Faulty front uni joint symptoms - AUSJEEPOFFROAD.COM Jeep News Australia and New Zealand

Dale · #1 22-09-2002

Hey all,
Wonder if those of you who have had any experience with front unis on TJ's could give me some help.

Took the Jeep for a bash today to see if there are any probs before the trip away next w/e.

Anyhoo, all went OK, but when heading out of the bush it developed a knock/loud ticking from the front. This lasted about 100 metres and stopped. Now I jumped out and checked everything and after the noise started and nothing obvious could be seen ie rocks caught somewhere. Continued along and the noise mysteriously went away.

On the way home I could here occasionally a knock. Jumped under the Jeep now and tried moving the unis by hand. No radial play that i can feel but there is some axial play. None of the other unis on my Jeep have any axial play to speak of.

Am I on the right track here suspecting the front unis?

TIA

Jeepdownunder · #2 22-09-2002

I had an occasional knocking in the front for a while. Sounded like a ticking then became a knock when off road. Was the Lower control arm bushes. Replaced problem gone. Have a look to see if there is any ware. Play his hard to detect, but will do it at low speed when the front is bounding around over rough stuff & your going slow enough to hear it. Also does the noise go up and down with RPM ? or with increase / decrease in speed over the road ?. Could it be as simple as a loose shock nut & the shock is jumping up and down. Try and simulate the road surface and speed again. Have a pull and push on every thing you can lay your paws on it may be very simple. I'm not a wiz with this stuff but you'll be surprised what you find when you get under her and have a pull :eek: :D
PS: Consider things you think it won't be as well.
I had a noise coming from the rear hatch I did every thing to fix it including pulling the rear hatch to bits. The other day I found out its the bloody fuel door has a couple of rattly hinges :rolleyes: Thats all it was :mad:

[ 22 September 2002, 05:23 PM: Message edited by: Jeepdownunder ]

Steve · #3 22-09-2002

Dale,

Man you have even more to do this week now!

Steve · #4 22-09-2002

Not a lose swaybar link is it? Might cause a popping noise when hitting a bump. Lose bar pin on a shockie maybe? Or like JDU said worn control arms bushes? I have lots of mystery noises! But it's pretty hard to find them, so I've started to ignore them. Once something breaks I'll know what it was!

Jeepdownunder · #5 22-09-2002

I wish I could do that. But when I have a noise I have to track it down and KILL it stone motherless DEAD :mad: All noises not required must DIE [img]graemlins/headspin.gif[/img]

Dale · #6 22-09-2002

This noise was definatley a turning noise.

It come out of nowhere and dissapeared back there pretty quick when it was at it's worst. Got worse with more speed.

All i can hear now is a faint knock(more because tyre noise drowns everything out). Tried braking, speeding up, left, right and it won't do. It'll just make the noise occasionally.

dxj · #7 22-09-2002

Hi,

In my opinion, before you spend any time or money looking for rotational type noises, always remove front calipers and rotors and be certain there is nothing wrong,loose or clicking in the brakes. My experience is that most of those strange sounds are usually pad/rotors/stones etc.

If certain it is not brakes then start looking elsewhere.

Just a long shot.... I had a ticking sound occasionally from my XJ front. Was convinced it was brakes as the ticking stopped when I gently applied brakes. Ended up being the "D" rubber bushes on the front sway bar. Seems applying the brakes just tensioned everything a little so that the rattle stopped. Seemed to be at the wheel rev rate due to slight imbalance in the wheel meant sway rattled with it. Wierd but it worked [img]graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]