what the heck is hitting my floor?

[MAP]

philip_g,
Replace those bushings and see if you notice a difference. If they are bad, I'm certain that they are causing some rattling/knocking.
They only take a couple minutes to replace.

MAP

 

[philip_g]

philip_g,
Replace those bushings and see if you notice a difference. If they are bad, I'm certain that they are causing some rattling/knocking.
They only take a couple minutes to replace.

MAP

having never done them, how do you get them off? Just lube up the bar and slide or are they split on the top?

 

[MAP]

The bushings are split. Do one side at a time. With the Jeep sitting level, remove the 2 screws on the bracket holding the bushing in place. The bar should sag enough to remove the old bushing which is split. The new bushing should be split as well. Put some lithium grease on the inner surface of the bushing, open it up at the split and slide it over the bar. The new bushing is not as easy to put on as the old one is to get off. Tighten the 2 screws on the bracket and you're done. Now do the other one.

Good luck.

MAP

 

[Hypoid]

want to do mine too? LOL

That's gonna cost ya some Papa Murphey's. LOL Offer is still open, just have to find a time. I'm trying to get the front tightened up for new tires. No sense throwing good money after bad; no extra money either. Going through the grief now will pay off in tire life and fuel economy.

I took maybe 90 minutes to do both lower arms. Probably did it the hard way; one at a time, without lifting. Getting the crusty bolts out took some time, passenger side is always worst. Once you get the arms off the Jeep it's not so bad. Make note of how everything orients. The hole on the flange side of the bushing is slightly larger, the arms have a slight angle built in. I used PB-Blaster, a vise, and small hammer to drive the bushings. I clamped the old bushings in the vise (the flange has two flats on mine) and turned the arm around the bushing to break it loose. Getting the arms back in place took some persuasion, the new bushings don't line up the same.

I'm still waiting for the upper bushings. I'll probably take them when I do Ball Joints. Mine take a star bit to remove the axle end. Last spring when I changed out the front axle they were a real bear. My fetish with anti-sieze will pay off again! LOL

 

[philip_g]

have yet to find a bolt on this puppy that was a match for the impact gun.
even the rear shock bolts came right out (now I've jinxed it)

 

[Hypoid]

I fianally got the little XJ off the ramps: Changing just the lower bushings made a noticeable difference. I'm psyched about getting this done now!

While underneath I noticed that the uppers and lowers connect to the body about six inches apart. If you drive with your left foot on the part of the floor that slopes up to the cowl, it is literally on top of these mounts.

 

[Gordy]

My XJ had a similar noise, turned out to be lower shock mounting bushes.

 

[xylonjay]

I had the same problem. It was the exhaust pipe hitting my crossmember. It drove me nuts until I wedged a rubber exhaust mount donut (cheap fix) in- between the pipe and crossmember. It isnt fastened to anything, but it has stayed put for about a month. And the knocking is completely gone.

 

[joecool]

Since this thread has been brought back, I am experiencing something similar. Is there an easy way to tell if my transmission mount is worn out?

 

[Semper Fi]

do you have a T-case drop on your Jeep? I had one on mine and the bolts that hold it in place has stripped out and were allowing the T-case drop to move around.

 

[tkjeeper]

I have an interest in this post as well, have the same intermittent knock, rattle when I hit the right sequence of bumps. I have repaired the exhaust mount that attaches to the crossmember but still there. Tranny drop is solid, 6" of snow today so I think I'll check it later. I think I'll go in this order, sway bar mounts, LCA mounts, shifter linkage, tranny mounts....etc. Keep us informed if you completely solve it, problem I've heard with unibody's is the sound can sound like it's under you when it's coming from another area. Keep us posted.

 

[Wallyman]

usually its honda civics ...that i hear under my jeep >: )

 

[joecool]

do you have a T-case drop on your Jeep? I had one on mine and the bolts that hold it in place has stripped out and were allowing the T-case drop to move around.

I have Rusty's crossmember with the one inch drop. I dont need it anymore, since I have an SYE, but I dont want to spend money on a new one. I checked the crossmember bolts, and they all seemed tight.