Jeep JL Wrangler FAD Explained by Dynatrac - How the Front Axle Disconnect Works
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- Опубліковано 27 лют 2019
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In an effort to help improve fuel economy on the all new JL Wrangler, Jeep went through great lengths to lighten up it up as much as they could, reduce drag where possible and make it operate more efficiently. Of course, one of the things they did to help make this possible was to add a front axle disconnect or what most people refer to as, an FAD. But, what exactly is an FAD and how does it work? Is it tied into the JL computer and what if you were to upgrade your axle to something like a ProRock 44? Will getting rid of it be a problem? In this episode of the JL JOURNAL, Jim McGean, the owner of Dynatrac will answer all these questions and more. We hope you enjoy and find the information to be useful.
This is the 2nd in a series of JL JOURNAL's that we've made to help educate people about JL Wrangler axles and why you might want to consider a Dynatrac ProRock 44. We hope that you'll find them to be informative. Please check back soon for our next installment. - Авто та транспорт
Dynatrac is a brilliant company 👍 I’d take old school freewheeling hubs all day
Since I got my '18 Jeep JLU Sport S Auto in January I've came across your channel and videos and have to say, Great Work! Very Informative and honest offroad guy questions and answers. Keep up the great videos🙏
Thank you, we're so glad to hear you've been enjoying our videos and feel that we're honest about what we do and trust that we've just trying to share what we've been learning.
That was over my head, but this goes to show how knowledgeable Eddie is - knows these Jeeps inside and out !!
LOL!! I think that's just a polite way of reminding me how old I am and how long I've been doing this :D
Great explanation. Learn something new everyday!
Awesome. So glad we could share this with you :)
Thank you for another informative video!!
Glad to know that we could share what we've learned with you :)
really good video!
Yes! Love these vids!
Awesome :)
Awesome have a great time
Simple fix ....RCV AXLES! The one piece axle eliminates the fad two piece axle and allows the fad to remain in place and plugged in. BRILLIANT!!!
ANGLIN ARMY too bad they can’t prevent the breaking of the housing. That’s the real problem.
Wow! Knowledge is a beautiful thing. More prop to you guys. Keep on jeeping!
Glad that we could help provide it to you :)
Great video thank you!
You bet, glad we could share what we learned with you :)
You guys are really great and helps so much with detail information 👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Can you guys please tell what is that small plastic ring where 2 shafts meet ? Is it just reducing heat so 2 shafts don't rub on each other or its something more important? I opened it and because of accident I replaced the hole cv but where 2 shafts meet there at that disengaging ring , it had a bits of plastic broken ?
Great info, thanks
You bet! Glad to hear you found it to be informative.
Uhg! I found myself under a couple of different rigs manually engaging the CAD on the trail because it would stop connecting. Can't wait to see the problems start happening on those. :P
I wish they made an electronic replacement for the cad to at least get rid of the vacuum actuator
wow your're on a roll
LOL!! Almost. Taking today off to catch up a bit but we'll have more coming your way by tomorrow :)
All I heard was jeep knew we didn’t like it on the YJ, so they called it something different and gave it to us right along side with a d35 that they also knew we didn’t want just so they could save some costs on the manufacturing of the new chassis.
Or a Dynatrac lockout hub kit?
Is there a Push Pull Cable replacement for the Electronic unit
Good info, thanks. If you were to change just axles and not the housing, like RCV axles, does that have the same result as changing to a pro rock system ?
For the most part, we have not seen axle shafts be a problem on the JL. What we have been seeing to be a problem is the housing and it breaking. This would be the reason to run a ProRock 44
Have there been issues with the FAD? Great video, knowledge is king!
In terms of how it functions, no. Or at least, not as of yet. The concern with it mainly comes from past experience with CAD from decades ago.
Wayalife Hmmmm....just enough equipment & parts?
Another excellent video and I’m glad I don’t have to deal with that. This is the only thing I don’t like about the JL, everything else is nice.
Well, there's this and the stupid auto start stop for me. Not a fan of either but, what are ya gonna do.
Wayalife lol I get it
So does the front diff fluid lube the inside of the FAD ???
