Viscous Coupling

[drock87]

I fully apologize if this was posted somewhere, but I could not seem to find a definitive answer. We got quite a bit of snow in Akron this past week (yay!) but now I am "pondering something". I feel like my wheels are slipping more than I remember, and I am wondering if my viscous coupling could be bad.  There are two things to note here. (I have an '85 with shift-on-the-fly)

1) I replaced my transfer case about a year ago. It is a used one I bought from a nester (what do we call that now...a "den-ner?"). I only drove it in the snow once last year before wrecking it, so this is effectively the first time I have really driven it in any real kind of snow with the replaced case.

2) My front tires, particularly one of them, are not nearly as good as they once were because of the alignment on my car being off for a while. So, my front tires are lacking the traction compared to the last time I drove it through any real slippery stuff...which could also be why it just seems like I'm slipping way more.

3) Sorry. I said two things. Anyways, I have always read in the old magazine articles that braking is IMPROVED in 4x4 because the VC acts as a limited slip for braking (i.e. extremely primitive ABS). It does seem like the braking is improved in 4x4, so perhaps I just forgot what it feels like to drive in the snow since we got very little last year, period.


Is there a test to do to see if it is working properly? And, if it is shot (which makes me have an "open differential" if I'm correct) is there anyone that sells them...or would somebody like to sell me one that works?    I guess....also besides just the cost of the part, if anyone knows roughly how much labor is involved for replacement. If it is just nuts and bolts, I can probably use a lift at work on a Sunday. If it is more than that, heavy lifting, or something that requires finesse...I'd probably leave it up to a professional...which might make me think twice about caring about my "open differential" when cost becomes a concern.

[rmick]

I have one for sale if interested. To test the coupling you can disconnect both drive shafts or jack all four wheels off the ground place in 4wd. if you rotate the rear drive shaft and try and hold the front drive shaft you should feel the front shaft try and rotate. the faster you turn the rear shaft the harder it will be to hold the front. Here is a link for a 229 transfer case same as a 129 in your Eagle but with a low range. Has a good testing guide.http://oljeep.com/np229/NP229_manual.pdf

[drock87]

Thanks. I'll try that tomorrow. I'll have access to a lift, so I can do the driveshaft technique.

[carnuck]

This is why I wanted to go with a NP219. Although it is a 4x4 only tcase, it has a 4hi lock position (aka E-drive 80-82) that you could run with the front diff disconnected (by vacuum or manual hubs) and have 2wd. I'm running a NP229 which doesn't have 4 hi lock but it has 2wd built in.

If the tcase you got is a NP128 ('86ish Eagle only) and not a NP129 or was modded after the VC blew out, then you wouldn't have what you needed for traction.