[DASJEEP]

Has anyone with a WJ equipped with Quadradrive tried the VARI-Lock test procedure in the service manual? It goes something like the following.
Drive the vehicle in a circle for a few minutes to prime the gerotor pumps, sift the transfer case to 4-wheel low, then block the axial not to be tested. Next, with 2 people, have 1 rotate a wheel one revolution per second in one direction and the second person rotate the other wheel in the opposite direction at the same rate. After about 5 turns you should be unable to turn the wheels, I assume you will notice some added resistance with each turn.
If the axial doesn’t respond as described then the service manual says replace the VARI-Lock diff.
I'm always curious whether or not the Quadradrive is actually working as designed. This maybe a way to verify that.

 

[offcamber1]

Don, I tried it a long time ago. The back worked as described but the front never got too difficult to turn. I took it in to Colonial Jeep and they said that everything was operational.

 

[wax]

Don, I tried it a long time ago. The back worked as described but the front never got too difficult to turn. I took it in to Colonial Jeep and they said that everything was operational.

Does this mean someone at a dealership knows what they are talking about ?? On page 55 in 'Photos' is a PIC of a Real World test of my Q-drive after the 5th axle r&r. If it won't climb 35degree ramps on oppisite corners it will not climb Poughkeepsie Gulch in Colorado. The trouble is you burn the clutches up before you even get to the wall (With stock tires)
I think Q-drive is a pure light duty gimmick with a very weak housing that you can't put a real locker in . :roll: . sorry ..next time I want to climb Poughkeepsie Gulch I'll use my FSJ. .. my .02 pesos worth.. Don S..

 

[offcamber1]

I disagree. Quadradrive has never let me down. I had no trouble at PG last year.

Maybe it's yer driving?

I know some people have had issues with it, but I've followed lock vehicles places that guys with open diffs couldn't pull off.

Never heard anything about burning up clutches. I wasn't aware that QD even used clutches. I've abused the hell out of mine and aside for one problem I had earlier on, it's been troublefree.

 

[MCracco]

Don't own a WJ but I have been on the trail enough with Adam who has a VariLock in the rear axle. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Too frequently for my likes I can see a rear tire on the ground doing nothing while the other side is spinning like crazy.

 

[wax]

Maybe it's yer driving?

I know some people have had issues with it, but I've followed lock vehicles places that guys with open diffs couldn't pull off.


Podner.. Maybe it's my driving? :lol: .. I bought my first car over 50 years ago and now own 4 Running lifted 4x4s. I've owned one of my FSJs 18 years. I driven over 261 Different Colorado mountain passes including Black Bear Pass 4 times in three of my Rigs. I have been to four Jeep Jamboree USA and two Telluride-ROTARY CLUB Superwinch Rallies.

But my qualifiations are... :roll: I also have survived Dallas Traffic ..

offcamber... We need to get together some time over some brew so I can chew yer ear off :grin: .... Have a gud-un... From Ft.Worth.. where the BEST begins... Don S..

 

[JayF]

I thought Adam had Selec Trac with the limited slip in the rear?

Based on posts from QD owners for the past 3 years it seems that all QDs are not created equal. Some work perfect, some work sometimes and some don't work at all.. Fortunately, I'm one of the lucky ones

 

[Long Arm Silver]

.... and I am one of the unlucky ones. The weak link for me the center gerotor. I could back up to an icy curb (in MN), with the front tyres on dry road. And attempt to back up the curb.... And it would spin for a good few seconds before diverting power. But I have followed others in WJs whose high range actually worked as advertised. For me, I always had to switch to low range, which is a pain when sometimes all you're trying to do is get out of the parking lot after a snow storm.

But it will soon be a distant memory.

 

[offcamber1]

Maybe it's yer driving?

I know some people have had issues with it, but I've followed lock vehicles places that guys with open diffs couldn't pull off.


Podner.. Maybe it's my driving? :lol: .. I bought my first car over 50 years ago and now own 4 Running lifted 4x4s. I've owned one of my FSJs 18 years. I driven over 261 Different Colorado mountain passes including Black Bear Pass 4 times in three of my Rigs. I have been to four Jeep Jamboree USA and two Telluride-ROTARY CLUB Superwinch Rallies.

But my qualifiations are... :roll: I also have survived Dallas Traffic ..

offcamber... We need to get together some time over some brew so I can chew yer ear off :grin: .... Have a gud-un... From Ft.Worth.. where the BEST begins... Don S..

