Xodius

I am not new to jeep and I noticed this last week and then again today when I was out hitting some trails and it made me wonder...
Situation 1:
I pulled up to a Pizza hut and drove over the concrete parking pylon. My front tires were in between the pylon and the curb. I did this because well, tbh, I was lazy and wante dto park there and the spot was a tad small for my jeep, but it is a jeep so up and over I went. I know I am evil When I got back and tried to back up all I got was high revs and my tired would not move. So I slapped it in 4H and increased the gas...no go. I start to think, WTF! It is a small 3" pylon and I have done this in my KJ many of times without any issues. This is a Wrangler and why am I having issues??? My past wranglers this wasn't an issue. I turn the steering wheel just a little bit and up and over I go.

Situation 2:
Today I am goign through some desert washes and I am in the process of turning when I get more or less stuck in about 2" of gravel. LOL. Not bad just enough to make me think, Hello 4wd. I hit the 4H and again my revs go up but I do not move. I roll back in neutral about...1" and bingo I am good to go and off I head.

My question for you is this...Are our autolocking hubs ones that need to be rolled forward and back for just a few inches/feet to engage? I never had that in my past Wranglers so I am a bit surprised at this but...it is not that odd. I know you sometimes have to do that in Broncos and I do have to do that in my Quad.

Anyone else experience this? Thanks and Happy New Years!!!

zeppo

Just to point out, the front drive assemblies are always engaged. That's to say there is no hub lock or unlock, the wheels are always connected to the axle shafts, and the shafts to the diff, and the diff to the front drive shaft. It's the transfer case that applies power to the front drive train when 4wd is selected.

Either you just didn't have enough torque to lift the vehicle up and over the curb in 4hi or your transfer case wasn't fully engaged. I would guess not enough torque.

Other more knowledgable types will chime in I'm sure.

JKlad

What diff ratios are you running? If they are the stock 3.21 or 3.73 then they are very tall (Chrysler puts them in purely for mileage reasons); I have experienced similar to what you describe and now often shift into low range in order to get over small obstacles such as kerbs or reverse up small inclines (& save the clutch as well; 6-speed with 3.21s & 32" tyres) that my previous 2WD sedans have simply cruised over.

Xodius

I have 3.73s in and 33" tires.
As for not enough torque...are you kidding me? I roll over curbs easy it is just from a stand still where it gets difficult.
Do I need to regear to 5.13s? I am planning on going to 35"s when my tires are up which will be in awhile, they are brand new right now.

Freewill

Obviously I wasn't there, so its hard to tell what happened. But, I suspect the computerized systems in the Jeep. Next time it happens try turning ESP off either with the button or by slipping into 4-low. There are plenty of stories on this forum about folks getting stopped in their tracks when ESP goes overboard and locks up the brakes because it thinks you don't have traction.

Also, turn the HSA off. Its a PITA and you probably don't need it. See your manual for more info about ESP and HSA.

americanlemans

I second the hill start assist needing to be turned off....first time I test drove a jk I stalled it several times on an incline because the hill start assist doesn't let go for a few seconds..at first I was amazed at Howe much gas I was having to give it and I did not know about HSA...turn it off and off you go no problems

Xodius

I totally forgot about the HSA. Thanks everyone. I am actually going to remove Christmas lights and platy with the jeep

Xodius

Didn't the hill assist start in 2009 though? Mine is a 2008.

ronjenx

No hill start assist in 2008.
Even if yours had it, it would have released long before you quit trying to climb the curb. And, your JK would have had to be on an incline for it to kick in.

Xodius

So what do you think it was?