can a differance in gearing between the front and rear diffs cause transmission and trafer case failures/damage? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

It is possible...

In fact, it is likely to cause damage...

You could get a bunch of my money it it DIDN'T cause damage!!
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

I was just trying to think of how I keep destroying my drive system, transmissions and transfer cases. It's getting old and expensive driving the thing 500 miles then having something else go out on it. If anyone else has any theories I'd be more than happy to hear them.

It's getting warm outside and the jeep just keeps on taunting me........every passing day the taunts get louder and louder <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" />

Would it be a problem if I wasn't putting it in to 4x4? Maybe I don't quite understand, but I'm under the impression that the front axle is open until the transfer case is engaged. None of these problems existed until I came home from an overseas deployment. My father was out driving one day and he said that magically the rear end, ring and pinion, went out and took it to a shop to get repaired. Not sure if they did some half <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" />repair or some thing.

Not entirely correct.

The driver side does have a constant pressure applied. It will go into 4x4 when the t-case is engaged.

So, if there is a gear differential between the front and rear diffs, you will have a noticeable effect. However, you will have a pronounced effect when 4x4 is engaged.

If you suspect gear ratio differences, remove the front drive line (between the t-case and diff) and see what happens.

That way you will take out of play any thing to do with the front end; unless you have a problem such as a constant engaged 4x4 action....

It would help greatly to know what year and model of Jeep you were talking about.

sorry about that....It's a 98 TJ 4.0, automatic transmission, w/ NP231 xfer that has a eliminator kit on it. I've had since 2000, and have put roughly 65000 miles on it. I've never had to really replace prior to all of this except the rear diff, set screw on my arb came loose and ate the back end up. The whole mess started when my engine's oil pick up tube dropped and cooked it. I had the engine replaced. After that had it outta the shop for about a week when i started hearing a strange sound, so I took it back to the shop and found that where the bellhousing mates to the engine was cracked, so I had another transmission thrown in. A couple of days later the noise came back, same thing cracked bellhousing. The shop put in another transmission at no cost and i had them check the xfer. The guts where pretty worn espeically the range fork so i had them rebuild it and to throw on an eliminator kit. Worked great for a month,and it started doing the same thing again. So for the past year and a half it has barely left the driveway. I've never pushed it hard while off the beaten path, or did any crazy jumps or anything like that. I just don't what could be causing this.

Sorry got on a bit of a rant. The main reason for the tranfer case rebuild was that it was going into 4x4 and not disengaging...........maybe I've found the culprit. NOw to check the that gearing is right I pull the diff covers and count the number of teeth on the ring, right? And they should be the same or are they different?

You are looking in the wrong place.. If while driving in a straight line you if can put it in and then out of 4X4, the gears are the same!! If the gears are different front and back the vehicle won't roll over 4 feet before jumping and banging... You would have known long ago that the gears were incorrect.
I'm leaning towards having a poor mechanic shop doing the work. The cracked trannies are pretty good evidence..
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />