serious pops an cracks coming from front end

shmoken875 · 10-20-2005, 02:04 PM

The clunks in my front end have been gettin worse and worse, but yesterday while filling up to make the 5hr trip from Virginia Tech to University of Maryland I was backing up while turning left and got a real loud "crack" not really a clunk. The whole trip to UMD I kept getting abnormally loud clunks when I hit bumps and or while turning. When I finally got into a parking spot at UMD and made a hard right, I got a really loud crack again.

couple of guesses:
-I haven't lubed the LCA jonnie joints yet (few months) and i dont know how long it was since they were last lubed (bought used) I dont remember the last time the trac bar was lubed either~maybe this makes the loud clunks over bumps?

-As for the "crack" while turning~do i need new u joints? I think they are still the originals (7 years 115000mi)

thanks for your input

oh yea and LETS GO HOKIES

jcr23 · 10-20-2005, 03:11 PM

dude, i was gonna go to that game but couldn't get tickets! my buddy goes there...

but for the sounds, i'd say check your track bar mount

katarn444 · 10-20-2005, 05:48 PM

To test your u-joints jack up the front of the truck, turn the steering wheel all the way to lock, now spin the tires by hand. If they bind (if you can not make a full rotation) then that u-joint it bad.

I suppose it could be a ball joint but I doubt it.

Go under there and grease everything up.

katarn

olds442 · 10-20-2005, 05:55 PM

i have the same problem and posted it here before, still have not fixed it, i just drive with the radio loud until something breaks, then i will know

BrunoS · 10-20-2005, 06:21 PM

check your front upper shock tower rubber isolators on the fenderwell.

odds are those things are shredded.

buy some new ones for $3 in the HELP autosection at pepboys or Kragen, autozone, etc.

takes about 10 minutes to change, with a deep 3/8 socket , and an open end wrench.

otherwise, lots of squeaks and clunks on the front when starting to drive after being parked, settles down in a while.

artboy · 10-20-2005, 06:34 PM

could be a loose/bad track bar too

ks92xj · 10-20-2005, 09:56 PM

mine was a loose track bar bracket. It loosens up every time after I wheel. Time for a longer track bar

shmoken875 · 10-21-2005, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ks92xj

mine was a loose track bar bracket. It loosens up every time after I wheel. Time for a longer track bar

yea i retighten mine all the time to. I think the big clunk was my quick dico getting caught on the spring, the upper pin sheared at some point and i didnt notice it.

PRYDE · 10-21-2005, 09:54 PM

I really suggest taking a look at the track bar too...mine did the same thing untill the trackbar broke...and now its been quiet ever since!

tvisXJ · 10-21-2005, 11:39 PM

Having the same prob. I think I'll take a look at my track bar as well. I need to lube everything up anyways.

10-20-2005, 03:11 PM	#2
jcr23 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Blacksburg, VA / Washington, NJ Posts: 407 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	dude, i was gonna go to that game but couldn't get tickets! my buddy goes there... but for the sounds, i'd say check your track bar mount __________________ 2000 XJ, mildly modded

10-20-2005, 05:48 PM	#3
katarn444 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 314 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	To test your u-joints jack up the front of the truck, turn the steering wheel all the way to lock, now spin the tires by hand. If they bind (if you can not make a full rotation) then that u-joint it bad. I suppose it could be a ball joint but I doubt it. Go under there and grease everything up. katarn __________________ 1989 Cherokee (A work in progress) Up-country springs New 18g floor 96 Grand Cherokee dual diaphram booster, master cylinder, PV [URL="http://userweb.suscom.net/~navitp4/index.html"]My Site[/URL]

10-20-2005, 06:21 PM	#5
BrunoS Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: South Bay Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,538 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	check your front upper shock tower rubber isolators on the fenderwell. odds are those things are shredded. buy some new ones for $3 in the HELP autosection at pepboys or Kragen, autozone, etc. takes about 10 minutes to change, with a deep 3/8 socket , and an open end wrench. otherwise, lots of squeaks and clunks on the front when starting to drive after being parked, settles down in a while. __________________ Newly Painted! Emerald Green '96 XJ 4x4 4.0 HO 5-spd 3" Lift + 31" Tires / D35 TracLok / NP231 Drilled out Stock Airbox / Gauge Cluster Upgrade Magnaflow Muffler / High-flo Cat / MSD Coil

10-20-2005, 06:34 PM	#6
artboy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 802 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	could be a loose/bad track bar too __________________ 1993 XJ Sport RIP (Parts) - 189k, white, 4.0, automatic, command-trac NP231 1996 XJ Sport Daily Driver - 95k, stone white, 4.0, automatic, selec-trac NP242, Tow Hooks, SRB fog lights, tinted glass. 2005 Wrangler Rubicon Summer Toy - 8k, 100% STOCK...silver, automatic, soft and hard tops and doors My Pics "life moves pretty fast... if you don't stop and look around once and awhile, you could miss it"...F. Bueller

10-21-2005, 09:54 PM	#9
PRYDE Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada Posts: 58 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	I really suggest taking a look at the track bar too...mine did the same thing untill the trackbar broke...and now its been quiet ever since! __________________ '87 XJ...400$ STOCK Currently stripped down to nothing... Getting rebuilt slowly but surely... It's a fixxer upper, but thats part of the fun.

10-20-2005, 09:56 PM	#7
ks92xj Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 10 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	mine was a loose track bar bracket. It loosens up every time after I wheel. Time for a longer track bar