Jerky steering in 4x4
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From: Isanti, MN
Jerky steering in 4x4
So I noticed last winter with my '08 that whenever I had the wheels turned nearly full-lock in 4WD, even on glare ice, I would get a back-and-forth jerking in my steering wheel. I attributed this to the u-joints instead of CV joints like most other 4x4s have.
My 2011 is doing the same thing. Just wanted to ask everyone is this normal? Or do I just have really bad luck?
I think it's normal, just looking to make sure I'm not alone.
My 2011 is doing the same thing. Just wanted to ask everyone is this normal? Or do I just have really bad luck?
I think it's normal, just looking to make sure I'm not alone.
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From: Isanti, MN
Thanks for the quick reply, Scott!
I'm not talking about wheel hop or driveline binding, every 4x4 I've ever had does this. At work I drive an '08 Dakota 4x4 that did this exact thing yesterday when cornering hard in snow, but there was no snapping in the steering wheel.
I think it's simply the u-joints snapping over as they rotate under power, but I'm not certain.
I'm not talking about wheel hop or driveline binding, every 4x4 I've ever had does this. At work I drive an '08 Dakota 4x4 that did this exact thing yesterday when cornering hard in snow, but there was no snapping in the steering wheel.
I think it's simply the u-joints snapping over as they rotate under power, but I'm not certain.
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From: Long Island USA
If you look at the velocity of a setup like the 4x4 front-end, where you have a u-joint at an angle... With a constant speed at the axle, the wheel it accelerating and decelerating. The output velocity of the shaft is not constant.
Hence the term "Constant Velocity" joint. A CV joint allows a sharp angle in a shaft, without the inconsistent output velocity.
This is why in driveshafts, if you have any angle in the front u-joint, you need the same angle at the back. That way the u-joints cancel each other out.
For instance, in the front of my 4x4 F250, the front driveshaft has a u-joint at the front end (with 0 degree angle) and a CV (double u-joint) at the back where it mates to the transfer case. The CV joint allows a sharp angle for the front driveshaft.
A double u-joint CV is basically just a very very short driveshaft
Hence the term "Constant Velocity" joint. A CV joint allows a sharp angle in a shaft, without the inconsistent output velocity.
This is why in driveshafts, if you have any angle in the front u-joint, you need the same angle at the back. That way the u-joints cancel each other out.
For instance, in the front of my 4x4 F250, the front driveshaft has a u-joint at the front end (with 0 degree angle) and a CV (double u-joint) at the back where it mates to the transfer case. The CV joint allows a sharp angle for the front driveshaft.
A double u-joint CV is basically just a very very short driveshaft
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Thaks, Art! That makes sense.
At first I thought it was a lubrication issue on my '08, so I promptly greased the u-joints and noticed the same thing. I then figured it must be normal, or my truck is just strange.
Now with my '11 I figured that the possibility of having two strange trucks must be absurdly low, so i just wanted to make sure it was normal!
At first I thought it was a lubrication issue on my '08, so I promptly greased the u-joints and noticed the same thing. I then figured it must be normal, or my truck is just strange.
Now with my '11 I figured that the possibility of having two strange trucks must be absurdly low, so i just wanted to make sure it was normal!
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