Sorry, Wax, I couldn't resist the jab. There are too many factors at play to compare QD without the Jeeps being side by side. My QD had always worked well as had TXWJ, from JU. We wheeled quite a bit together with other Jeepers, and I can only remember one day where my QD didn't work exactly as advertised. Later that day I had a weird noise coming from the front and after a trip to the dealership, most of the internals on the front diff were changed under warranty. After that I had noticed the front didn't seem to engage as easily as it had before. A while back I drained the diffs and then carefully added the oil and additive until the diff just quit chirping on cornering. It's still a little harsh but after my last trip at LoneStar Trail Fest I think it was working pretty well.

We definitely have to get some of the Dallas guys together to shoot the sheeit sometime.

Henley,
I don't have much experience with snow, but when I'm wheeling, I'm always in 4 low. A couple of months ago I did about a couple of trails at Gilmer in high range. I was giving TXWJ a hard time because he was having a bit rougher time of it in his TJ than I was. I joked that I might have to put it in low-range and looked down and was surprised that I had never shifted into low. Normally I run in lowrange just because it's less effort to drive the trails and I can't afford to not have the front engaged on some of those hills at Gilmer.

 

[DASJEEP]

I've been in situations where the Q-Drive seems to have worked as advertised. Of course I'm not able to be outside the vehicle to watch the changing traction. But I've been told that it's pretty neat to the Q-Drive in action. Then other times it seems like I can't get traction to save my life.
I wonder if having changed to larger diameter tires, 28 to 32 doesn't somehow adversely affect the operation of the Q-Drive. I would think that rotational speed could be an issue, like too much throttle. Since the gear ratios have now changed. My guess is the gerotor design as limitations, which make sense from the VARI-Lock testing, “Drive slowly in a circle to prime pumps”.
I've also been told that applying the brake will help the Q-Drive and Limited Slip work better. I've tried this and I think it helped. But it seems Q-Drive wouldn’t necessarily benefit from the braking.

On a related point, when a WJ w/ Q-D shifts to Low Range does that lock the TC to apply 50% torque front & rear? Thus leaving only the gerotors in the diffs on-line?

 

[offcamber1]

Don, you are correct. That does lock the center varilok.

About the tires, I think it has some effect. Maybe regearing would put that back into the correct mode, but I wouldn't think a 15% difference would make that big a deal.

 

[stevie]

Count me in for QD working. Havent had a problem so far...might be who's driving :roll: or how hard you drive your truck. Im in for the DFW folks gettin together...heading to Ouray Sept 16th. Cant wait :grin:

 

[MCracco]

I thought Adam had Selec Trac with the limited slip in the rear?

Probably from the factory but he installed the VariLock that Clayton had.

 

[Jeepin' Wolf]

I thought Adam had Selec Trac with the limited slip in the rear?

Probably from the factory but he installed the VariLock that Clayton had.

Actually. I put Anton's axle with the VariLok in my rear (man that just doesn't sound right) - I was open up to that point (with TrueTrac up front).

Is it working? I haven't a slightest idea although I would speculate that it is not doing its job all too well and the TrueTrac up front is definitely biting harder. The locker might be fine but I suppose the combination of 4.11 gears and heavy 33" tires is not in its favor and that whole "priming" issue which I just don't have the time or memory for. Maybe if I went with 4.56's (all donations accepted via PayPal). From what I noticed the VL works pretty good on terrain with limited variance in traction, but once one wheel is completely loose thigns aren't too cool. For the things I do the VariLok is definitely not the answer (at least the way it is now) but I suppose in some small way it is still better than being open.

 

[JayF]

The locker might be fine but I suppose the combination of 4.11 gears and heavy 33" tires is not in its favor and that whole "priming" issue which I just don't have the time or memory for. Maybe if I went with 4.56's

A very good point, the vari-loks are calibrated to work with the stock set-up. Once larger tires and different gears are brought into the picture it won't be as efficient.

- J

 

[MCracco]

Adam, the answer is in the first post. All you need do is before attempting an obstacle, is drive in a tight circle for a few minutes to prime the diff. I'm sure most of the rigs behind you will wait patiently and they might even help down a few trees to give you room.

I said I didn't think the rear was working for you after watching you on Zuki Hill. The Truetrac in the front was keeping both wheels turning but one in the back was frequently stopping for no apparent reason. Then again, you did make the hill taking the hard line.

 

[DASJEEP]

I was afraid that changing tire size would among other things screw around with Gerotor Operation. I suppose if the original stock gearing ratios were restored then things would work as designed. The questions would be where is the best place to make that change? Transmision, TC or Diffs?
It seems I've had the most trouble when I get into wet/muddy excessively slippery places. For instance a couple of weeks ago in Gilmer TX. "Politician" is generally doable, but there had been a little rain thus a little mud combined with a couple of rock steps I couldn't get traction to save my life (driver skill might have played a part in the problem). I've climbed more difficult stuff in Moab earlier in the summer, the only difference was in was dry as hell and I wasn't dealing with excessive wheel spin.