On my 97 XJ, I have been getting a humming, strumming, and vibration from my front end. It's particularly noticeable around 72-80MPH. In 2Hi or 4Hi it does not seem to matter. I've rebuilt the suspension.

I lifted the front end to check for any looseness. If I put a pry bar under the axle u-joint caps, I get up and down play on the axle shaft (not the stub shaft that goes into the hub). The drivers side has more play than the passenger side. The play can easily be seen by the eye.

It seems unusual because they are Spicer 5-760X with about 3000-4000 miles on them. The c-clips are still there.

I am wondering how this could occur?

I was wondering about the ears being stretched apart as a possible cause but I am not sure how to determine that? And if they were stretched apart, could I "press" them back together or should the axle shafts just be replaced? Junk yard or other?

 

Any thoughts on if/how the axle shafts can be bent back into place if they are tweaked?