Front end noise and lots of friction

I have a 2000 XJ with a recently installed 3.5" RE Superflex. I did a 3/4" T-Case drop to get rid of the rear end vibes.

Now I am having problems with the front end. I am getting a grinding/friction type of noise from somewhere in the front half (it sounds almost like corrosion on the rotors but I know this isn't the problem). Also, there is noticeable resistance (i.e. it doesn't want to move) to go along with the noise. When I get in it in the morning it won't move unless I give it some gas. Once it gets moving, If I let off the gas it slows down more than it should (it doesn't coast freely). Reading what I just wrote it seems like a brake issue but I really don't think it is.

Could anything happen with bearings or U-Joints to cause these problems? I got it professionally aligned and it drives well except for some death wobble (looking for a steering stabilizer to solve this) Could bad pinion angle in the front lead to these problems?

I am lost here and I want to fix this before I ruin something more expensive (like the t-case).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Forgot to mention...I plan to remove the front driveshaft to try and isolate the problem but beyond that I don't know where to look.

mine did almost the same thing except for the noise it would pull also to one side. turned out to be the brakes.

check the pads are they shot there should be plenty of meat on the pads two per side.

does the sound get worse with braking?

could also be some sort of prob with the t-case but let's hope not and check the brakes first.

It really sounds like to much castor to me!Along with some questionable unit bearings!

Could castor really cause this much of a problem?

I have a similar problem and i'm going to go w/ either bearings or castor, i did a 4" lift and have not aligned the jeep yet so the performance jeep tech i went to told me that was probably the problem. I'll let you know if that solves the problem, i'm going friday morning.

ecrogers said:

Could castor really cause this much of a problem?

Click to expand...

no

could be the unit bearings though jack it up by the axle and wiggle the tire does it move? if so the bearing/balljoints are bad but ball joints won't slow the car down unless there broken.

ecrogers said:

I have a 2000 XJ with a recently installed 3.5" RE Superflex. I did a 3/4" T-Case drop to get rid of the rear end vibes.

Now I am having problems with the front end. I am getting a grinding/friction type of noise from somewhere in the front half (it sounds almost like corrosion on the rotors but I know this isn't the problem). Also, there is noticeable resistance (i.e. it doesn't want to move) to go along with the noise. When I get in it in the morning it won't move unless I give it some gas. Once it gets moving, If I let off the gas it slows down more than it should (it doesn't coast freely). Reading what I just wrote it seems like a brake issue but I really don't think it is.

Could anything happen with bearings or U-Joints to cause these problems? I got it professionally aligned and it drives well except for some death wobble (looking for a steering stabilizer to solve this) Could bad pinion angle in the front lead to these problems?

I am lost here and I want to fix this before I ruin something more expensive (like the t-case).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

If it was me the front driveshaft is a good start then get the front end lifted up off the ground and start turning wheels and listen for the noise and feel for binding. I would think a pinion angle would cause serious vibs as well

Did you get it aligned? Mine dragged a lot too right after I installed the lift until I got it aligned. The toe in is huge after you align it

off set wheels ware out wheel bearings fast along with mud and water. yea jack up the front axle and check the wheels. make sure that the brakes are were they should be. Also font drive shaft cv joint sometimes gets a little sticky but not to sure on a new jeep unless it has over 1k miles then start with stearing and work ur way back.

oh yea if you have a grinding/ roaring noise from a wheel at idel speed its a bearing.
hope this helps

Thanks for all the help, Ill lift it up tonight and spin the wheels and see where that gets me.

I'm sure I'll be back tomorrow with more questions

Really, REALLY tight axle joints could cause that...but they wouldn't bind much if you are going in a straight line...when you turn...different story.
Been there, have the t-shirt. My original set on both axles was so tight that once I pulled the axles, you couldn't move the stub shafts by hand.

Eric, do me a favor and humor me here...

Jack up the rear axle, put it in neutral, and see if you can spin the rear wheels.

I know you said it's from the front, but...

E-brake cable?

--ron

So I just got in from the garage...Ron I beat you to the punch by a few minutes but great suggestion, here's what I did.