Great video! My jeep is a daily driver with weekend off-roading. Is deleting the FAD a good idea?
Nah, after long term use, we've found that it's fine to have and it'll help save you gas.
I just had mine fail a couple weeks ago. The dealership said it's the actuator and they will replace it under warranty. I hope they will fix it. I have been driving the jeep in 2H in the snow and it is so embarrassing geting stuck in a rubicon so easily.
Man, that sucks. Glad to hear they'll be taking care of it under warranty.
How does the FAD get lubricated?
At 1:00 what did he call the sliding gear? I can not make out what he said.
I know in the 1980 some one used to made a cable to replace the air lock and unlock front wheel drive for a jeep like a differential cable, do they still make that cable
It's a similar thing. The JL uses FAD and it's electronic and the old YJ used CAD which was a vacuum system. The cable just replaced the vacuum which wouldn't work when it started to leak.
Mine on my powerwagon got full of water, I have a rubicon to
If the front drive shaft is not rotating when driving in 2H, can you shift into 4H on the fly like you do with the JK, TJ and XJ? Or do you have to stop first? And if the answer is yes, how is that possible given that front and rear drive shafts are not rotating at the same speed?
Yes, you can. The FAD communicates with the transfer case and a syncro tells it when to engage.
We're talking doing what I did to my powerwagon...not doing that to the Jeep until i'm at 125k miles (my bumper to bumper warranty expiration).
What year powewagon ?
I am going to get a axle shaft that bypasses the axle disconnect … lite Brite did it but used cv joints .. I want to still have U joints so the weak link stays in a easy to get to place … thanks for a great vlog
It's a funny thing. Since the JL came out over a year ago, I have seen virtually zero axle shaft fails or any problems with how the FAD operates. However, I have seen multiple axle HOUSINGS fail and right at the FAD. But hey, good luck to you with what you're wanting to do. :)
Wayalife what is your opinion on cv joint versus U joint ?
So, what I can tell you is that I've run RCV's in the past and truth be told, I am running a set now but only because, there was nothing else available for the ProRock 44. That being said, I am NOT a fan of them but not for the reasons you have. My biggest grievance is in the fact that they cost $400 more than a good set of chromoly shafts with full circle clips. I also hate the fact that they snap and pop loudly after hard use. RCV will tell you that this is totally normal of course and will not fix it under their so called "awesome warranty". To your point about having weak links, I am not a subscriber to that frame of thought. I build my Jeeps or as much as possible so that they don't break. Also, a good chromoly shaft with full circle clips will be every bit as strong as RCV's and you will not have the kind of failures that are common with c-clips.
Wayalife you changed the front axle on your JL ?
Wayalife I have wheeled mine pretty hard and love my JL .. the problem with replacing for me is $$$ so it will get replaced when it fails …
How the heck does that sleeve slide with those shafts turning in opposite directions?
If the fad fails can you lose 4 wheel drive?
I have a question.
If the FAD is not working. Will that cause the front locker to not engage as well?
I have the z auto sensor harnesses on front and rear. But when I try to engage my front locker. It switches to rear only after flashing for a bit.
I was just wondering. Because the z auto sensors are supposed to fix the flashing light. And troubleshoot the issue.
It always takes a little bit before the locker engages. That is totally normal. In fact, it typically helps to be rolling a bit for it to engage.
So if the pinion gear isn't turning in 2wd, how does a person break in a new gear set? Seems like you would have to engage 4wd to truly break in new front gears?
That is correct and that is why breaking in the front isn't as important as the rear.
Is this for Rubicon only or on the sport too?
This is for ALL 2018-up JL Wranglers and JT Gladiators
What about just switching to two piece rcv axels? I don’t have them but I’ve seen many people wheeling stock tubes but switching to a 2 piece rcv axle and just removing the fad. For example look how lightbrite has the stepchild set up. They borderline abuse that Jeep and it takes it all day long.
Since the JL had come out, I can't say that I've seen the axle shafts or the FAD itself be a problem. If anything, how the FAD works is a benefit especially when it comes to MPG and allowing you to run more caster without a negative effect to the drive shaft. What I have seen and on multiple occasions now is that the axle HOUSING can break. This is something we will feature in an upcoming video.
