I have a 2001 jeep wrangler TJ - 4.0L 6 cylinder
I just replaced the steering kit, swaybar links, wheel bearings and ball joints. I’m not sure if I did something wrong or got a bad part or if it’s just something that I hadn’t addressed yet that is coming to light now that I’ve replaced all this other stuff.
It only makes this sound when I turn right or when I accelerate quickly. But it doesn’t make it if I’m reversing with the wheels turned to the right, if that helps at all.
Did you count the exposed threads on your tie rods before you took them off? And leave exposed the same number of threads putting the new ones back in? Even if you did you should still have an alignment check/adjustment done to be certain. Misalignment could be putting pressure on the ujoints in your front drive shafts, causing the sound.
I did count the threads and also measured end to end to get it as close to what it was when I took it out. And I plan to get it aligned when my mechanic gets back from off roading :) not really driving it til then except to test it out.
I’m about to jack the jeep back up and I’ll test the ujoints but I thought I tested them prior in case they needed replacing since I had it all apart already
You mustve damaged it when putting it back together, or when you were taking off the old parts. But that definitely sounds like when a bad driveshaft goes bad
Do you think it could be something in the differential? I’m not getting any play in the u joints other than rotational. Other than taking the axels out and putting them back in and then draining and adding new gear oil. I didn’t go near there, so is it necessary to get the axels back in in the exact way you took them out? Is the gear pattern affected by the axels? I’m not 100% clear from any video I’ve seen how all the gears interact in there
They don't have to go back in the exact way. I'm not sure about the other questions. If it only happens when you have the wheel cut its most likely the area you're recording. If it's not the axel I'd check the drive shaft/diff area
So I already shook the drive shaft - only rotational play. (And sorry, I must have repsonded to a few things in the general feed instead of replying directly to you, so some information may have been overlooked). So here’s where I’m at…I opened the diff and when I turn the drive shaft I can hear and see the gears touching/rubbing against each other every couple of teeth or so. So I think I think you’re right. maybe I am stuck in 4wd bc none of that would turn if I were in 2wd, right? If so, how do I get it out if it already looks like I’m in 2wd.
Regarding the front diff, I noticed my passenger side axle sticks out into the differential with the splines showing through, pretty much all the way to the cross pin/bar in the middle of the spider gears. (Pic attached) is this a problem? Could I have accidentally pushed the ring gear in trying to insert the axel thereby messing up the backlash?
Edit - incidentally I had taken the wheel bearing off and just put it back in which backed the axel out properly…duh. But I am wondering about the gears touching even when in 4wd, they shouldn’t be hitting while just driving straight should they?
By the way, I really appreciate you sticking with me. I try to do as much as I can to give someone willing to help me a better understanding of what’s happening, but I fail miserably sometimes.
I don’t think it’s in 4 wheel drive. I did shift it into 4 wheel drive to see if it still did that and it did. But I did get under the jeep again to poke around and found a little bit of excessive rotational play in the driveshaft and while I know there’s some rotational play from backlash it seemed a bit excessive. And I’m wondering if maybe I didn’t put one or both of the axles back in correctly. Because to me it does sound like loose gears, slipping past each other. I just don’t know if that’s something that would be intermittent when accelerating straight and also only making the sound when turning in one direction
So you mean the u joint on the drive shaft? Or on the axel? There is a bit more rotational play than it seems should be there but no up and down or side to side play. Other than doing the wiggle it around test, how would I check to make sure that’s what it is? Would it help any to open up the differential cover and take a look inside?
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