being changed, so I figure a synthetic might be better.

(Background: This is a 95 Cherokee Sport w/ 297,000 miles that I bought a week ago and know little of it's service history.)

[snip]

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Reply to
noneyabusiness

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