Thanks for the response. You always have great content and explanations. I found out that litebrite is in the process of looking for/installing a pro rock 44 for the same reasons you spoke about. So again your spot on. Keep up the awesome videos. Thanks.
So if the FAD is taken offline is that the Tru-lok button on the console that will no longer be functional because then the axle and both wheels will just lock whenever 4 wheel drive is engaged? Thanks
You need to use something like a Tazer to tell the computer the FAD is no longer there. Everything else will work after that.
Wayalife ok thanks. If the FAD fails is that really a problem? Can Jeep still be driven if FAD is connected or disconnected? Thanks
@@gs-nt6nf Nope, not really a problem if the motor fails. It is a problem when the axle breaks at the FAD housing though. That's what we've been seeing.
Wayalife uh oh. Maybe a RCV axle with the FAD is a better axle then? Are any RCV axles with FAD breaking that you know of? Thanks a lot
Can you add a lunch box locker with out the concerns that come with a standard solid axle?
I would assume that you could so long as one is made for the new JL/JT axles but really, I think you'd find that the new traction control system does as good of a job.
@@wayalife thanks for responding. That's encouraging about traction control. I don't have a LSD in the back either
@@chrisurfer83 Neither do we in this Jeep ua-cam.com/video/vQX6VERI5_0/v-deo.html
@@wayalife watching now, great comparison to my bone stock manual gladiator sport s with no traction adders. Much appreciated 👍
When is the rear axle coming? I’d like to buy them as a pair.
For most people, there really isn't a need to replace the rear axle as the factory one is actually made well. IF you find yourself playing hard enough and with 40" tires, I would recommend that you look into a full float ProRock 60 or even better, an XD60.
Wayalife Thanks for replying! Looked into those axles, but the extra weight is not something I am looking to add to the JL. Will consider your suggestion to leave the rear alone. Thanks.
do they have rear housings? Also, would i be able to keep stock internals?
Dynatrac doesn't feel the factory rear Dana 44 or M220 is built well enough and sufficient for most people. If you're playing hard enough to need something better, they would recommend you consider a full-float ProRock 60 or XD60. On the front axle, you only reuse the knuckles, ball joints and brake assembly. Depending on how you order shafts, you can also retain the stubs.
Thanks! So thy don't make pro rock 44 rears? or planning on it?
Nope, they just see no need for it. Unlike the front axle, Dana did okay with the rear.
What if I don't want to buy a new pro Rock DODA can I get a 1 piece RCV axel and Warn Lockout Hub kit for my 2021 JTRD?
Being that you have a Rubicon, I wouldn't throw any money at your front axle and certainly wouldn't recommend buying a new axle. Since releasing this video, I have not seen enough failures to justify it anyway. The factory 44 seems to be holding up extremely well up to 37" tires and the FAD works great.
@@wayalife Thank You
The FAD was dumb idea used on the YJ and it's dumb today.
Unfortunately, I'd have to agree it is a dumb idea. I'm guessing Jeep just felt it was one of many ways they could improve fuel economy.
@@wayalife If they really wanted to improve fuel economy then diesel is the only answer. Jeep TJ with 1.9l TDI can get 30 +/- MPG. This swap is something I'm planning on doing this year. For example, BleepinJeepnate (yt channel) got 22mpg offroading with 40'' tires and 5.38 gears with the TDI.
LOL - no need trying to convince me. Just taking a guess as to what their logic was.
Seems like it’d be simple to throw in a full axle shaft, remote mount the switcher and put a cover plate on the hole. Now everything works like normal and done cheaply.
If people were actually breaking shafts and or having problems with the FAD, yes, you would be correct. Fortunately, there really haven't been to much if any axle breaks and no FAD issues to speak of or at least, in terms of how it works. So far, the only problems we've been seeing are axle housing breaks.
Dodge and Jeep have been doing this for years. Both my 90 XJ and my 01 1500 had a system of FAD, this is not a new idea. Why all of the hate?
