Ok guys heres the situation, someone has probably ran across this before. I put a 3" Rough Country lift under my XJ (I know this is the OEM section) with the stock control arms still in place. Before when the xj was stock i never got any clunks out of the front end what so ever. Now after the lift (only on a hill on my rocky driveway) I get a clunk right under my feet (driver side) and on the passenger side. I was thinking control arms but the lowers were all tight when i did the lift, i checked them. Could it be the upper control arms? Because it only clunks on a hill thats bumpy, no clunks driving on pavement and it tracks straight as an arrow. Any input would be appreciated -Mike

 

Check the shocks mounts top & bottom.

 

i just put 4 brand new shocks on it

 

Re-check every bolt that you touched. And re-tighten them all.

Also, front end clunks are more times than not related to u-joints or the track bar. Check there too.

 

will do. thanks. on a full time 4x4 transfer case should my front driveshaft spin free if a grabbed it while the trans was in neutral and t case in 2H. i think my front end stays locked in 4wd when im in 2

 

It won't spin free unless u have an older vacuum disconnect front end or manual locking hubs. Yours should not spin freely

 

Ok thats what i was thinking, thanks. I asked this because when i go around a turn that requires me to turn the wheel about 1/4 or more, when you turn the wheel back to the straight position you get a slight tugging in the direction your turning back from. Almost like an axle shaft u-joint is tight? My old xj was an 88 and it had the old vacuum system you mentioned and i wasnt sure about my 98. So when you put it in 2H does the t case just not put power to the front driveshaft or what?

 

My front end clunks and I figured it out to be sway bar bushings are worn the heck out....and there is a lot of play in it...I don't exactly feel it in the floor but I can feel. Just throwing out another possibility for ya. And btw, I'm talking about the bushings where the sway bar mounts to the unibody

 

Correct. In 2hi the transfer case doesn't put power to the front driveshaft.

 

I had the same problem and this was my fix too.

 

The inside of your control arms could be worn. Mine did this before. No matter how tight it would slide front to back some. I found it by goin to a parking lot and then stopping and leaning over with the door open and lettin it roll backwards then tapped the brakes. I could see it move from front to back about half an inch. May not be your issue but it was mine. Also if you try that it may be better to have a friend look while you drive it lol

 

I know my swaybar bushings are new because when I did the 3" lift I put new end links and bushings on it and for the heck of it I checked my swaybar bushings and they were good

 

Maybe I will have to try this haha, trust me my garage has a 2 inch ledge going from the gravel to stone and i hit it about 10 times forward and backward with my head out the window but I couldnt get anything?

 

Ok thanks Slick