My 98 jeep xj sport 4x4 has recently started making a noise when I roll and don't give it gas. It sounds like a scraping/ rubbing noise & if I just roll about a mph, I can hear it coming from the front end.

Front pads are good, & I recently just bleed the front brakes, due to me thinking maybe the brakes are going bad???

I also have a gravel driveway, not sure if a rock could be stuck somewhere??

Please tell me what you think.

 

Sounds like the front wheel bearing/hub assembly.

I just replaced my drivers side one yesterday due to the same noise.

You jack the vehicle up and shake the wheel with your hands at the 12 oclock and 6 oclock positions and if the wheel has play you most likely have worn bearings-also look for a bunch of grease at the rear portion of the wheel where the universal joints are-this is an indication that you lost all your grease from the bearing.

You could have dry or worn universal joints but most likely the wheel bearing.

Also check to make sure your backing plate is not bent and scuffing up against the rotor disk since you were just in there bleeding the brakes-been there done that.

 

I haven't seem a Cherokee with cv joints, well at least a 98. The best why other then lifting it up to tell if you have a bad wheel bearing is to drive and go left then go right. If the noise quietens or goes away from either going left or right it is the wheel bearing. Now, roll down the road off of the gas tends to lean me to bad u-joints. Normally when they go out you can heard then when going from park to drive then a clunk is heard but a u-joint can freeze up causing the sound

 

Did you think I meant CV joints?

No, I was just describing the grease all over because the rear of the bearings like to blow out and spew grease everywhere like mine did all over the hub area near the universal joints.

 

I had that sound once, front driver side, got uderneath to check it out & found a rock stuck between the disc & that thin metal protector thing.

 

Or could be a bearing.

 

Does the sound go away if You touch the brake pedal? Mine did, I installed the lower anti-rattle spring/clips on the front pads and the scary sound is gone. The upper anti-rattle clips rubbed the rotor so I left them off.

 

I'm having the same issue on my '98. Rubbing, grinding noise that sounds like it's from the front drivers side and makes the most noise while turning right and driving slow. While driving slow and straight you can hear a clicking noise. It's not the axle joints because I just had those done and my drive shaft u-joints look good also. When I apply the brakes all the noises quit and when I jack up the front I can't feel any play. I'm stumped. I've checked the brakes and backing plate. Does this sound like bearings or did I over torque or under torque the axle nut?

 

Sorry about digging up and old thread, but did you ever find a solution to the problem miguelm or anyone else for that matter?
I'm having what I think is the same problem and I just replaced my front brakes and rotors and that didn't help at all. Some sources are starting to make me think that it could possibly be something with the dust shield? Let me know if that sounds at all reasonable.
Thanks

 

I had a mysterious grinding noise from the front. The hubs were tight but while the front axle was on jack stands I spun each wheel for a while. I decided to pull the driver side hub and, sure enough, the seal was in pieces and the metal discolored from heat. The moral of this story is that the bearing can be bad and still not show up as play in the hub. Spin the wheel by hand in a quiet setting and listen for gnarly sounds.

 

I have new rotors. Pads. Both front hub bearings. New axle joints. I've driven it without the front driveshaft and it still has a growl grind noise under heavy braking. Please help!!!!