scbrooks87

Ok, so here are my details to start: 1999 Jeep Cherokee, 4wd, 3.5" Metalcloak lift kit, 31x10.5x15 Cooper STMaxx tires. The lift kit came with all new control arms and a new track bar, all of which are solidly attached.


I'm getting a little bit of a rumble/grinding noise at low speeds (under 25) coming from the front end, sounds like passenger side. Noise happens when going in a straight line, haven't really noticed it when turning. It basically makes one little grind noise per revolution of the tire, it isn't constant, and I don't hear/feel it when at speed.


I've tried to wiggle the wheel when it's jacked up, didn't feel anything, although I didn't try it with a pry bar. I know my tie rod ends need replacing and have that in the plans, but doubt that's what would cause this. Any suggestions on ways to narrow it down so I can prioritize the order in which I begin replacing things?


It seems that the way to check for bad wheel bearings is the same as how to check for bad ball joints, correct? How do you tell which is the problem when using a pry bar to see if the wheel moves?


Thanks for any info you can give! I've searched and read through other threads, but just wasn't quite finding people with the same low speed grinding sound in a straight line, most people experience issues when turning full lock.


Scott

Metmknice

Remove front DS and drive it like that. See if anything changes.

Also, either jack up the whole vehicle, or pull the rear shaft, and at least jack up the front. Having another person should help a bit. Put it in 4wd, and run it in drive. Turn the wheels, etc.

scbrooks87

Ok that makes sense, turn the wheels to be able to listen from the outside and see where the sounds is actually happening. I assume I can block one front wheel so that it'll just spin the other and that way I can listen one at a time yeah?

Fred/N0AZZ

I take it you didn't replace all of those "Before" the lift was done? Those should have been replaced when you first bought it of checked by a front end shop for ware.


Its like the cart before the horse deal, all the lift did was to show the weakness even more. As for the tie rods at the least do a mid 90's V-8 Grand Cherokee set about a $100 (3 pcs.) for Moog at AutoZone their name brand are Moog's. For a good set that's much stronger and solid not rolled rods. They are a direct bolt-in also no mods required.

scbrooks87

Fred - I do plan on upgrading to the V8 ZJ tie rod system, including the drag link.


You're right that I hadn't done this yet, and that was my bad. I followed the suggestion of a friend and did some of the methods of wiggling the wheel up and down, left and right, etc... to see if any parts were worn. The larger tires in this case probably caused already worn parts to "give up the ghost."


Anyway, I'm wanting to fix them now, but can't afford everything right up front, I just don't want to wait until I can afford all of them, so I'm trying to determine what order to start replacing things out.

thatXJguy

Ball joints don't seem to go bad on XJs too often, but to check, put the front end up on jackstands about 2 inches from the pavement, and pry up with a large pry bar. Have another set of eyes look for movement. If it's tight, you're good.

Typically, wobbling with your hands will only indicate a bad wheel bearing, unless of course the ball joint is SO WORN that it should have been replaced 50k miles ago. Ball joints are typically very tight, which is why they need to have a pry bar used.

If your u-joints are bad, you should be able to feel play in them while you turn the front wheels back and forth by hand slowly with your hand on the u-joint. If it's tight, you're good. If you feel slop, replace them.

NM-XJ

If it is a true, constant rumbling or grinding noise, I would suspect wheel bearings. I've had wheel bearings go out, and they make a constant grumble. You can feel it in the floor, too.

Since you're hearing a noise every revolution, I'm inclined to think it's not a wheel bearing. Would you say the sound is more like a groan (think bending wood) or more like metal on metal?

scbrooks87

Thanks, that's really good to know, and gives me some direction to go in with isolating the issue!
In this case it's definitely not constant. The past two days I haven't heard it at all. To me it sounds more like a metal on metal noise, but that's just my assessment lol. If it helps, there's a sliding gate a work and when I drive over the little steel guide bar, the front end make a very faint "clunk" noise vs the rear end just feeling solid and normal.

NM-XJ

Check your sway bar bushings. They may be wallowed out, allowing the sway bar to "bump" with 1) enough body roll in a turn or 2) enough suspension movement on one side.

My XJ had a similar problem earlier this year. Funny "wump" from the front end every now and then. Sway bar bushings wallered out so bad they passed light around the sway bar.

scbrooks87

NM-XJ - Hadn't thought about that. I'll have to check it out. Thanks!

NM-XJ

Sure thing! It was driving me up the wall, especially off road, until one morning I literally saw the light!

munyanb

Did your lift come with all new control arms for front? I bought a jeep with a half assed 4" lift im guessing that only had lower control arms, also no track bar, and it sucks, its made my pinion angle bad and makes a vibration, I don't like how it drives either like that, but yeah a harder pinion angle would wear on your U joint there too. Does it clunk when going in gear? Which transfer case does that 99 have? is it the 242 with 2wd, full time and part time? or did they go to a full time on them? I like the looks of the 99's but like the pre 99's better because of less weight and a few other things, so I don't know as much on yours, and the bigger tires would put more leverage against wheel bearings, I assume you got them new and they were balanced and all? Lug nuts all good and tight? loose lug nots make some noise. That would be funny if it were the sway bar bushings, I just replaced mine, rubber seems to deteriorate after 20 years or so, lol

munyanb

So I have all four ball joints replaced, I hadn't been able to work on it straight through, got lots of things going on, but as I was doing this I noticed my axle dust seals were garbage, I ruined or discovered one of the rust welded on wheel bearings, and saw that both backing plates/dust shields for brakes were disintegrated, so I ordered new wheel bearings, new dust shields, new axle tube dust seals, also I had already ordered a set of Monroe gas matic shocks all around. So im waiting on the dust seals and backing plates, and decided to go on and change out the shocks. As I was looking at the rear I think I found a major contributor to my death wobble situation, I have a missing bolt on the passenger side rear upper control arm at the axle bushing, im trying to picture the motion it would allow and wonder if that was the biggest part of the problem?

PatHenry

You might be waiting a long time for a response on a 3 year old thread.

"Rear upper control arm at the axle bushing" --- yours a GRAND Cherokee, I'm assuming?

Of course a missing or loose control arm (front or rear) will lead to poor handling on the road. Classic DW is probably a worn component in the front axle - check your track bar (possibly wallowed out hole at the axle side..).

munyanb

This forum does weird things, w wrote that on my thread, but somehow it keeps jumping to this one, not sure how.