Loud Clunking from front end

Since my last trip the front end of my jeep makes a loud clunking under the drivers area footwell, but only when accelerating up a steep hill in lower gears (1st or 2nd). The clunking is so loud you can feel it quite alot through the floorboards. It only started happening after a rockyhill climb, so i assume i must have hit something out of place. Let me know what you guys think. My jeep is a 97' 5-speed with about 5" of lift.

tiblerbrit said:

Since my last trip the front end of my jeep makes a loud clunking under the drivers area footwell, but only when accelerating up a steep hill in lower gears (1st or 2nd). The clunking is so loud you can feel it quite alot through the floorboards. It only started happening after a rockyhill climb, so i assume i must have hit something out of place. Let me know what you guys think. My jeep is a 97' 5-speed with about 5" of lift.

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Does the noise coincide with bumps, likely meaning suspension components, and does it do it in 2wd as well as 4wd? Or, does the noise only happen in 4wd when there is a load on the drivetrain, like going up a hill? Is the noise random, like on bumbs, or is it regular and increasing with speed, like a spinning driveshaft?

Without knowing any more than what you've said, I'd first check the front driveshaft, especially the double carden joint. It shouldn't go out all at once, however, but you might have missed smaller noises as it was getting worse. IF it's the double carden joint, it would be REALLY bad to sound and feel like that.

Mine does this once in awhile, and there doesn't seem to be a pattern to it that I can duplicate at all. it litterly does it 1-2 times a week for a daily driver. I've checked the chain and u-joints in the axles and drivershafts. The chain has a LITTLE backlash that I can feel, but I assume this is normal.
Ideas?

Does it do it in 4WD or 2WD or both? Does it do it on braking? Here's what I would check:

Bolts from TC yoke to CV shaft
worn upper bushings
loose track bar bolts or worn TRE's

SeanP

Mine does it driving around town in 2WD. It does seem to happen while slowly climbing a steep driveway, but NEVER does it when wheeling. It doesn't happen when braking. Mine is SO infrequent that it's really tough to pinpoint the situation.
Here's a thought... I bought my UCAs used. (RE adjustables) I DID rebuild the superflex ends, but I'm not positive that I got the joints "adjusted" correctly. Could this be the problem? How do you tell if the joint is an issue?
TIA! :worship: