could this be bad ball joints?

Ok first its a 97 XJ 4.0L auto 4x4 3.5" RE combo lift on 33x12.50xR15 KM2s.

I have been chasing down a clunking noise coming mainly from the front passenger side of the Jeep but sometimes from both sides same noise. I have changed both front axle u-joints, both wheel bearings, upper control arms and axle end bushings, lower control arms, track bar, sway bar bushings, and the bushings in my JKS quick disconnects. I have also checked the bushing in my RE monotube shocks and there is zero slope. I have literally addressed everything on the Jeep except ball joints and when I checked them there was only the most minor amount of movement not like the kind of movement seen in youtube videos of jeeps with bad balljoints.

The clunking only comes when I hit small sharp bumps like rumble strips before a 4 way stop or on the side of the highway. There are not popping noises when turning and the noise only occurs while the jeep is moving.

Any help would be great since this is driving me crazy!

I experienced this on 04 Ford F150. It was driving me nuts. It would only make noises and the "clunk" over bumps. Turns out, it was the sway bar end links. All I did was grab my sway and I could see the movement. It looks like you serviced that whole entire area. I thought I'd post anyway.

My Mom's '01 and my '00 both had a similar sound to what you described....although both of ours are 2wd.

She only has 100K on hers, and I just changed shocks, steering stabilizer and sway bar bushings on hers...and the clunk is still there. So that leaves the possibility of control arms or ball joints, I guess.

I have 207K on mine and recently replaced everything...all bushings, shocks, ball joints and tie rods and the clunk is gone now. So judging from the things you have changed, it could be.

BTW, the last time before the front end rebuild that I had my Jeep aligned, the shop told me that my Jeep had about 1/2 degree of excessive negative camber. This was at about 120K. So I spent the extra money for the Moog adjustable upper and lower ball joints (it hurt!). We set the uppers to +camber and the lowers to 0 degrees. As of right now, I still have approximately .25 degrees more negative camber than is optimal, but I still have the option of adjusting the lowers. I guess I am getting axle sag....point is, you may want to have an alignment shop check your camber prior to replacing ball joints so that you can decide if you need adjustables. And yes, the ball joints were by far the most difficult part of the re-build.....

What do something like adjustable ball joint run a fellow? I have 240k on my 89 and I have this weird clicking when I take off... You'd have to hear it, it's weird.

They were about 65 bucks each through Rock Auto....but I got 207K out of the stock ones, and I figured if I get 200K out of these with the added benefit of decreased tire wear, then it is money well spent. Because tires aren't cheap these days either. I am assuming Moog should last as well as stock???

65 isnt horrible, but thats not cheap lol, mine are prolly done, i would like someone to go all the way thru my front end and just replace as they go.

Ok so is the consensus here that it sounds like ball joints but possibly could be TREs? I have not touched the steering except for alignments so all of the steering is completely original stock stuff with 210,000 miles on them. Same for the ball joints.

When my 88 was making that kind of noise, it was a bad sway bar bushing. Put in new ones, noise went away.

You said you replaced them, but there are 2 different sizes. Maybe you got the wrong size ?

You could check by disconnecting the sway bar on both ends and going for a drive

TRCM said:

When my 88 was making that kind of noise, it was a bad sway bar bushing. Put in new ones, noise went away.

You said you replaced them, but there are 2 different sizes. Maybe you got the wrong size ?

You could check by disconnecting the sway bar on both ends and going for a drive

Click to expand...

The ones I got for mine just barely fit since my XJ came with the larger size sway bar because my Jeep had the UpCountry suspension package on it. So I know there is no movement in the sway bar bushing. Now the disconnects could be the source although I replaced all the worn out bushing in them too but I will try driving around with them out just to make sure and rule it out once more.

My JKS QDs make a small clunking sound over small bumps. Normal after some age on them.

Recently added/replaced some front end components, i.e., Old Man Emu coils, tie rod ends, sway bar JKS disconnects, Kevin's anti-death wobble; track bar, and extended mount, (Frame rail bracket), sway bar bushings, etc. Upon dialing in enough proper alignment for a short drive before a professional alignment appointment, my test drive around some dirt/mud/shallow pot hole area nearby.., gave me some sharp knocks.., metal on metal. Sometimes the sound was on the left, (louder), and sometimes on the right, (less loud), but the same type of sound. Turns out that the 'extended track bar mount', or extended frame rail bracket was striking the welded coil/shock mounted plate to the axle. Had to simply 'pull' the track bar away from that issue. Problem went away.., and the alignment tweeked things 'mo-'betta. Figured that since you have a lift, that perhaps your adjustments have become relaxed enough to cause a similar issue. Tough to describe sounds 'eh? Would be a nice feature if we could record the sounds, send 'em to this site, and see if anyone can recognise them to further pin point problems.:listenmus

check the track bar for play... the hardware has to be really tight or it will flex and bend and work the nuts loose