help jeep acting like I'm hitting a boulder

This has happened to me twice now, I'll hit a bump and it sounds and feels like I've driven over a huge rock, I've driven the roads it's happened on on a daily basis and there is nothing that would cause that to happen. this time though it now feels like something in the drivetrain is dragging and the transmission is howling when coasting to a stop.

It is an 85 2 door cherokee with the 2.5l and 5speed transmission
motor mounts and transmission mount are new

it just recently started this, I have been trying to rundown a weird vibration issue that keeps making parts literally fall apart such as the carb and starter. if anyone knows what the hell this could be let me know please

Ill throw out a couple of things.
-u joints
-if its 4WD, check the track bar connection, ive had that loosen on me, and at higher speeds, it would get loose and the front end would shake like crazy.
-shock absorber nuts

All i can think of at first.

I've checked all those
I crawled under it yesterday and spun the driveshaft with all for wheels off the ground, if I out downward pressure on the shaft it will hit a point where it locks in place. Making me think the transfer case is junk

disconnect the shocks(you don't have to remove them entirely) one by one and try to push them in by hand......if one is really easy then you've found your problem.
I had this on my xj when I bought it five years ago.Hit a bump and felt like I ran a cinder block over.Turned out to be a bad shock on the passenger side front....I could push/pull it with one finger!!!

gage78 said:

I've checked all those
I crawled under it yesterday and spun the driveshaft with all for wheels off the ground, if I out downward pressure on the shaft it will hit a point where it locks in place. Making me think the transfer case is junk

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How are your driveshaft angles???
SYE or no?
How much Lift?
U-joints good?

it's stock no lift so factory angles and slip yoke

U joints looked good but I greased them anyways

I pretty sure the transfer case is toast so I'm trying to pick a new one up quick, already stopped and got a new clutch and u joints, figured I'd just get that all out of the way at the same time and save myself a PIA doing it later

I pulled the rear diff cover friday and found the problem, the pin that the spider gears ride on had shattered, and lucky me the junkyards had been closed for about an hour when I found this out.
I found another dana 35 and craigslist for 90 and after a full 2 days of nonstop headaches finally got the jeep mobile in time to get to work this morning

Around here you could've upgraded to a chrysler 8.25 for that price.Don't know how things are in your parts.
Good to hear you are back on the road all the same....

Sounds like you had fun.

fun's an understatement

the rear didn't come with drums, my rear brakes had just had everything including wheel cylinders and springs replaced, so I figured I'd just use all the brake parts off my old rear.

turns out mine were the 10in brakes and the new were 9in, Ok I'll just pull the axles and swap the backing plates too especially since the wheel cylinders look haggard and won't bolt to the 9in backing plate.

Pulled the axles and backing plates just to find out the bolt pattern was smaller on the new rear. also my rear had an axle vent seperate from the brake line block and the guy I bought the rear from had cut the lone instead of unbolting it. Ordered a new line since no one had it, picked up new pads and drums and finally got everything together

Drove to work monday and it ran great, since I went from 3.73s with the 2.5 and ax5 to 3.07s it actually drove better and used less gas.
I do still have to swap the front gears to match and see about a gear to correct the speedo

Took off Tuesday morning and blew a wheel cylinder, picked 2 new ones up and the line I had ordered and finally got everything done last night.

Like I said "Fun's an understatement"

Thanks for everyone's input, I really appreciate it