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Clunking after being towed

T

TheDeliveryPro

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Antelope, CA
Question;

I just bought an Xj. It was overheating and had to towed.

The tow company picked up the front, put the transfer case in neutral and dragged the rear tires.

After a block they pulled over due to a terrible clunking noise. They dropped it and picked up the rear to drag the front then.

After arriving at my house, the Clunking noise was still there and the front axle makes a ton of noise turning.

From what I understand, when you put the transfer case in neutral, the front and rear axles are still connected by the driveshafts.

Any advice on what would break first or where to look would be appreciated. I can't drive my new toy because of the clunking noise in forward / reverse.

I double checked to ensure it was in 2 wheel drive. It is.
 
XJ nasty clunk after a tow

Question;

I just bought an Xj. It was overheating and had to towed.

The tow company picked up the front, put the transfer case in neutral and dragged the rear tires.

After a block they pulled over due to a terrible clunking noise. They dropped it and picked up the rear to drag the front then.

After arriving at my house, the Clunking noise was still there and the front axle makes a ton of noise turning.

From what I understand, when you put the transfer case in neutral, the front and rear axles are still connected by the driveshafts.

Any advice on what would break first or where to look would be appreciated. I can't drive my new toy because of the clunking noise in forward / reverse.

I double checked to ensure it was in 2 wheel drive. It is.
 
Re: XJ nasty clunk after a tow

As far as I know, if the tcase was in neutral, then the drivetrain should free spin and nothing should have broke. You said you checked to see if It was in 2wd, well it can only be in either neutral or 2wd, it cant be in both.
 
TheDeliveryPro said:
From what I understand, when you put the transfer case in neutral, the front and rear axles are still connected by the driveshafts.
Click to expand...

This could be the problem BUT this is not in fact the case for all years. Some of them do offer a 'true' neutral where the front and rear drivelines are not locked together when in neutral.
 
Are you 100% sure tcase was in neutral? Was the tranny in Park?
 
Why was is getting towed?
 
we can speculate all day long but at the end of the day, you need to pull it apart and inspect the transfer case.

It is an easy job to do and you may need some minor parts once you get in there but I suggest pulling it and doing in on a bench and look for issues. They are VERY basic inside them and you will be shocked how simple it is.
 
The pump inside the trasfer case runs off of the rear output shaft of the transfer case. So from what the guy is saying, if they ran the front wheels on the ground and the rear wheels locked into the tow truck then the transfer case had no lubrication through the pump.

Cracker is right, you needs to pull it, tear it down, and see what is going on.
 
Thank you for your responses. I made an appointment to take it to a jeep shop, as the towing company is at fault and the repairs need to be done by a 3rd party. I just hope I don't have to sue them over this.
 
TheDeliveryPro said:
Thank you for your responses. I made an appointment to take it to a jeep shop, as the towing company is at fault and the repairs need to be done by a 3rd party. I just hope I don't have to sue them over this.
Click to expand...

Not worth the drama......just pull it and do it yourself and use it as a learning experience.
 
TheDeliveryPro said:
Thank you for your responses. I made an appointment to take it to a jeep shop, as the towing company is at fault and the repairs need to be done by a 3rd party. I just hope I don't have to sue them over this.
Click to expand...


You will. Tow companies for the most part have an absolute zero pay policy unless an obvious accident. I hope they documented that they had to unhook and flip your truck around and re-hook it. That would help you a ton.

Good luck...and like stated these T-cases are so simple inside once you pull it apart.
 
PahlMc said:
You will. Tow companies for the most part have an absolute zero pay policy unless an obvious accident.
Click to expand...

unfortunately, this is correct. I had a 00 nissan that got towed with the ebrake on for 15 miles, destroyed the rear brakes, the heat warped my wheels, and it got so hot the rear tires popped. I tried to file a suit and lost because of some blanket policy they have where if they dont specifically damage the vehicle (like the tow guy taking a tire iron to it) its not their problem.

:bs:
 
Get ahold of your owner's manual or one for your year Jeep. The towing procedures are outlined in it. If the towing company did not follow those procedures, they are at fault.

FWIW, I owned a towing company for 12 years.
 
TheDeliveryPro said:
Question;

I just bought an Xj. It was overheating and had to towed.

The tow company picked up the front, put the transfer case in neutral and dragged the rear tires.

After a block they pulled over due to a terrible clunking noise. They dropped it and picked up the rear to drag the front then.

After arriving at my house, the Clunking noise was still there and the front axle makes a ton of noise turning.

From what I understand, when you put the transfer case in neutral, the front and rear axles are still connected by the driveshafts.

Any advice on what would break first or where to look would be appreciated. I can't drive my new toy because of the clunking noise in forward / reverse.

I double checked to ensure it was in 2 wheel drive. It is.
Click to expand...

What year? Auto or stick trans?
 
How far and how fast did they tow it?

With the front wheels on the ground, there'd still be a reasonable amount of splash lubing from the front output spinning, so the only thing I can think of that would get melted would possibly be some bearings where the sprocket for the chain on the mainshaft assembly rides, and even that I'd be somewhat surprised by...

With the rear wheels on the ground it SHOULD have been fine, if the transfer case was actually in neutral.

Check your driveshafts and axleshafts in the front axle and see if the ujoints are fine. I'm shooting in the dark here but I wouldn't be too surprised if it's got some dry/burnt up/worn out ujoints.

And yes, the tow company is possibly/probably at fault here, but good luck getting them to pay up, it isn't worth the time, most of them are shitheels.
 
I know in the 231 in neutral the front and rear are connected, if the 242 is the same and only one end was lifted and it was towed something hard is going to give.
 
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