Previously had a 94 gasser 2500 4x4 auto now have the 01 ctd 2500 5speed
On the 94 whenever it was in 4x4 it would turn fairly decent until you got to pretty much full tilt then it would do the hopping and stuff but was never to crazy. now on the 01 almost as soon as I start to turn at all in 4x4 it hops and does it's thing. I realize a straight axle truck is going to do this but it is just a lot more sever than my 94 was. I blocked it up and turned the wheels ,checked the u joints everything seems fine. does this sound normal maybe due to the heavier front end weight? Maybe it's just something that's a little different than my old one.

 

The front axle weight is causing the front tires to maintain much more traction than your gasser ever would. The hopping is caused by the axle shafts winding up and releasing.....the higher front axle weight makes the feeling much more pronounced! It really has nothing to do with it being a solid front end compared to IFS. If you think yours hops on very tight turns in 4WD you should see how bad mine will hop with the snow plow up....the tires will still hop on snow and ice!

 

Thanks for the reply I sort of figured that is what it was esp since everything seems to be in good shape. Just one more little qurik that i would have learned if I would have been smart and bought the diesel I wanted 13 years ago

 

A HUGE factor would be if you have a limited slip differential. You wouldn't notice much (if any) hop on a truck w/an open differential.

 

You can't put an LSD in the front of these trucks because it will make the CAD inoperable....and having an open front (or rear for that matter) will not stop the front from hopping in 4WD in a tight turn....the only thing that would stop that would be something that will differentiate the front and rear drive shaft speeds, like the center differential on an AWD vehicle, instead of having them locked together which forces them to turn the same speed at all times.