I need a bit of help, i've only got a basic knowledge of gears n stuff, and need advice of where to start looking into repairing this problem.

Earlier on today I bottomed out the middle of my chassis on a concrete corner, (suzuki vitara/sidekick) making this very loud snap. I no longer have front wheel drive in 4wd, and i cannot shift between 2 and 4wd whilst rolling anymore. If i try, this nasty crunching sound comes from the stick.

Would this very brief description explain a common problem to you guys? Its too dark now to take a photo / look properly underneath. But from what i can see the transfer box (i think) has moved forward a cm, as i see a slight gap between my rear propshaft and the box (again, i think i'm naming these parts correctly) that wasnt there before. I'll grab a photo asap in daylight . . . .

If anyones got any ideas, that would be cool! I'm a bit gutted i've damaged my jeep already, having only just stuck on my first suspension lift the other day

Thanks
Andy 

Well you dont sound knowledgable enough to rebuild a t case, or even diagnose the problem.  I would have someone look at the t case and either have it rebuilt or install a new one...

dude that sucks. I'm sorry I'm of no assistance for your problem but why did you call it a jeep? it's all good though. hope you get the problem worked out affordably and soon.. good luck my friend

Not quite understanding "exaclty" what happened; but have you checked the front drive shaft? You might of just bent that all up. But more than likely you probally did wreck your t-case. Possibly you caught the front diff on the barrier? Pics would help. Good luck

hmmmm, ok, well after a days work today, i've finally got home to give her a closer look. All the axles / propshafts look straight and fine, nothing looks bent, nothing out os place, except this gap i explained, which i now have a photo of.....

Looks to me like i've yanked the tcase towards the front of the viechle, which confuses me as to why i have  rear wheel / 2wd :S Can i not just shove it back again with force?

Thanks for the replies so far guys! (Maroon Monsoon: In the uk, most people refer to a small 4x4 as a jeep, as apposed to a car. Without considering the brand name )

Andy

understood on the jeep thing, no  worries. I was thinking it would be something like that but thought I'd mention it anyway.

that looks like quite the perdiciment. I am thinking you may be right about the trans, T case and engine being moved forward but I am really not sure. I know on mine that little sleeve goes over the end of the T case as I'm sure you noticed yours used too. do you have any lift on that, if so how much? that could be part of why that slip yoke is out so much but I really don't think it would be the whole story

understood on the jeep thing, no  worries. I was thinking it would be something like that but thought I'd mention it anyway.

that looks like quite the perdiciment. I am thinking you may be right about the trans, T case and engine being moved forward but I am really not sure. I know on mine that little sleeve goes over the end of the T case as I'm sure you noticed yours used too. do you have any lift on that, if so how much? that could be part of why that slip yoke is out so much but I really don't think it would be the whole story

I've only got a 1.5" lift with spacers/stuts/shock extenders, nothing serious yet. If this is the problem, how do i go about repairing/ fixing it? Would it be a simple case of pushing it all back into place or not?

Thanks
andy

The gap may be due to a bent crossmember/mounting however the prop will move in and out as the suspension moves so it may not be an issue. There must be room for it to slide in as the suspension compresses. I think you need to start looking for damage around the front axle. Check the driveshafts and the axle casing itself as well as the diff and the Free Wheeling Hubs if you have them.

ok lets get to diagnoses put it in 4 wheel drive with the hubs unlocked . put on the parking brake and get a good size screw driver. put it into the frunt drive shaft u joint and try to turn it if it turns even a little (more than a 1/5 turn and the truck dose not move you have munched your t case gears. if not take it out of 4 wheel drive lock your hubs and try to turn the frunt drive shaft again. if it turns you have munched your frunt end. to check to see if its the frunt end drivers axel put it int 4 wheel drive lock the passenger side wheel lock leave the drivers side wheel lock unlocked reach i and try to turn the cv on the drivers side if it turns you have broken the drivers side axel in the 3rd housing.

Your cross member looks all bent up? I think weezlegod's got it. Try that and see if it's your t-case gears.
Just curious but... what exaclty happened again?
Good luck

ok, well i've just lied underneath it playing. I dont have freewheeling hubs / ones i can lock / unlock, just standard ones. So i cant try that trick.

2wd, the front shaft will spin freely underneath (obviously as its not connected to the gears)

4wd, i stuck a screwdriver in as you said wezzlegod, and each slight turn either way moves the car front/backward. Which tells me it is connecting up to the gears up front :S  ( Both sides of the front diff spin too )

Yet when i drive it on the road, usually in 4wd, my steering is tougher / limited (i dont have  powersteering). With the occasional clunk from the cv joints. Now this doesnt happen with it being as easy as 2wd.

Is it possible it could be in 4wd, untill theres some force, then it just not work fully?

And i still cant change between 2 + 4 whilst rolling in a straight line.... i get a loud crunching

Magiccat: Living on an island we have lots of slipways (concrete slopes onto beaches / the sea ) at low tide, you can drive up the side of them, which is a nice challenging steep cobled slope, with a sharp concrete corner on the top. I crawled up one, and bottomed out the chassis on the top, not that hard (have hit harder without a problem) and SNAP, something went, now i have these problems :S 
Usually i wouldnt have been so silly, but i had landrovers challenging me, which makes the whole situation a little emabarassing haha

Thanks for the help guys, still in search of the exact problem tho...

Andy

Grab your CV joints at each end and try to move them. They will wiggle a little bit but mich movement at either end is probably a snapped CV. A busted cage locking up at teh parts try to spin would cause the difficult steering anf the grinding/poping noise when placing the truck in 4x4 but lay idle while in 2wd.

I would bet when you high centerrd the ride you lifted a front wheel off the ground. When the wheel rested back on the ground while still on the gas, SNAP goes the CV.

Have a look and see. Try moving the shaft at the inner and outter CV cups on both axles. If one of the for locations feels different that the others, theris your trouble. Also, you can put the truck on jack stands (all 4 wheels off the ground) and then run it in 4x4, watch the front wheels, you should see wich wheel jumps when you hear the poping.

Zig

Yet when i drive it on the road, usually in 4wd, my steering is tougher / limited (i dont have  powersteering). With the occasional clunk from the cv joints. Now this doesnt happen with it being as easy as 2wd.

You shouldn't be driving it on the road in 4wd. Round corners the front and rear wheels turn different arcs so their speeds are different. Range Rovers and the like have a centre differential that allows this, Suzukis don't and this will place a tremendous load on the transmission. Off road the wheels can spin to equalise their speeds.

This is one possibility....I believe there is a no slip ring in your t-case, if that got munched, it could take out your 4wd It happened on my truck, but on my truck it took out the 2wd...needless to say i had front wheel drive for a while...does it make any noise when you get on it?  just another possibility. 

Thanks again for the response!

Still with all your suggestions i'm not 100% sure which part is broken, but a big thanks for all your help guys! I think my best bet is to take it to someone in the know locally, and go from there.

One last question tho, if it is the CV joints, i hear of many breaking all the time, is there some 'better than standard' ones i can replace them with?

Andy