TonyPa

I have a klunking noise in the front when I hit a bump or a dip in the road. I did check my ball joints on front end an the other parts.

Driver side ball joints have about an 1/8 inch of play. Nothing major. I will end up changing them. But those three bolts that hold the hub bearing on look pretty nasty. I don't even know if they'll come off without breaking. It does drive very nice no wobble in the front end or nothing like that. Steers nice and tight.

I was told by a guy up the street that that's my inspections to change the sway bar bushings first? And those little links?. He said he deals with this a lot even though mine don't look bad to me, but the sway bar can cause that klunking noise? Seems kinda odd to me but he does work on these a lot. Mine look original, like they've never been changed just for the record. Has anyone ever run into this.

Smoothride

Mine is also making clunking in the front end... And wanders a bit on the road. Mine is the traling arm bushings and the Panard rod bushings needing replacing. I put mine up on the lift at work and used a pry bar and found the play in the bushings... Now I am trying to figure out what trick parts I am going replace them with

TonyPa

I'm going to do my sway bar bushings tomorrow and links. I just dread doing the ball joints. Those three bolts,that hold the hub on look like their gonna give me trouble. They look corroded. I have about 1/8 inch play on the ball joints so their not real bad.

I didn't check the trailing arms. Wasnt sure how to check them. But that would make sense too. Mine wonders slightly but not real bad.

jon-d

one way to check is to have someone sit in the jeep while you are looking at the front end and have them turn the wheel back and forth. the jeep does not need to be running since you are looking for play.

TonyPa

I had my wife just do that for me. I had her jerking the wheel back and forth aggressively can't see anything moving.

I'm going to put it in the garage tomorrow and check closer. I know my driver side ball joints had 1/8 inch play, which is minimal. Maybe they can make a loud klunk when hitting a bump? But just seems odd with that slight of play in them. I'll try it again tomorrow.

dave1123

The lower ball joints take all the weight of the front end and ANY play is not a good thing. Mine used to wander on the road and klunk going over railroad tracks. After changing all 4, it rode like to was ON those tracks! LOL!

The 3 hub bolts are 12-point, grade 8 hex bolts and are a PITA to break loose, but not much of a real problem. I used a 12-point socket and an 18" ratchet. The problem is usually the hub is rusted into it's mounting bore. When replacing my ball joints, I went ahead and changed the hub bearings at the same time. I wire-brushed the bores and used anti-seize on them. I have 6 grade 12 truss-head bolts for the next time.

TonyPa

Thank you Dave. Im putting it in the garage tomorrow. When I just replaced the front rotors and pads. I seen the threads coming through the hubs. They looked corroded. I tried to clean them with a wire brush and hit them with pb blast. But they look bad. Lol

I kind of thought about buying the hub bearings and new bolts and having them on hand. I wasn't sure though if that hub bearing is pressed onto the axle???

I watched some videos on people changing the ball joints and they slide the whole axle out. So I am guessing the hub bearing is pressed onto the axle? Unless I am just being stupid. Which is likely.

I have a 12 point 1/2 inch socket. Unless its 13mm? I seen two different size bolts listed from doing a search. I was hoping to have 6 brand new bolts on hand for my 1998 ZJ limited. I seen two different part numbers and sizes. Just a bit confused on which bolts to order. Or maybe a hardware store.

I do plan already on using map gas around the hub part of the bolts to see if they come out easier

dave1123

Okay, the axle is held into the hub by that big nut on the center of the hub. You take that off, then tap on the axle to loosen it. Then pull the 3 bolts holding the bearing assembly onto the spindle carrier. The hub is not pressed into the carrier, but it might feel like that because it rust-welds in place. I've seen them tight enough where you had to use heat, and lots of it, to get them out. Like I mentioned, I used a rotary wire brush to clean the bore out once I got the hub out. I then used anti-seize on the new hub when I put it in so it's easier to remove the NEXT time. I'm pretty sure the bolts are 1/2", not 13mm. There's only 10 thousands difference anyhow, 13mm being bigger. Most of the running gear on my 2000 WJ are still SAE, not metric. The body bolts are metric though. I measured the length of the 3 hub bolts and went to an industrial supply house and got grade 12 truss-head bolts for the next time. Truss-heads are like hexheads with an integral washer molded on them. If you buy bolts at a hardware store, make damn sure they are grade 8! That's important! When you put the axle back in, that center nut gets torqued to 175 lb/ft! You can stick a prybar thru the hub bolts with the other end against the ground to hold the hub from turning when you do that. Make sure the rear wheels are chocked because the torque needed can move the jeep off the jackstands. NOT a good thing!

