Clunking issues

[Flash Gordan]

My GF and I went over to her aunt's house tonight. And her aunt asked me what could possibly be causing a clunking noise in the front end of her 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee. So we wheel it around the driveway a couple times and I was almost willing to bet that the control arm bushings are going bad. But supposedly they were just replaced a few months back. So we start driving down the street, and on smooth pavement it doesn't make any noise at all. Her aunt treats this Jeep like it was her child, so I know she doesn't beat on the thing. So does anybody have any suggestions as to what might be causing all the noise?

 

[flyingbrick]

I've had a loose shock bolt make a clicking/clunking on a Mazda, that Jeep would have unitbarring hubs so it should not be loose wheel barrings, but what about loose CA bolts? If the bushings were just done they can work them selfs free.

 

[loneranger48]

ive even had the front driveline ujoints go bad so then when you go over bumps the front driveline clunks.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Track bar. It's pretty common. And hard to spot if you haven't heard it a million times.

Have someone turn the wheel back and forth, while you look under it at the frame side of the track bar. It shouldn't move at all, if it moves side to side or up and down it's done.

If it is bad and you have to change it, you have to pop the right tie rod out of the knuckle. This is also a good time to put a new steering stabilizer in it, and change any loose tie rod you may have seen while checking the track bar.

Also check those control arm bushing bolts make sure they're tight. Usually if a bolt is loose you'll see a rub mark around the head, from it moving.

 

[martin]

check the track bar at the axle end also, very common problem and hard to spot, the bolt appears to be tight but sometimes they wear and allow the metal sleeve to move.

 

[Flash Gordan]

An update for everybody.... She took her jeep to the shop yesterday and supposedly they found out what it was at the cost of $300.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

front axle u-joints.

 

[Flash Gordan]

Nope to everybody's idea. Supposedly it was a broken sway bar end link that was making the noises. So they replaced both sides as a preventive measure.