My 1998 Cherokee Sport makes a clunking noise when I'm starting and stopping. It sound like the noise is coming from the center of my jeep. I greased the the front drive shaft, and it had no effect. Any ideas of what it might be?

 

check your u joints in the front axle

 

usually when that happens its a bearing in the rear end like a pinion shaft bearing. the bearing will wear which will cause the pinion shaft to have some space inbetween the pinion shaft gear and differential case ring gear. if you can try to find the exact point of where the noise is coming from. if its coming from the rear end im putting money on the pinion gear bearing or a diff cover bearing.

 

Check your transmission and motor mounts. My transmission mount was loose and caused a clunk.

 

also check your swaybar bushing's.. my sisters had a bad knock turned out it was just the bushings was bad

 

weird, i just bought a 99 jeep cherokee and after i bought it i noticed the exact same thing. Doesnt happen all the time but does worry me.

 

I had a similar sound and you couldn't see it but the trans mount was cracked from one side to the other. I had someone under it while power braking it and couldn't see it until I took the cross member down and put a pry bar to it.

 

hi can anyone help i have a 1994 jeep cherokee 4 litre. My problem is a clicking sound as seems to come from back axle or the hubs. only once the vehicle is warmed up and only on slow pull away. i dont think it is a propshaft have checked almost sounds like something going clunk clunk once every revolution of back wheels normal speed and high speed everything fine. only on pull away and sometimes slowing down to stop

 

"Seems to come from back axle or the hubs" is a pretty vague description. Maybe there's a pet leash dragging from your cross-member too, one minute it's bouncing around in the front and next it's tapping your fuel tank...

Have someone stand outside the car to more-closely identify the source location while you slowly pull away and/or slow down to a stop.

 

having the same problem. does your sound like this?
http://s330.photobucket.com/albums/l...t=DSCI0438.mp4

 

Hey, guys i just bought my first jeep on Craigslist its stock and its a 2000 Xj cherokee classic when i slowly pull off it makes like a grinding crunching popping sound but when i roll in neutral it stops so its not the transmission. Please i could definitely use some help or ideas. Thanks guys !

 

my first though are driveshaft u-joints. since there's no stress on the driveshaft in neutral, it leads me to believe when it is engaged that's when it forces the components and any loose will be heard if it's really bad

it's pretty vague though, is it coming from the front, rear, what happens when you turn, put it in 4wd.

if you're able to, jack the front, wiggle every suspension component, wiggle the wheels see if there's any play. do the same in the rear. could be ball joints, axle u-joints, gears in the diff, etc.

how long since you or someon else changed the transfer case / transmission fluids?

there's many possible answers! next time try posting in the Ask a question thread instead of reviving an almost 5 year old thread! no harm done though, just a suggestion

 

"starting and stopping" ... after checking everything else suggested here... if you still cannot find it, check your rear brakes, pull the drums and see if everything is installed properly and no broken retainers or worn out parts.