Front-
First I jacked the front up. Found that the tires were hard to spin (if I spin them hard they will go at most 1-2 turns and stop) and making a friction noise that I can't describe (almost like a dry bearing rub but no squeak) on both sides. I got my head in there and determined it is somewhere between the end of the axle and the wheel. So I am thinking:

1) Bearing at end of axle (if there is one)
2) U-Joint at end of axle (but I don't think this is it)
3) Bearing at wheel (not sure what exactly what is here either but I'm assuming there is a bearing.
4) Or, if I am lucky the brakes are rubbing for some reason, but the rotors look smooth, minus a little rust color. (I know the front brakes are working because they will lock up fairly well in the snow)

What I don't get is how both sides could happen at the same time, whether it's brakes or bearings. My plan is to take the wheels off this weekend, pull the calipers and see what it sounds like then.

The Rear
So I lifted the rear up. When I spin the tires, one time each revolution for about a third of a full rotation I get a similar friction noise to the front. So I think, maybe its the parking brake. I undo the parking brake at the box where it splits, push the cables a little and go spin the tires. One is now spinning freely with no noise, however the other is still pretty much the same. I'm thinking it may just take a little time for the brake to loosen up.

SO...I think the back is all good, the transfer case sounds fine (except for a quiet chain rolling noise which I assume is normal), both shafts are fairly tight when I shake them, and no noise coming from the pumkins. The only strange thing I found is that if I grab the transfer case by the rear output cone I can move it side to side about a half inch (i'm assuming this is just the natural give in the rubber mounts.)

Long story short, I think it is my front two corners. Any advice before I tear them apart this weekend?

Thanks again for all the suggestions...

Other than looking for play in the tires, how else can I tell if the bearings are bad?

My plan is to take the wheel off and spin the hub to see if I can isolate the noise but what next???

How about some alignment numbers and driveshafts angles,this thread is worthless without them.You stated that this started with the lift!Youve already been told to isolate the front and the back by pulling the shafts!

RCP Phx said:

How about some alignment numbers and driveshafts angles,this thread is worthless without them.

Click to expand...

Rear: Pinion is between 0* to 2* higher than the T-case output shaft. I know I need to shim this down 2-4* eventually but I no longer get Vibes from the rear since I put the t-case drop in so I will shim it when I get a chance.

Front: the driveshaft is probably 4* - 6* steeper than the front pinion. Not ideal, I know, but I don't have any vibrations up front and any adjustment will be a tradeoff with castor.

Alignment #'s:
Left Right
Cambor: -0.6* -0.4*
Castor: 7.3* 6.7*
Toe: .08 in .07 in


I know my driveline angles aren't perfect but I am not getting vibes and I have pinpointed the sound to somewhere near the ends of the front axle.

RCP Phx said:

You stated that this started with the lift!Youve already been told to isolate the front and the back by pulling the shafts!

Click to expand...

And I plan to do that this weekend, but in the meantime I am trying to get as many ideas as I can to look at this weekend.

Again, all of the helpful suggestions have been much appreciated!

change your front diff fluid?
Marisha had a Carrier bearing cease on her '00...

Turns out the brakes are rubbing. With the calipers removed everything spins normally with no odd sounds. I compressed the piston on the caliper and put them back on, put the wheels on, and they spun fine with no noise or friction.

Problem is, as soon as I started it and pressed the brakes they bound up again. Something is keeping the calipers engaged just enough to cause some friction. The pads and rotors look fine.

So I'm glad that it wasn't a bearing or U-Joint but now I don't know how to get the calipers to stop engaging.

Any ideas?

time for brake service...
flush them.

ecrogers said:

Turns out the brakes are rubbing. With the calipers removed everything spins normally with no odd sounds. I compressed the piston on the caliper and put them back on, put the wheels on, and they spun fine with no noise or friction.

Problem is, as soon as I started it and pressed the brakes they bound up again. Something is keeping the calipers engaged just enough to cause some friction. The pads and rotors look fine.

So I'm glad that it wasn't a bearing or U-Joint but now I don't know how to get the calipers to stop engaging.

Any ideas?

Click to expand...