You can rent a ball joint remover/installer from an auto parts store or buy one if your so inclined. They tell me Harbor Freight sells a decent one. IDK because we did mine at my buddy's shop on a lift and he had all the tools.

When we did the ball joints on my 97 ZJ, one of the lower ones had separated and we had to burn the cup out with a torch. That guy is good! he never touched the bore with the flame! BTW, both joints go in from the bottom. The bottom one is sealed because there is not place for a fitting, but the top one is greaseable.

That's about all I've got. Good luck!

OH....You can take the new hub to the hardware store to try new bolts in it, but I believe they are American Standard or SAE as some people call them. I don't remember the length or I'd tell you. (SAE=Society of Automotive Engineers)

TonyPa

Thank you Dave! Awesome write up. I did my sway bar links and bushings since I had them on hand. I used Moog. The klunk is gone. However, I am still going to do all my ball joints. The play is very minimal, but I want to get them don e and out of the way. Thanks for explaining it to me!

dave1123

Moog is, in my opinion, the best for suspension parts and Timkin for bearings. They both have been American companies who had their roots during the Industrial Revolution around 1900. Timkin made roller bearings to replace the poured lead babbit bearings in large industrial machines and locomotives.

BTW, I just replaced all 7 of the control arms and the track bar on my 2000 WJ because the 2 rear lower control bushings were shot. She's got 206K miles on her and I plan to keep her as long as I can. The ride is like a brand new jeep!

TonyPa

Yes I agree I like Moog. I didn't want their chain store brand. I like Timken. Thats all I will buy when it comes to the hub bearings.

I bet yours does feel like new. Thats a good feeling....

I want to slowly do that Dave when money allows. Mine has 186k on it. I know thats a lot. But the guy up the street really took good care of it. I have no rust for except bottom of tailgate. The rest is really clean.

And the motor and tranny feel like new. Dont know how long these 360's last. But he must have changed oil every week. I have a folder filled with receipts for everything. I changed the oil 500 mile ago and its still clean and clear.

The tranny he had serviced all the time at a local shop who are very good. Last trip in one year ago. He had the fluid changed. Some type of selonoids all replaced and added a cooler. The tranny fluid looks extremely clean ever after a year. Shifts very smooth But in the receipts it shows he had the fluid chaged quite often. I think they told me to use ATF+4 in it.

Okay sorry. I like this Jeep a little too much lol. I have a classic BMW i am considering putting up for trade for a second Jeep!! No joke!! And I love my ole BMW. Shes a smooth ride. But this Jeep just makes me smile. I hope it lasts a while more for me.

dave1123

Be careful! Jeeps can become a sickness! Just be aware that after 99, they become more and more electronically complicated. 2004 was the last year of the dual solid axle platform except with the JK (Wrangler). For ruggedness and simplicity, stick with the XJ (Cherokee). The last year for the XJ was 2001.

The Dodge 5.9 (360) is pretty durable and the most usually problem with them is the plenum gasket. It's a thin sheet metal gasket on the bottom of the intake manifold that often gets a hole in it and starts sucking air and oil into the engine.

TonyPa

yes I agree, I've been online looking on all kind of goodies they sell for them. I'm trying to be good right now though because we are trying to purchase a home this summer.

I like the Xj's. This ZJ is truly nice. I like my my 1998. Seems somewhat easy to work on. I was thinking XJ for my back up vehicle. I like the 4.0 very well built engine.

Its hard in my area to find solid ones. I got lucky on this one. It only has rust at the bottom of the tailgate. Otherwise it is very clean even underneath. I have changed plenium gaskets before. I dont remember why or how I knew but I have done them.

The motor was treated very well and runs strong and quiet. I baby it though. He did put some type of 2 inch spacers at the top of the coils for a lift. Rides quite rough. Maybe because the springs are compressed. I personally would have bought taller springs. He never off roaded it. I know him personally. He was a mall hopper with it. Which makes me happy...lol

I love this Jeep too much....sorry...lol