front end clunk and wobble

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themow

NAXJA Forum User

Location

South jer z

• Sep 25, 2008

• #1

Theres no lift and i have stock size tires...I have a clunk when i hit bumps on my right tire at all speeds but when i hit a bump at higher speeds the right tire starts to wobble. Im not positive if its a the death wobble or not...it corrects itself after half a second but its still unnerving. Ive jacked it up numerous times and never found anything...

Track bar?
control arm?
Sway bar?
steering stabilizer??

 

D

dinorl007

NAXJA Forum User

Location

dublin, va

• Sep 25, 2008

• #2

check alll th things u have listed to make sure they are in good shape and all the bolts are tight, if u search death wobble there are many threads that wil probaly help

 

sharq

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Tampa Bay

• Sep 25, 2008

• #3

have someone turn the wheel back and forth while you look for loose parts. mine was a wallowed out bolt hole for the track bar at the axle.

 

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cherokee chuck

NAXJA Forum User

Location

freeland,wa usa

• Sep 25, 2008

• #4

Check all of the above AND tie rod ends. Any and all of these will cause your symptons. XJ front ends are simple when they are stock. Check the upper control arm bushings in the axle housing, they tend to get neglected.

 

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themow

NAXJA Forum User

Location

South jer z

• Sep 29, 2008

• #5

Its just my right wheel...i was under there for a while today lurkinf around but everything seems fine.....im shakinging everything but nothings loose.....the upper control arm bushing is dry rotted but looks functional

 

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themow

NAXJA Forum User

Location

South jer z

• Sep 29, 2008

• #6

Would removingg my track bar and seeing if the clunk disappears solve anything

 

2000XJSPORT

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Illinois

• Sep 29, 2008

• #7

The track bar can cause the noise you have listed. It is hard to tell at times if the track bar is broken at the main joint. I had this bad clunking sound on my front end and it was the track bar, but it did not look broken just by looking at it. It had broken at the joint on the unibody (see below), not at the axle. A new one was installed and the noise and wobble went away.

 

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ripcurl1016

NAXJA Forum User

Location

NY

• Sep 29, 2008

• #8

Loose or bad shock mount will make a clank also.

 

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themow

NAXJA Forum User

Location

South jer z

• Sep 29, 2008

• #9

ok so ill start with the track bar....do most people replace it or just get a bushing kit?

I was thinking maybe i should try control arm bushing too...cheap and pretty easy

 

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themow

NAXJA Forum User

Location

South jer z

• Sep 30, 2008

• #10

i fixed the clunk!!!!!
it was the sway bar bushings.....i just turned them around cause the one side looked really mushed down......so i just turned them around and put it back in and took it for a ride and the clunk was gone...the wobble was only present at highway speeds so i didnt get to test that...one problem though....when i was tightening one of the bolts on the swaybar bracket, the nut in the framerail came loose so i only have one bolt holding it in...Does anyone know if the framerail can be accessed by taking the bumper off???? If not ill just weld it up