themangeraaad said:
If your getting a service manual, go to autozone or whereever and pick up a Haynes manual. By far the best 15$ I have ever spent, and the best investment I keep in the back of my Jeep at all times.
Yech - I have a Haynes for the XJ - I use it to even up that odd leg on one of my workbenches. Chilton's is FAR superior to Haynes!
Granted, I've used Haynes on imports every now and again, and it does cover some things for imports that Chilton's doesn't (although I have no idea what - it's been years...) but a Chilton's will cost you the same as a Haynes (ish,) and give you a better book for your bucks.
As far as the FSM goes, I've been collecting them - so if you have any questions that your SM won't cover, ask here, and someone with your year will probably chime in. Do please be at least fairly specific tho - asking for a "full procedure" will probably not get you any answers. Asking for "here's what I've got - what am I missing?" is far more likely to work. We're all willing to help, but help us help you. Most of us will see no reason to do as much work as you are - without the vehicle handy!
As far as "noise diagnosis on the Internet," here are a few pointers...
1) Note as much as possible in re: the noise. Conditions, roadway, driver action - Hell, even
weather changes can be helpful! If you give "too much" information, we'll just discount what we don't need. If you give "not enough" information, be prepared to answer questions. A
lot of them!
2) If possible, record a digital clip of the sound. Don't post it, but it's possible we'll ask for you to email it somewhere, and having the clip already digitised is a huge help. If you don't need it, just delete it once the problem's fixed - or .zip it up along with a text file detailing what the problem actually WAS, and how you fixed it - since I'm thinking about starting a "troubleshoot by sound" archive somewhere anyhow, and someone else might have a simliar idea. I'm just not about to "break" something just to record a noise...
3) Be descriptive, and have notes for when someone asks you to be
more descriptive. Rhythm, circumstances, speeding up or slowing down - all are cues to where the noise may be coming from. And, to what may be causing it.
It's possible to "diagnose by sound" remotely, but it's going to take a LOT more effort on your part to make the idea work!
As far as the test that Mambeu gave you - you'll want to watch the backside and the steering knuckle while you do it. That test will also point up faulty/failing/failed ball joints, and you'll have to see what's moving to narrow it down. It's easier, I think, to take the tyre off and use a screwdriver to pry on the unit-bearing flange (where the studs are,) and that will allow you to fullly isolate its motion. I go so far as to use a dial indicator, but that's just me. Whenever you try to isolate a failure by moving the parts, you'll want to make sure that ONLY the part you're checking moves, or you can get a good look at what all MIGHT be moving, so you can isolate what IS moving. If you shake the tyre, and decide it's your hubs, you're going to feel silly after dropping $200 on hub bearings, and finding out that you'll have to do ball joints.
Also, "loose hubs" in the wiggle test may be caused by the mounting screws working loose - LocTite is a good idea here, and torque to 75 pound-feet. You'll need either a 12m/m 12-point socket, or a 13m/m 12-point socket, I don't recall which.
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