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Rotational slop in front driveline after lift...cure???

Fergie

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Flagstaff, AZ
Okay, when I back out of a parking spot, then drive forward, the first time I hit the brakes I hear some kind of slop/slack being taken up from somewhere in the front.

It IS NOT suspension related as I have checked everything. I KNOW it is the front driveline causing the noise. I can get underneath the XJ and rotate the shaft, and if I do it hard enough, it will cause the same noise.

My question is:

What in the funk is causing this noise and how do I fix it? Is it a loose chain in the t-case or what? The u-joints feel good, and I dont think they would cause this type of noise.

Someone has got to be able to help me out here.

Thanks

Gavin
 
Does it ever do it when you hit the gas? The symptoms you are describing are happening to me also. When it hit the gas I can hear a creak/clunk up front and then when I hit the brakes it does it again. I too have checked the suspension and steering, but have found nothing suspicious. I suspected the driveline and will be removing the front driveshaft to eliminate that possibility. I will post here with the results.

Brad
 
What you're describing sounds like snug but not TIGHT LCA bolts. Mine used to do the same thing, and until I got under there and tightened the ever-living snot out of them, they would still do it. You really can't feel it by examining the vehicle while stationary, you need to have someone else drive the Jeep while you watch underneath, and even then it is sometimes impercievable. This may not be your problem, but it'd be the first thing I checked and I'm 90% sure it is your problem.

Ary
 
I don't think the lift did it. It sounds like the extra backlash that a Lockright (or any LB locker) adds to the driveline. Mine does it in the rear a little, although the No-Slip is not quite as bad.
 
I seem to remember the noise being there after the lfit, and after Chad put the LR in.

Ary- Do you mean LCA or UCA bolts? I tightened the crap outta the UCAs, and they didnt budge, but I havent tightened the LCA bolts that much, si I'll try that.

Anyone else got an idea?

Thanks for the help.

Fergie
 
LCA bolts. The LCAs control the front to back location of the axle more so than the uppers, and the UCAs control the rotational movement of the axle more so than the lowers. I think your problem is the axle is shifting ever so slightly back and forth between forward and reverse due to the braking involved in changing direction.

Ary
 
Well, I'll check them as I hvae had them undone recently. In fact, I had them apart to do the lift, so that would account for the correlation.

Fergie
 
My 2 wheel drive 88 has this same noise. Mine is the plastic sleeve on the bolts that hold the front calipers on are worn away. When I change the direction of travel the caliper rocks forward or back ever slighty and makes the clunk, applying the backs when I change the direction makes it more noticable. I checked mine by have a friend watch both or my calipers (there is room to see mine through the opening in the rim) while I changed direction and he can seem them move.
If I lossen the caliper bolts a little bit, I can really hear it.

Hope this might help,
John
 
BillR said:
I don't think the lift did it. It sounds like the extra backlash that a Lockright (or any LB locker) adds to the driveline. Mine does it in the rear a little, although the No-Slip is not quite as bad.

It is more than likely what Bill has stated. I have the same thing with my detroit.
 
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