Front end help

NIX · #11 08-04-2004, 02:26 AM

Just to make sure we are talking about the same thing, as you state you have the select track. I am talking about the joints in the front axle, between the hub and differential. Select trac equipped jeeps often have cv's in their frontaxles. Not that I think you don't know your jeep or so, but I really don't know your mechanic skills and jeep knowledge, so that's the only reason I ask again. It would be a shame if you were talking about the u-joints at the drive shaft TC to front axle and I was talking frontaxle to hubs....

Only other thing I can come up with right now is your front diff.

#12 08-04-2004, 04:22 PM

That’s correct I have select trac and the front axel shaft have the U-Joint not the CV. The sound seems to be, for a lack of better words, as my wife would say it rings after it knocks sometimes loud some not. You can feel it in the floor of the passenger side. I’ve been turning wrenches the last 20 years for the army and this has got me stumped. It’s been in the shop as well at first they thought the brakes and added shims. This did not correct the problem. What’s the chance of the having too much movement in the axel, due to worn control arm bushing, causing other components to flex? I did notice the right front spring strap was bent away from the spring and I bent it back and the noise seemed to have stopped for about 4 days either because I had the suspension hanging all day while I inspected from front to rear or because I bent the strap back. Not real sure, but the noise is back. I thinking about changing the trans mount next. Any thoughts?

krabysniper · #13 08-04-2004, 06:47 PM

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
The noise only happens on turns right or left and occurs more after backing, sometimes loud enough to turn heads.

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Now we are gettin somewhere. Dude, I seriously had this identical problem just a month or so ago, turned out to be the axle end mounting point for the trac bar. Had to have someone sit in the jeep with it running and sit and turn the steering wheel back and forth lock to lock slowly while I inspected EVERYTHING underneath. Almost didn't catch it because the movement was so slight, but enough to make a clunck. Seriously. If you look real close while someone does the same for u u should be able to see the trac bar move slightly in relation to the mount and maybe even hear the clunck at the same moment. I cured the problem, please no one laugh cause this did work, I took a pop can and cut a strip out of it the width of the trac bar bolt's length that is inside the bushing when mounted, wrapped it around the bolt tested for fit and trimed the length of the strip until I could get it to JUST slide thru the bushing and mounting bolt hole, basicaly just shimed it, put it together and WALLA problem solved. It took me months to figure out that freaking noise so I understand your frustration. I will almost bet my life it is that that is giving you fits. Check it out and definatly get back to us and let us know if I am right. [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

NIX · #14 08-05-2004, 02:41 AM

Even if the straps are floppy, I don't suspect them to cause a rattle you can feel in the floor as the coils are under load in just one direction. Try the tracbar thing like Kraby suggests. Draglink and steeringbox and mounting OK? Trackbar and connectors? Sometimes one is broken, but still in place so you won't notice except for an undefined sound. I don't think the trans mount has anything to do with steering. If it's worn, it should rattle or clunk when accelerating or decelerating.

#15 08-05-2004, 07:39 AM

I'm inclined to agree w/Kraby and NIX. Trac bar yes, tranny mount, no.
Trac bar slop may be allowing the front swaybar to contact the trac bar mount at the uniframe end. Look for "witness marks" there. Another possibility is that the vehicle is not centered over the axle. Definitely could've happened when you replaced the trac bar and if the axle is too far to the right it will cause the same prob as mentioned above.
One final thing, don't know if it is an issue with the GC's but jeeps in general have been known to have cracks in the uniframe at the steering box mounting point. Might wanna check that area as well... You would def. feel that in the floor.

#16 08-05-2004, 05:19 PM

Well I tried the track bar gig. That didn’t work. I had a coworker move the truck around and the stop with the wheels turned hard left and right. He violently shook the right wheel and it Cracked loud, hard enough to rattle the cotter pin in the upper right ball joint. We did this several times with some success. With this knowledge I disassembled the right front hub, knuckle and removed the axel shaft. I replaced the hub with an old one and put on two new ball joints. PROBLEM SOLVED. I replaced all these parts in December 2003 and they are under warranty. The ball joints were TRW lifetime and the hub was Motor City 1 year. Advance plans to make good on all three parts. Thanks for all your help and advice. Next thing is the 3” Pro comp Lift. Any Takers?