jay_sco

Took Jeep out for a shakedown run after installing the lift. Making a loud, fast clicking clanking noise. Help?
3" Zone lift, 1994 XJ. Not vibrating, rides decent, don't see anything binding. Comes and goes. Notice once I cruise around 40 it goes away completely, once I let off the gas and brake it's much louder.

toasterknight

Sounds like a dead u joint in the rear end.

jay_sco

Never made that noise before the lift. Did the lift kill it? And would a bad u joint noise come and go or be constant?

toasterknight

It would be speed dependant. Changing the angle could make a dying u joint significantly more noticeable.

jay_sco

How do I check them to be sure, just look for play?
Also, another piece of info that may be relavent...in reverse, even high speed reverse there is no noise, forward movement only.

toasterknight

If there is play i n the driveshaft it is certainly dead. You can also take the driveshaft out and make sure there is grease in the caps.

jay_sco

Checked the driveshaft. There is about 1/4" when I twist it but the play doesn't seem to be in the u-joints, just general play in between gear teeth in the TC and rear diff.
Any other ideas or should I just plan on removing the drive shaft/u-joints anyway?
Also looks like the slip yoke is slipped out way more than stock, normal for 3" lift?

toasterknight

Was there any play in the joints at either end at all?

jay_sco

Didn't seem to be, checked front and rear shafts. After watching a couple vids online with obviously bad u-joints, that doesn't seem to be my problem. From what I see, when one is shot it's pretty obvious. Mine still appear to be pretty tight, no slop.
But the sound from a few were the same noise as mine.

toasterknight

I wonder if it's an issue caused by the driveshaft being so far out. Someone else may be able to describe how to check.

aka"dude"

yup my slip yolk made terrible noises until I did a t case drop then eventually a SYE

jay_sco

What kind of noise? Anything like in the vid? I'm still curious why the noise is only going forward, not reverse.
Later today or this week I'm going to lift the Jeep and put it in drive to pinpoint what's making the noise.

aka"dude"

try pulling the rear shaft out and drive it in 4wd to see if you still have the noise. that will determine if it has something to do with the rear shaft.

guinelle1

take the rear shaft out and wiggle all the joints make sure they move nice and free, NO hard spots.

jay_sco

Thanks for the replies.
Just had a minute to play with it, noise is coming from the TC. What do you think? Here's another vid, because weird sound questions are worthless without it.