I've had this problem for a year now and can't figure out what's wrong with my Cherokee. I am completely stumped. No one on any forum has been able to help. No one I know or any mechanic I've talked to can tell me.

Specs: 89 XJ, 4.0, 242, AW4

Here's what it does:

It feels like it's in 4WD when I am making sharp turns and the front tires skip. When I am coming to a stop, it wobbles, like I have a wheel out of round or something. When I drive over 55 it starts to shake, really badly. My right front tire gets worn on the outside very quickly.

I know these symptoms are all the same problem.

I have had it aligned, twice. I have changed the tires. I have driven around without the front driveshaft. I have replaced the tie-rod ends, tie-rod, drag link, and the whole entire axle assembly!

It still does it. It is exactly the same no matter what I do.

If you can tell me what it is, I will be your friend for life!

 

Sounds like your wheel hub is slipping or hub bearing case is wiped.

If the bearing moves under pressure/force because the mounting bolts are not correct (incorrect shoulder diameter) the wheel assembly would move, but then go back so you might not see it.

If the bearing inside the hub is wiped it would also slosh around the sleeve inside the hub. Not much noise or grinding, just sporadic slipping.

Probable wrong but, where your hubs recently replaced?

 

You say you changed the complete axle, so that means U-Joints also, right.... Is there a locker in this axle Cause this sound like a frozen or broken U-joint. Are you sure it's not from the rear end or rear driveshaft. What size tires, is there a lift installed? What were the alignment readings? Tires balanced? Condition of trackbar and control arms Bushings....

 

Thanks for the replies so far.

Yes, swapped another axle from a parts XJ. The whole thing, housing, gears, hubs, u-joints, knuckles, brakes. And before that, I changed the u-joints on the old one. Unless the new axle had exactly the same problem, which I find extremely unlikely, the problem is still exactly the same.

No locker. No lift. Tires are 235s.

Yes, tires balanced both times. Don't remember the alignment readings. And have rotated the tires a few times. The problem never moves or changes, so it's not the wheels.

Also the rear axle was swapped as well. From a D35 to a Chrysler 8.25. The problem was the same before and after that swap, too.

Trackbar is fine. It was never loose or worn. I have tried to tighten it, it is tight. The guy who swapped my axle said it was fine, too. The control arm bushings are worn, but not horrible.

 

xj been wrecked b4

 

?????

inscribed via iPhone4 on xjForum using the swaybars that aren't on my Jeep

 

what ?????

 

Wondering the same question....

inscribed via iPhone4 on xjForum using the swaybars that aren't on my Jeep

 

how long have you owned your xj

 

You know, I actually have been thinking this. I have the carfax on it and it's never been reported to been wrecked, but I guess you never know for sure.

I've owned it for just over a year.

 

Is it lifted?

inscribed via iPhone4 on xjForum using the swaybars that aren't on my Jeep

 

check the frame rails for bent sections front axle could be sittin sideways ,or have some one follow benind you whil driving see if you tracking straight

 

I know I am going back to something really simple, but I think this is your hub/bearing. I had a bad bearing i let go for a while, it wore every other tread 2x as quick as the rest, so it made the front end shake. When turning, it skipped, going both forward and back. I never messed with it in 4wd, because I knew it was bad. When I hit just below 65, the steering wheel got a bad shake to it, worse than at every other speed.

I replaced the bearing and rotated the bad tire yesterday, and no more skipping, vibrations at 65, corrected the whole problem. Maybe it isnt the bearing, but something very close to that is bad, imitating your symptoms. I would check all the bolts, make sure the 3 bolts going into the hub are secure, if one of those is loose I bet it would act the same way as the bearing being bad.

 

LOL! I know a guy who bought a NEW Chevy PU back in the 1980s and it drove like this Dodge. It turns out the rear end housing wasn't parallel with the front axle (4wd) and it ate tires until it was fixed.

 

You know just hit me you have a 242 TC. Are you sure it is in 2wd and not still loked in 4wd. The 242 case can be prone to getting stuck in 4FT. It's usauly just a linkage adjustment. But can be an issue with the Diferential inside the Transfer Case.