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Weird noise

falcon556

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Tulsa
I've had a whining noise coming from the front left area.
It happens between 30-40 mph, sounds worse when it is warm,
it is there regardless of mode, 2x4, 4x4PT, 4x4FT, accelerating or decelerating.
Turning the wheel doen't affect the noise. The FSM describes a noise like that as gear noise and I assumed that I have a front diff problem.
Today, I put it on stands at the axles to keep drive shaft angles the same as when I drive.
Run it with the wheels spinning free through all modes and in 4x4PT all four were turning. The noise disappeared with the weight off the wheels.
Now I suspect the front hub.
Problem is that it doesn't make the noise one might expect from a front hub.
Any opinions?
 
falcon556 said:
Now I suspect the front hub.
Problem is that it doesn't make the noise one might expect from a front hub.
Any opinions?
You can check the hub by jacking up that wheel, grabbing it at the top and bottom (12 and 6 o'clock), and trying to rock it back and forth. If there is any play, the hub is bad.

I replaced my driver's side front hub last fall, but my symptoms were different than you describe. With mine, at 42 miles per hour (yes, it was almost always right about 42), I could feel a 'thumping' type of sound from the front end, almost like a tire was out of round. At first, I just ignored it, because my Jeep had been sitting on dealer lots for three months or so before I bought it, and I figured that the wheel had a flat spot. Not to say that your problem isn't hub-related, but it doesn't sound like my hub problem.
 
i did both front hubs last weekend - my symptoms were the same "thumping" like a flat, or unbalanced wheel...

sears (obviously) suggested i needed 4 new tires.

your prob. doesnt sound like hubs.
 
I decided to rotate the tires, front to back and test drive.
I don't tink it is a tire, I just want to cover all angles.
Then I will swap left and right hubs. If the noise moves, I'll know.
I tried shaking the wheel, nothing.
I did find a little play on the ball joints.
I'll worry about them later.
I'll start early on Saturday.
Thanks. Let me know if you think of anything else.
 
falcon556 said:
Then I will swap left and right hubs. If the noise moves, I'll know.
I tried shaking the wheel, nothing.
I did find a little play on the ball joints.
I'll worry about them later.
I'll start early on Saturday.
Thanks. Let me know if you think of anything else.

swap the hubs? oh man, unless you put new ones on recently - i would not suggest that.

just did mine - they can be a nightmare to pull off.
 
bacelaw said:
swap the hubs? oh man, unless you put new ones on recently - i would not suggest that.

just did mine - they can be a nightmare to pull off.

Its a 96. I want to keep it in good shape but I don't want to replace good parts.
My hubs come right off . They have been removed repeatedly for other reasons. I don't even have to remove the axles.
Besides, once I verify the problem, I may leave it till I have the time to do hubs and ball joints at the same time.
 
Failure!!!!!
I pulled the left hub for the swap and I examined it. When turned, it was making a little noise and felt gritty. Confident that I found the problem, I bought a hub for $92 including taxes and installed it.
Tested the XJ and the noise is still there. It seems to be a bit less noisy, basically the hub didn't fix my problem. I screwed up. I am teaching my son to drive and we discussed the noise a few times. When I jacked the car up, I was
outside listening and my son inside. Now I think I should have done the listening inside instead of relying on an inexperienced person to do it for me.
Back to the drawing board, it has to be gear noise.
I replaced the differential a while ago, I need to open it up and recheck everything.
 
I replaced the second hub. The noise is still there.
Put the Jeep on stands again, no noise.
It only makes noise with the weight on wheels.
Don't understand it.
 
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