What's that clunking?

[Saurian]

Pick a puppet!!!

You guys probably hate my long posts, but I can never seem to get things out in 20 words or less... Print it out, could be bathroom reading Ok, my buddy's '95 Cherokee Sport. 4x4, part-time transfer case, I-6... There is a clunking noise on the passenger side front whenever he makes a right turn. It's particularly bad when turning the wheel to the right at high speeds, like on a freeway on ramp. It's this really loud and violent clunking sound, and I can feel it in my right foot sitting in the passenger side. He says it's been doing it for a while. Now, here are the questions...

What is it/what could it be?

What is a U-Joint? Are they the things that connect driveshaft to transfer case/differential, or are they the things that connect axle to wheel? Or both? I can turn the front driveshaft with my hand, and the axle will twist about 3/4 inch in either direction on the drivers side wheel, did not see the passenger one, so could not tell you if it was doing the same thing. If this means bad U-Joint, I don't know how to change those, but I heard that they are fairly easy... So, help me out here. The clunking is BAD, sounds like he's running over bricks with the azle or something, words cannot do it justice, but it sounds like it is not healthy for the Jeep.

 

[jeepguy46176]

There are u joints in both places. When mine went bad in the front axle u could jack up the wheel and move it back and forth slightly while watching the u-joint and see the movement where it was cracked. Mine made the loud clunking noise as well when it went out.

 

[TwistedCU]

I wouldn't think the Ujoint would make noise when turning. That would most likely reveal itself when hitting the gas after coasting or starting from a dead stop.

Is it lifted or stock???

Two things I would check.

First the front trackbar. Have someone get in it with the key on, but engine off. Have them turn the wheel side to side while you look underneath at the top mount of the trackbar [where it mounts to the frame (in this photo, my trackbar is silver/grey in color)] If it is moving around in the mount it needs to be replaced. This will make a clunking noise.

Second: I had a problem with my driveshaft hitting my exhaust, check the first U joint back from the front axle and the exhaust to see if there has been any contact. I had this problem from a misaligned axle after lifting the Jeep, but a thread I started on NAXJA revealed that this problem is not only common, some said they've had it happen on stock XJ's - especially with a badly sagged suspension.

The solution to this is if the Jeep is on the stock suspension, lift it via new springs or coil spacers. If the jeep is lifted, see if the axle is off center towards the pass side. If this is the case an adjustable trackbar will do the trick.

 

[jeepguy46176]

If it is the u-joint that connects the axle shaft to the wheel hub that is bad it will for sure make a loud clunking sound while turning.

 

[Saurian]

Allrighty... I remember reading somewhere that ifn you can move the U-joints like more than 1/4 inch in either direction, they are bad... And I can turn the driveshaft to knock the front U-joint about 3/4 inch. So, are they extremely difficult to change? Even if that is not the cause of the clunking, it's still something that's pretty messed up.

Oh yeah, it's a stock, not lifted at all. Has never had any suspension work done as far as I know.

 

[TwistedCU]

jeeps.com stickers

I can turn the driveshaft to knock the front U-joint about 3/4 inch. So, are they extremely difficult to change? Even if that is not the cause of the clunking, it's still something that's pretty messed up.

Ujoints aren't too tough. Get a CHiltons or Haynes to walk you through it if needed. I'm skeptical that is what you are hearing if it is during turning, but you're right about needed to change them anyway.

 

[Saurian]

Regarding these manuals, I got the '00 FSM download that was posted a while ago, would that A: have the info I need to do this repair, and B: be close enough to the '95 that I could figure it out?