I have a 98 Cherokee Classic. With a AW4 tranny and a NP 231 transfer case. I start the jeep and i hear this massive rattle somewhere underneath the jeep. It sounds like a metal coffee can with nails in it. I start driving and she will rattle loud up to around 35 mph, then quiet down. I put her on a twin post lift and banged the cat and muffler and no rattle from there. So my college teach says maybe transmission or drivetrain. Its slow to take of but he says nothing is slipping. He drove it and had it rattle and then still in motion put it in Neutral and reved the engine and it rattled again. I pulled my transmission dip stick out and smelled it. I could still smell tranny fluid and a little bit of burnt smell. I HAVE NO CLUE WHERE TO GO FROM HERE. I even had a tranny mechanic look at it and he said it might be my exhaust. PLEASE HELP.

 

Go to autozone and buy and new Tranny mount.

They are about 35 bucks. It will fix your problem. If you need some advice on how to install it I can give ya that to just PM me.

 

most commonly, it's the exhaust hitting the crossmember, or the shifter linkage.

but i've had the same type of rattle in my tj and it was the u-joints on each side of the centering ball in the double cardon joint on the front drive shaft.

 

Ill check to see if its hitting the cross member

 

exhaust is not loose or nothing. BUT my front differential that connects the drive shaft to my transfer case my NP231. I grabbed it and it was able to rotate. THE JEEP IS IN PARK AND ENGINE IS SHUT OFF.

 

Rotate or move back and forth a little?

Never mind.....forgot you said it was on a lift. doh!!!

 

It can rotate a little and its not on a lift anymore i put her on one yesterday. The Jeep is on the ground outside and yes the drive shaft moves back and forth.

 

Just look at the joints while you are wiggling it. You should not have any slop. If you do then the joints are going out.

My bet is still on the Tranny mount. They are usually only good for about 10-15 years.

 

dust cover on front of trans vibrating?

 

OK that's good. Otherwise it would of meant differential issues. The front DS is especially hard to check on the truck unless the problem is major. You're best bet would be drop it down and check it that way. Or better yet, leave it out and drive it. See if the problem goes away. If yes you know it's the DS and we can take it from there.

 

what do you meen dust cover. ALSO after i shut the jeep off i hear popping noise from exhaust.

 

Also i would put her in reverse and it would rattle too.

 

I think he's talking about the tranny inspection cover and x2 that as a possible cause. Another guess would be loose flex plate bolts.

 

i think i should start it up and get under her and listen. is that a good way

 

Being under your Jeep unites you on a different level.

Just be safe.