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Front End Clunk

J

joejeep92

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Beloit, KS
Just put new suspension in the Jeep. Carquest HD coils and Omix HD rear leafs with Gabriel Ultra Truck shocks all around. New sway bar links. Everything has been great the couple weeks since I put the suspension on however I went over a rough patch of rocky road today and now I have a clunking in my drivers side every time I hit a bump. It almost feels like it's hitting my floor pan underneath me. I don't know if this is related or not but last time I had the Jeep in 4x4 a couple months back in mud there were some significant clunking noises going on and some steering wheel reaction to it. Ideas?
 
Ball-joints or control arms bushings. Also check you motor mounts and transmission mount if the are bad or have never been replaced just go ahead and replace them. I replaced my transmission mount and despite it not looking dry-rotted or missing chunks or rubber as you would expect it too look like if it was bad, when comparing it to the new mount it was about an 3/4 of an inch shorter than the new one and the rubber was very very soft which meant the transmission could move around alot more under a load. But I would bet you ball-joints or control arm bushings are the culprit if the have never been replaced. I replaced mine today in an effort to get rid of a clunk from underneath and I have replaced literally everything else under the front end of the Jeep that I could but the ball-joints seem to have been it.
 
Here's a start. Torque every nut and bolt, in the front end, to Factory specs from the motor mounts all the way to the lug bolts.
Then have a friend rock the steering wheel back and forth while you lay under the front end, looking, feeling and listening for loose parts.
Jack the front end off the ground and check the ball joints and hubs for looseness.
 
Tranny mount seems good if not recently replaced. Haven't had this Jeep for very long. Control arm bushings are slightly dry rotted with very slight play. Could this cause a pretty good clunk? With that small amount of play I'm kinda thinking ball joints might be the culprit...
 
I've been chasing a front end clunk for a long time now lol. I replaced all my bushings, ball joints, tie rods, springs I mean everything. I get a clunk that feels like something is smacking the floor under my feet. Almost feels like you are taking a piece of metal and springing it back and it hits the floor pan, thwap-thwap-thwap going over certain bumps. I can't figure it out and it has always driven me nuts. I really think it is the exhaust banging around but can't confirm that.
 
Went out and test drove again. Doesn't do it while just turning. Only when drivers side is going over changes in road surface. Also no death wobble. Slight tremor at 55
 
Tighten down your ball-joint nuts if you haven't checked them yet. Mine (which were original from the factory) were a little loose with the lower drivers side nut so loose that I didn't even need a wrench to get it off and if not for the cotter pin, it would have come completely off by itself.
 
Everything is tight. I don't like throwing parts at a vehicle but I have already pretty much planned on redoing everything on this Jeep. Possibly time to just do ball joints and control arms...the behavior seems to me like a control arm because it is only in the up and down motion of that side not the twisting action in steering.
 
joejeep92 said:
Everything is tight. I don't like throwing parts at a vehicle but I have already pretty much planned on redoing everything on this Jeep. Possibly time to just do ball joints and control arms...the behavior seems to me like a control arm because it is only in the up and down motion of that side not the twisting action in steering.
Click to expand...
Take the control arms off, one at a time and inspect the bushings. If they look rotted, that is very possibly the culprit. You might see shinny spots where things are going bump.
Have you watched the front end move while the steering wheel is rocked?
Pay close attention to both ends of the track bar. The track bar bushings and its frame mount are the cause of many clunks.

Tracking down pops, bangs and clunks can be a semi-full time job when you own an XJ.
 
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