chefeagles

heres something else weird its been doin could be related. More so in 4h but does it a 2h if im on a pretty flat road and i let of the gas fast i can hear something bang together and the same if i hit the gas fast half way or so. when hitting the gas it sounds like something is turning or spinning and is catching up to and banging what ever its connected to and then spinning or turning that.

LCFRJEEP

Sounds like you have play in you drive line, probably your rear end.

jd4x426

if you have any experiance with gear installs you can check your backlash aka how much play your gears have it needs to be within a certain spec depending on your axle this will tell if it is your gears also check your u joints and pinion bearings

chefeagles

so if its gear backlash is that something that can be adjusted or does that mean its time for a gear upgrade? and my pinion seal is bad, axle oil fings everywhere but I have been watchin the fluid so its not dried up or anything. I would love to try and figure out whats wrong my self I hate payin someone just to tell me whats broke i'd rather spend the 80 bucks fixing something. Thanks for the help tho I will check the things stated.

farmfuel

Put the Jeep on flat level ground, set the parking brake, and put it in neutral. Climb under there and spin the rear shaft. If you noitce a lot of play, inspect the U-joints, or inspect for vertical play in the yoke. There's two bearings on the pinion shaft. Not too sure which rear end you have, but some have a crush sleeve to adjust gear lash.

If your pinion seal is leaking, and you're noticing freeplay in the yoke, then your best bet is to take the rear end out, and take it to a shop that knows how to set-up gears/ rear ends. Big truck shops can do it, or if not; probably know some who does.

If it's not a problem in your transfer case, than it's probably the rear end. Another option is just to hit up the junkyard. These Cherokee's are a dime a dozen out here. I picked up a complete rear end on new years day for 75 bucks. Most rear ends are priced from 150-250 dollars at the junkyard. You'll spend more than that- just in labor if you were to take it to a shop

chefeagles

ok thanks alot. Ill get under it and check it out. its a 8.25 27 spline.

chefeagles

ok rear drive shaft has hardly any movement in it rotating it. nothing un down and side to side. I had t case and trans in N. I did the same thing to front drive shaft and that spins almost an inch(if i eye up two points the point on drive shaft is about an inch away).

farmfuel

If you've ever ran the rear end low on oil, you'd probably notice a howling coming from the bearings, not a clunking.

You might want to try to isolate the noise- does is sound like it's coming right from under you? Those NP231 transfer cases are pretty scrawny, and they do fail. Once again, the junkyard is your friend. I can get one for 75 dollars all day long. Speaking of the T/C- have you checked the fluid level? what is the color of the ATF coming out? Red? Brown? Black?

chefeagles

t case is 242 i changed fluid a little over a year ago. I have had it a little over 2 years and when i changed it the fulid was as red as new. I was checking diff level like once every few days cause of the pinion seal leaking and I only but more in once It has been almost a week ill check it tomorrow. maybe the leak got worse and my diff is empty? oh boy...

what do you think about the play in front drive shaft? I think when in 4h thats what im hearing when I tap gas pedel.

the hollowing sound is def the rear somewhere.

farmfuel

Remember that you checked the play in your front shaft when you said the T/C was in neutral. I wouldn't be worried about play in the front unless you had the T/C in 4H.

I'm not real well versed in the front hub lock in/out on a full time D30 front....maybe it's permantly engaged? Slop in the chain is a problem on the 231 I know first hand; and the 242 is of similar construction (if I'm not mistaken). I'm sure the 242 is more complicated (IF) it has a 70/30 torque split differential like a NP203 does. No one in Dallas has a full time 4X4 cherokee, so I have no experience with regards to the 242 construction.

You didn't previously mention a howling coming from the rear. When the D35 went out on my 84 Cheif, I noticed a howling coming from the rear end ONLY when my foot was on the pedal. when I let off, the howling quit. This was the bearings/ gear lash telling me that it's tired. I got raped at a Jeep junkyard. I think I paid 400.00 for another rear end.

Sometimes being ignorant can be expensive.

chefeagles

the banging i was hearing in front axle is a very loose ujoint on pass side. Weird cause u joints are only a year old.

For the rear hollowing I only hear mine when im coasting....and its really not that loud. its going in to get looked at tuesday so well see. my pinion seal is bad but if the bearings are bad ill just swap axles.

and yea 400 bucks hurts bad. 130 from jy here but my thing is how do u know if its any good or not. my luck ill pull another 8.25 and the bearings will be bad.

oh i have another post I didnt want to pass inspection. this was part 2.