March 2022 – 4×4 Radio Network

This Week In Jeep

The Chip Shortage Continues

Detroit faces a glut of auto plant shutdowns as the chip shortage rages on.

Ford idled one of its plants for the second straight week, but we could really care less.

The Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois also will be down this week though, and that sucks. The Stellantis NV plant that employs nearly 2,000 people west of Chicago had its fair share of issues in 2021 though. Production was halted for much of that year, and CEO Carlos Tavares has said he doesn’t expect to see large improvements in 2022.

Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company, has stuck to the standard mantra that they are working closely with suppliers to mitigate supply chain issues. So is the grocery store to get Twinkies, join the crowd. What we need are answers and not more smoke.

The workers need shifts, and shifts are constantly being canceled or shortened because of one missing part. Following pandemic-induced shutdowns and amid high demand for new vehicles, there’s been an insufficient capacity for the production of semiconductors needed in vehicles for driving safety features, emissions controls, and amenities such as infotainment and heated seats. Do you know what I say to that? Bring back the base model. No power seats, crank windows, no AC even, and forget all that fancy emissions nonsense. Slap a carb on the top of that motor and let’s get some units sold.

According to some reports, the automotive industry lost 8.2 million units of vehicle production last year due to the semiconductor shortage and other supply-chain and labor constraints.

“Jeep Wrangler” boasts 1200 HP…

Brian Foreacre is the man behind what used to be a Jeep Wrangler.

We never find out what year, and about the only thing left on this thing that is even close to Jeep, I think is maybe the cowell. And even that is in question.

This man has created what he calls a mule, and it can be transformed into whatever role he needs it to be. Drag car? Sure. Hill climb racer? No problem. Insane track monster, you betcha. More money and engineering went into this thing than a Nascar-level race machine. Well not quite, but the sensors have sensors if that tells you anything. No. Literally. I mean the shocks even have sensors to tell you the pressure inside each one. There’s enough data and telemetry coming off of this thing that it rivals many professional race teams in higher circuits. And speaking of suspension. It’s completely custom. A full cantilevered system in the rear and the front very much resembles something you’d see in the front of a formula one style race car.

The engine boasts over 1200 hp and it has over 900-pound feet of torque. And no we don’t get to see what it is either. It does however have a pair of twin turbos that rise above everything else in the engine bay, and they’re not small. This Jeep or whatever it is can get the job done, no question. It’s an interesting feat of engineering and an example of what severe over the molestation of your Jeep can lead to.

It’s still worth a watch though.

Did $100K Grand Wagoneers Get Stolen From The Assembly Plant?

That’s the question being proposed right now, as a string of thefts have plagued multiple Stellantis plants in recent weeks. In some cases, thieves are targeting high-end models that sell for up to $100,000, and remarkably, it’s happening at places where security is prominent. In a public statement, Stellantis says, “we are working with the Sterling Heights Police Department regarding the theft of several vehicles early Tuesday morning from a shipping yard that services the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant managed by a third party. As this is an open investigation, the company is not commenting any further on what vehicles were stolen or how they were stolen.”

So we don’t know which Jeeps were stolen, how many, or even how they got away.

But what we DO know is that On March 3rd, an undisclosed number of Hellcat widebody Chargers were stolen from a lot in Auburn Hills. Before that on Feb. 28th, the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit got hit, this time for a $90,000 Trackhawk Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Hellcat Challenger. And on March 10th, just a week ago from the time we record this, at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, four top-of-the-line Ram TRX pickup trucks were stolen and driven through a smashed gate, one losing control and smashing into the side of a semi-truck trailer. Clearly, these thieves know the plant’s schedules, have timed the guards, and are familiar with the facilities enough to know both ingress and egress points where security overlap is the weakest. To me, this screams organized crime all over it. This is a team, I won’t go so far as to say a syndicate, that has reliable intel, likely paid for and obtained through employees former or current, and plenty of muscle for the operational execution of what is clearly a well-planned heist. It’s no coincidence that these vehicles are some of Stellanti’s highest value targets, and now with the reports of six-figure vehicles leaving the lot, one has to presume these are brand new Grand Wagoneers getting lifted. And with the chip shortage still affecting every automaker, Jeep, nor it’s parent company Stellantis can afford to lose any of their most chip-heavy rigs to theft in a time like this.

Tech Talk with Jeep Talk

TOPIC/QUESTION: Driveline Troubleshooting and Maintenance

There are likely several components on your Jeep that you take for granted.

Now, I’m sure there are those out there who are so detail-oriented, that they regularly polish the shock shafts. That’s not quite what I’m talking about here. Most of us take it for granted that the Jeep will start when we get in it, and will run properly, and even will drive and wheel when we want it to. A Lot of things have to be in working order for that to happen though, and it’s those components we too often take for granted.

For instance, when was the last time you checked for lateral or torsional play in your drivelines? Yeah, it’s been a while for me too. Don’t worry, although this often neglected part of our Jeep can be scary and intimidating to some, I’m here to help you out, simplify things as best I can, and teach you a process for keeping up on your driveline maintenance, and how to check for problems. It’s more than a little important really, to make sure your Jeep’s driveline is in good working order. This is not only for your own peace of mind but for your safety and comfort as well. Not to mention the people and vehicles around you too. I don’t have to tell you how much it sucks to have a wheeling trip or a run to the corner store even, completely ruined by a driveshaft failure.

