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97 xj Clunking in 2wd, 4wd

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Old Mar 20, 2015 | 11:26 AM
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Year: 1997
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Default 97 xj Clunking in 2wd, 4wd

Just got the jeep it was fine for a week. It feels like a clunking or like a drag while turning in either direction. its not the sway bar sway bar links. It makes no noise when i go straight and it feels fine. i made sure it was not slipping in to 4 wheel drive and my axels and diff are not the culprit. i checked the ball joints and the universal joints. all of the suspension bushings have been greased.

I have read it could be

Tracking bar(where it mounts to the frame)
Warped rotors- loose calipers
steering sector bolts
draglink bushings
shocks or shock mounts
control arm bushings.

any help to narrow it down would be greatly appreciated. i will be checking the above tonight.
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Old Mar 20, 2015 | 11:39 AM
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From: Traverse City, MI
Year: 1996
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I would start by re-checking those axle u-joints. How did you check them? Any play, what so ever, is to much.
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Old Mar 20, 2015 | 11:50 AM
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I jacked up the jeep and tried to move the wheel forward and back and side to side pulling from the top and pushing on the bottom and vise versa. I also forgot to mention the hub assembly could be the problem was o e of the other things I read
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Old Mar 20, 2015 | 12:42 PM
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Check out this video from Matt at Bleepin Jeep. Right around the 4 minute mark he shows a decent way to test the axle u-joints.

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Old Mar 20, 2015 | 01:02 PM
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I"ll double check but its definitely not clicking at low speed.
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Old Mar 20, 2015 | 02:35 PM
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From: Traverse City, MI
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The symptoms might be slightly different, but what you are describing, " a clunking or like a drag while turning in either direction" sure sounds like axle u-joints. I know I just examined mine last night, for some very similar issues that you have described, and found the drivers side had some play in it, but only when doing a similar test to what is shown in the video.

And check both of them. One might be okay, while the other has some play... but you should always replace them in pairs.
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Old Mar 21, 2015 | 08:41 PM
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Default checked the u joints.

The u joints are not bad. I'm starting to think it may be the front differential. while jacked up if i spin one tire the other does not spin. also when i checked the fluid level there was a chunk of metal stuck to the fill plug. got dark before i could check further. checked everything on the list.
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Old Mar 22, 2015 | 05:26 PM
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the trans mount and driveshaft u-joint was bad. i'm replacing all driveshaft u joints because of the trans mount being bad. also replacing the trans mount. the front u joints are the ones i checked not the drive shaft ones. you guys were right i was just looking in the wrong place.
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