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Where's this noise coming from??

T

thuomper144

NAXJA Forum User
Location
pittsburgh
Have a 01 Cherokee with a 4.5" iron rock long arm kit on it. 30.5" tires. Nothing wild, pretty average. Has sye and a hack and tap kit installed on the transfer case. Also has 3/16" frame stiffeners front to back. Here's the issue. It is making a clunking noise seemingly under my feet when driving off road and hitting even small bumps. On road it drives with out any issues. Took video, not sure how to post it, but I can't see where it's coming from.
Removed rear driveshaft, drove around still makes noise. Transmission mount is about 9 mo old and was replaced when iron rock crossmember was installed. Is it the transfer case? Is it the long arm? Nothing SEEMS loose but something must be. I'm puzzled. Come and fix this for me!!! Ok, I'll just take some good advise instead. Thanks in advance. Ron
 
Track bar or track bar bracket is my guess. For whatever reason, the track bar seems to be right underfoot when it pops.
Check the fasteners, make sure they are all tight as &*$# and have somebody turn the wheel back and forth while you look for any abnormal movement. This can be tricky, to define abnormal, but you will learn.
 
Also check your sway bar bushings. If they are worn out it will make that noise. Mine was making it before I put my lift in and I figured it was the trac bar, steering components, or control arm bushings. After replacing all of those parts (I was already planning on replacing them with the resto/lift,) it was still rattling when going over small bumps. Turns out it was the sway bar bushings.
 
The rattle from a track bar joint will resonate through the whole unibody and drive you nuts, and it can be hard to detect unless you look very closely at the joint while shaking it.
 
Well Checked sway bar by disconnecting. Still makes noise.
Checked track bar by prying and viewing while in motion, seems to be good still. Was replaced last year( never know though). Going to try lower control arm. Noticing it happens more in 4wd if I give it a little gas. Let you know.
 
Mine had a clunk that was an exhaust clamp hitting my skid plate.
 
Check tightness on everything suspension related. Check all bushings and joints too. Try the four bolts that the tranny mount connects to the crossmember. And the bolts from tranny mount to tranny.
 
Had a noise like this a couple of months ago.
A friend was turning the wheel back and forth,
I saw nothing going on with the track bar. Torqed
it bown anyway, noise is gone! It may not LOOK
loose, check that its torqued anyway.
 
Thanks to all for your replies.....tried everything, had a slightly loose front shock mount. Also, the bolt holding the lower control arm(the long arm)where it mounted under drivers feet was wore out just not sure why?? Anyway I replaced and torqued it. All good now. Btw it was .040" smaller than the bushing it went through buy you would have thought someone was under the xj with a jackhammer when I hit a bump. Thanks again.
 
did anyone say trans mount yet? easiest way to check it put it in reverse then pop your foot off the brake real quick. if you get a clunk that feels like it's right under you your transmission mount is trashed. chances are if you've replaced your motor mounts your trans mount is bad without even checking it, once the motor mounts go the drivetrain flexes around enough to destroy the trans mount within a couple thousand miles.

edit: i just re-read the first post and saw that you said the trans mount was replaced, but I would still suspect this to be your main problem. get under there with a flashlight and see if there are cracks in the rubber or if it looks like its been squashed over to one side forward or back, both would indicate a bad mount.
 
Last edited:
I just installed my 8" iron rock crtical path and mine does the same and its the flex bushings mounting into the cross member bouncing around on the bolt. Same noise and same feeling. I always start if i can feel it right where i feel the noise first.
 
Honestly this is the first time I've ever had a problem with the Ironrock lift. The XJ on the other hand has had More than its share of problems. I have almost 15k on my Ironrock and I drive it every day off-road. I happen to work on an off-road environment and am very happy with it. (4.5" long arm ).
 
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