Yup, as Jim points out, it's been around for a long time only back then, it was called CAD. I have no hate for it and actually like some of the benefits it provides. If there is a problem it's that the FAD housing is a week point and one we have seen break.
I just broke my clip on the fad pigtail today. I used some silicone to hopefully hold the pigtail in place. If the pigtail comes off can it cause any damage while in 2wd or when shifting into 4wd? Thanks for your help.
You'll get an error on your dash but you should be okay.
@@wayalife I appreciate it. I didnt want to damage my differential.
Can I use a CAD/FAD as a poor man’s locker and install a spool in the front differential?
When it fails does it automatically engage or stay open what's the default position
Honestly, I couldn't tell you being that none have failed as of yet or that I know of.
@@wayalife can it be completely bypassed by putting in a full length shaft? Then maybe a plate to cover the hole?
@@im2lost Yup, there are companies that offer this solution now.
@@wayalife right on, thank you!
I have a '18 JLU Rubicon with a kind of a grinding noise from the front when I'm turning in roundabouts, and I was told by a friend it could be a Misaligned front axle disconnect issue. Is that a thing and if so How can I get this resolved?
A "misaligned front axle disconnect"? Sorry, in the over 25 years that I've been doing this Jeep thing, I have never heard of anything like that before let alone it causing a "grinding" noise. I couldn't even begin to think what your friend is referring to.
That said, is the grinding noise constant or intermittent? Also, does it only happen when turning. Also, are you sure it's griding you're hearing or maybe more of a clicking? Is your Jeep running bigger tires on aftermarket wheels? There's a LOT more I would need to know about your Jeep to even begin to know what might be going on.
@@wayalife it's only when I turn, and although I'm def in one ear, I can hear it on from the passenger side front. It's mostly a clicking sound to be honest not grinding per say.
@Jeff Lartigue Okay, now we're getting somewhere. A 'clicking' sound up front when making a turn is typically a sign that your u-joint is starting to fail. I would start by giving it a close inspection. Look for signs of movement in the bearing caps and or cracks.
@@wayalife OK Thanks it amazes me that they would be going after only 22K miles (yes it's a weekend vehicle here in the Arizona desert)
@@jefflartigue9110 Not saying that it 'is' the source of your sound, just that's where I would start looking and based on what you're telling me.
It was a LAZY person's alternative to getting their butt out to turn hubs.
Ha ha ha, "It was YOU!"
LOL!! I was wondering if anyone would have caught that
It's like the magic cubes I used to have in the old samurai jeep diffs. I never understood why the jeeps didn't have them to save fuel from forever..
Transfer case is on 4wd all the time, also it’s not “open” . Don’t see how this is going to work
Why not electronic hubs?
If I could guess, it's a cost issue.
@@wayalife Well how much could it really affect the cost of Jeeps or trucks? I had a 1985 Nissan with inertia operated hubs. Electronic 4x4 engagement, electric lockers. How hard or expensive really.
Beats me. I'm not FCA and was just taking a guess.
@@wayalife This would apply to any and all manufacturers, they all have the technology they just don't want to. Previous was not meant as an offensive comment, sorry if it came across that way.
LOL - oh no, I didn't take it that way. Just stating that I legitimately wouldn't have a idea what FCA was thinking. :)
Video is good, but don't like the axle.
LOL - yeah, not a fan of the factory axle either :)
Not the CAD disaster again?!!!
LOL!! Someone who's old enough to remember :)
REALLY!!...who the hell is gonna notice the mpg difference with the front drive shaft spinning all the time time 2wd....there need to be a test with 2 identical jeeps one with the front d/s spinning all the time in 2wd and another jeep with the F.A.D. disengage both jeeps take an 100 mile trip and see of there's any real mpg gain
LOL - it's cumulative. Save a fraction here and save a fraction there and altogether, you have a mile or two of savings. But, I'm with you on this.
Yeah nothing to worry about imao.
It's a mechanism that WILL fail. I am very bias against it.
More than likely and sooner than later.
This whole thing just for MPG? jesus.
Well, this and other things. But yes.
Synopsis: Fiat ruined the Wrangler.
It's government regulations bullshit. Car makers are forced to improve mpg every model so fiat did this to keep costs down