Front End Cluncking

[94 Pathy]

:confused: I need some help here! When I purchased my Pathy, there was this cluncking sound coming from the passenger side of the vehicle. I crawled under to see what I could find out. The driver's side half-shaft was tight and I couldn't move it up and down, or there was no play with it. The passenger's side on the other hand did. I figured that the shaft was bad, so I replaced it along with all new upper and lower ball joints on both sides. For those guys/gals out there that have replaced these before, you must disassemble the hub. I tore down the hub piece by piece. Laid them down in order so I knew which one went on next when reassembling. I can still move the shaft and it still cluncks when driving over bumps and turns. I've basically given up and said :furious: "F-it", but I know I must get it fixed. Any suggestions? I'm pretty sure that all the pieces to the hub assembly are there. Should I tear it down again or is there something I'm missing?

 

Thanks ahead of time for all the help!

Travis (94 Pathy)

[sw]

taken straight from the FAQ section

 

 

Front End Clunking/Squealing Noise When Turned To Lock

 

Steering stops keep the front wheels from being turned past a certain point. The steering stops are built with plastic caps. How long would anyone expect those to last? Anyway, they fall off or wear out, and you have metal-to-metal contact between moving parts. The result is when going over bumps, with the steering turned to lock, such as when turning across curbs, you get a nasty sounding and feeling squealing/clunking. The solution is to grease the stops and contact areas, or to replace the plastic caps. There are four of them, two in front of your front wheels and two behind your front wheels. They are easy to find and grease without raising the vehicle.

 

Another source of front end squeals or noises are the front differential crossmember bolts. Over time, the bolts can loosen, allowing the crossmember to shift slightly every now and then, causing noise from the front end...sometimes alarmingly nasty sounding. The fix is to re-torque the crossmember bolts. There are four bolts to re-torque, two on each side of the front crossmember. They are easily accessible from the front of the vehicle without jacking it up. I don't have the exact torque figures on hand, but simply cranking the bolts tight with a 1/2" drive ratchet worked for me.

 

sounds like you have loose cross member bolts

[Guest 95PathDN]

Noise Fix

 

Sounds like this may be the problem. Everybody who rides in my truck is always freaked out when they hear my evil clunking noise. I have not done this quick fix yet, but hopefully this is what your noise is as well.

 

See the above link

[94 Pathy]

Well, that isn't the problem. I tightened those up last night and only one was loose on the passengers side, but not where the problem is. I can reach up and grab the halfshaft behind the spindle and move it up and down. I'm wondering if the grease seal is missing or something that goes in the area to support and seal the shaft. I suppose I will have to disassemble the hub and double check all the parts again. I'll try to post a comparative photo of the right & left side shafts for everyone to see what I'm talking about. Thanks again for your help!

[88pathoffroad]

If it's moving up and down a bit AT the knuckle, then something's wrong with your hub inside there. You may have to tear it all back apart and see. I know that the axle should move around a little with no hub on at all, just because the grease seal doesn't keep the axle in place, but movement with the hub on and everything bolted together suggests to me that perhaps the flange inside the hub is broken or not assembled correctly.

[JeepRescueService14]

there are several different size axles.. i did my axles. the rebuilt ones i got, one had a smaller spline.. it didnt engage in the locking hub.. it just spun.. or the bronze bushing at the back of your knuckle is worn out.. the axle shouldnt move up and down..SERIOUS PROBLEM.. especially if it makes it in 2wd

[88pathoffroad]

Oh! Good point! If the axle you were given to replace your OEM axle was for a 4WD HB with the 4-cyl from 87-89, it'd be smaller, I think. That would cause those problems for sure. Good pointing out work, JeepRescueService14!

[94 Pathy]

pssd darn It! I'm pretty sure that the axle is same as stock. I told them exactlly what I needed and the exact model, year, ect. The original did the same thing. That is what I thought was bad. How hard is it to fix the bronze bushing? Guess what I'll be doing on my next weekend off.......Thanks for the info! -alcohol- :oops:

[JeepRescueService14]

it took me like 30-45 min a side to r+r the axles.. take the axle stub out of the knuckle and look at the bushing.. Wait.. Do this First! if its a loud clunking it might not be yer bronze bushing tho, it might be rubber... check all other suspension links eg.. torsion bar mounts, upper control mounts, RADIUS ARM BUSHINGS !.. on my dads ford exploder the bushing dissolved on his arm where it bolted to the frame and there was a nasty clunking noise... that was a pain in the hiney to change! good luck

[88pathoffroad]

We don't have radius arms, but we have tension rods. Good point. Same theoretical placement and bushing replacement.

[JeepRescueService14]

spindle, knuckle .... brown dog, white dog.. haha