popping noise when I turn steering wheel...

[phughes]

when I turn the steering wheel L or R, I hear a loud popping noise coming from somewhere near my front axle and the front seems to pull and jerk/jump. I noticed a bad smell, like burning rubber(?), but worse...when I stopped at a red light, smoke was billowing out of the left side (from under the hood). I was driving in 4x4 shortly before this happened, but had switched back to normal 2WD. My brother thinks it may still be in 4WD (he drove it). I drive a 1996 Jeep GCL, 4x4, straight 8.
any ideas what could be wrong?

[fredjacksonsan]

Yeah, it does sound like it's still in 4wd. With the wheels straight, try backing up 20-30 feet, while shifting to 4wd and back to 2wd.

Make sure you have the same size tires inflated to the same pressure. On my 2000 and 2004 GCs, they've been sensitive to tire size differences while trying to shift out of 4wd.

Continuing operation in 4wd will damage things eventually, if it hasn't already.

[phughes]

my brother went 2 get my Jeep on a trailer...when he put it on the trailer, the 4x4 disengaged. The mechanic checked it & said that it didn't completely disengage (while I was driving)...but, now it's OK...he changed the gear fluid/oil bc it was scorched...said all I need 2 do is have it changed again n like a week bc he couldn't get all the bad out. It still smells bad. I drove it home from NW GA 2 SE AL ... a couple times it felt like it didn't want 2 spin...like it just stopped spinning? It did that about 5 times total. But, it would act right soon..I never broke down & it never smoked...do u think the mechanic is wrong & there IS something still wrong? I did not know the REVERSE trick...I seldom use the 4WD. Is it safe 2 use 4x4 now?

[fredjacksonsan]

What exactly do you mean when you say it felt like it didn't want to spin?

Which fluid did the mechanic replace?

Are your tires all the same size and inflation?

IMO a field test of the 4wd is in order, to see if it works ok. Make sure it's on a surface with limited traction, like a dirt road or a grassy field. Put it into 4wd, drive 50-100', then take it out. The owner's manual says that to disengage the 4wd, sometimes "untorqueing" the drivetrain is necessary. What I do in mine is put it in 1st, move forward slowly and shift the transfer case (TC) to 2wd. Then hit the gas pretty hard, let off, and hit it again then let off. You'll probably hear/feel a clunk when it disengages, and you'll get the feel for the amount of gas you need to do it. You might also need to go into reverse and try the same thing, if moving forward doesn't work. If it won't come out after all that, then try doing it with the front wheels turned slightly to the left or right.

That technique does NOT work for me on hard pavement, there's not enough slippage to give the TC the slack it needs to disengage.

To keep things properly lubricated, I generally try to put mine into 4wd and out, at least once every 2 weeks or so. I've heard stories of people that didn't use their 4wd in 90000 miles, then it wouldn't engage when they needed it. (OK, so that was on a Ford but the point is made)