This can be anything from inconvenient at best, to fatal at worst. The failure of a driveshaft itself or its U-joints can be caused by one a combination of factors like maintenance, abuse, damage, poor driveline geometry, or even poor installation or poor quality components. If your Jeep’s drivetrain is stock, then likely if you face a failure it’s because of poor maintenance. I’m sorry to say it, but it’s true. It’s not entirely your fault though. Automakers in an attempt to save a few bucks, rarely have provisions for the lubrication of wearable components. Oh sure, the slip splines may have a grease zerk on them, but do the U-joints?

Likely not, especially if they’re OEM, and I doubt you are taking them out and lubricating them on a regular basis yourself. As for the stock driveshaft itself, there’s not a lot that can be done other than regular greasing, and that only goes so far. So aside from that, regular visual inspections are key, and we’ll go through some of the steps you should take to make sure your Jeep’s driveline is in good condition. I should make a note here, that these steps will apply to either driveline, the front, or the rear, so it doesn’t matter which one you start with. The best way to inspect your Jeep’s driveline is to have it on flat level ground, and the Transmission and transfer case in Neutral. You’ll also want to make sure the wheels are chocked so the Jeep can’t roll away, and have the e-brake engaged as much as possible. This is important because if there is any pressure on the drive shaft, you will not be able to detect the minimal clearances that will be the first signs of a potential problem. Once you’re under your Jeep, identify the yokes. For each U-joint, there will be two. One on the driveline side, and one on the axle side. The U-joint lives between these two opposing yokes. With each of them in hand, try twisting each one in opposite directions. Think of trying to wring out a rag here. Now try to move them back and forth in opposite directions. Up down, left-right, try to shear the two yokes in opposite directions.

What you’re looking for here in these steps is any amount of play whatsoever that is independent of the U-joint. Any play at all is likely too much and is a sign of an impending failure. Now even if you don’t feel any play, it doesn’t mean you still can’t have a U-joint that is about to seize or fail in some way. When this is the case, you may see rusty oxidation on the U-joint around the bearing cap seals.

You might also be able to hear a squeaking noise as the Jeep is driven. That squeak may start out slow and cycle faster as the Jeep speeds up or goes away altogether at speed. Here you’ll want to check to make sure that the U-bolts or cap straps are nice and tight. Look also to see that the bearing caps have retained a tight fit into their respective yokes. If you see a clean, polished area in the bore of the yoke, (any shiny metal at all really,) chances are a cap has spun loose and is moving around. Any signs of a failed seal, rust, excess play or movement, or shiny metal should be addressed immediately by replacing the U-joint. Although the U-joints are a critical component, we can’t overlook the driveshaft itself. Look for things like a dented tube, missing balance weights, dirt/mud or another crud built-up in areas, or anything else that could cause a vibration problem. We need to look at the attaching yokes here too. There is four total. One on each output shaft of the transfer case and one on each differential. Often, the nut on these yokes can begin to back off. To tell if this is happening on your own Jeep, you’ll be looking to see if the yoke moves independently of the output shaft of the transfer case or the pinion shaft of the differential. Now I need to put in a word of caution here. There is room for a misdiagnosis here, but it’s not all that common. If you do see play here, yes it could be the nut backing off, but it could also be a sign of bearing wear inside the case or diff. To just willy-nilly go and start cranking down on that nut, you will most certainly make things worse, and accelerate the wear of the bearing if that’s indeed what’s going on. Now if you DO discover the yoke is loose, then it might be a good idea to dig a little deeper. I’d drain the oil out of the transfer case or differential that is questionable, and inspect the fluids for signs of debris. Any metal chunks of any kind or size is a red flag. But so would be glitter. Any shiny metallic substance in the oil is a sign of metal wear, and that’s going to mean it’s rebuild time. Finally, we’re going to take a look at the slip yoke. Check the slip yoke and spline stub for any lateral play. There will likely be some, and that’s ok, but if it’s moving more than the thickness of a business card, that’s too much. The most accurate way of measuring slip yoke and spline stub lateral play is with a dial indicator. With those, you can keep track of this with regular measurements. A clamping dial indicator with an articulating gooseneck like the one you can get from Harbor Freight for less than $40 is plenty good for this. Obviously, if you are under your Jeep and you see a grease zerk, and you have a grease gun, USE IT! Regular lubrication of greasable components will ensure they provide you with years of trouble-free use. If you are uncertain about how or where to lube your Jeep, talk with a service tech at a local dealer, surf the YouTubes, or even pop down to a local service center to see if they can’t point you in the right direction. Now I could go on for another 15 minutes on how to push grease into U-joints, but I think you’re smart enough to figure that part out on your own. Next week, I’ll have a quick tip for you that expands more on driveline vibrations as I teach you about proper driveline phasing, what it is, what it means, and how to check your own Jeep for it. In the meantime, however, If you are completely stuck on something, give us a call on our 24/7 voicemail line, or shoot me an email and we’ll get it figured out together.