what is making this sound?

I have heard it before, about 6 monts ago, and 6 months before that, now I just heard it again this morning.

It is comming from the left front hub area.
I was driving down my driveway, slowly, did it for 100+yrds
worse when I turn left
goes away at higher speeds
sounds like big rocks in a tumbler, clunking together
sounds bad, like the wheel is going to fall off
sounds like a wheel that is being held on by two loose lug nuts

any ideas?

I jacked it the other day and held the u-joint and rocked the wheel back and forth and couldn't feel anything obviously wrong with the u-joint.

I'mn going out to jack up right now and check again.



2000xj 55k miles, light offroading, sunk it a few times



thanks

Sounds like a wheel bearing hub gone bad, since you checked the u-joint. However, you say it get worse when you turn left which would indicate the u-jointas my first guess.

Wheel Hubs?

When the wheels are jacked up grab the wheel and shake it. If there is any rocking in the wheel then its your hub. The bearings are notorious for going dry and grinding into little Jeep turds. I also had another clunk in the front that turned out to be the motor mount.

I jack standed the front axle and rotated the front wheels, nothing

I rotatated the wheels at full left, full right, straight, nothing

I put one hand on the top and one on the bottom of the wheel and rocked it, nothing very solid, same on both sides, I did the same thing with my hands on the 3-9:00 position, nothing, solid

I drove up and down the drive 2mph full left, full right, full left full right, 500yrds, nothing backwards too

I wiggled the wheel forwards and back,with my fingers on the u-joint and I only felt what felt like the slack in the splines/gears, (very slight) I could also feel the joint spinning in the caps like it should.

Should I have the bearings greased??





(I did find out what the mystery noise around my t-case was, linkage, ratteling, that was good.)

I once had this similar noise when turning left, and it was the extended brake line, rubbed the raised letters on the inside of the wheel. It sounded really bad.

Does it go away in 4 wheel drive? If so it very well can be the joint. Lock it in 4X, jack up just that wheel, rock it back and forth, look for play in the joint.


Rev

so what was the final outcome

If it did it or does it 'first thing in the morning' it might be moisture on the front brakes from putting it away hot, condensation and may be grabbing for the first few hundred feet or so. Does riding the brakes a bit get rid of it ??.

Check your steering wheel linkage, I noticed the other day that there was a popping noise coming from the front left. It turned out to be the u-joint going into the steering box.