I apologize if this is a stupid question. I have a 1999 Cherokee Sport I6. Sometimes when I come to a full stop and then go I Immediately feel/hear a jerk/clunk noise. It's not a severe or violent. This is the only time in which i experience this. Is this transmission or differential related? Thanks

 

Can you tell where it's coming from? My guess would be u-joints or engine/trans mounts.

 

slip joint for rear DS probably needs to be lubed. If there is a rubber boot where DS goes into the TC pull it back and pack some grease(axle?) in there. mine did the same thing when i bought it, but on my '95 the slip joint is lubed by ATF from the transfer case. Mine was bone dry. toped it off, no more clunk. im pretty sure the newer ones are the boot style i mentioned first. but i may be wrong. not too knowledgeable about 97+

EDIT: when i said pack some grease in there, i mean in the splines that slide in and out of the yoke.

 

It could be a lot of things.

Another one not mentioned. I've heard that what you describe could also be the drum brakes, not a problem with them, but that its just something they do. I don't know how true that is. But I had put new ujoints in my 91s rear DS because I thuught that's what it was and it still does it.

 

Sounds and feels like it's coming from the front. A mechanic has recommended a replacing front axle seals and servicing the differential. Is that a related symptom?

 

If its in the front could be a suspension component. Or probably more likely a ujoint on the axle.

 

For a simple idea of what MIGHT be wrong, check your control arm bolts / bushings, shock bolts / bushings, and track bar / steering components...

My friend was having this quite severe banging / clunking. Thought it was his passenger front u-joing (which was already toast lol). That didn't fix it. We thought it was his rear track bar drop bracket.... Nope...

Finally we decided to snug up all the bolts on the back end, and found out that his rear lower control arm bolts on the axle side had worked their way a 1/4 turn loose. Cranked those tight, and poof, noise is 100% gone... lol

However if that's not it. Yea. Check bolts / bushings, check u-joints, jack the tires off the ground and check for wheel-bearing play. Its pretty simple to pull your diff-cover and put some new diff fluid in as well as visually check for damage or wear. Another good test is turn your vehicle to the ON position, without starting. Slowly dry-steer from side to side (like 1 and 1/2 turns each way..) and have a friend look at your track-bar for movement or play. Sometimes if the bolt gets loose, it can round out the bolt hole and cause a lot of noise and play.

 

My last jeep did this and it was worn control arm bushings. It was letting mt front axle move back and forward about a half inch

 

I had shops and friends tell me mine was a hundred different things from bushings to bearings to steeering stuff....does it do it right as the jeep is coming to a stop? like that last 1/2 mph? and when you either let off the gas to take off or barely touch the gas? only takes ~5 min to lube that slip joint and costs nearly nothing. I couldnt believe something so simple could have been the issue, but it def was.

 

Mine does the same thing! When I come to a rather abrupt stop and then let off the brakes just a little, it feels like the rear suspension is shifting or unwinding under me or the drum brakes are grabbing and then letting go unevenly. I already pulled my rear drive shaft and greased the slip yoke, think I'll do it again, this time with anti-seize. I'm also going to check for loose bolts and worn rubber bushings. I'm determined to get this thing tightened up!

Have you tried to duplicate the clunk scenario in 4WD High? How about with the emergency brake pulled up one click? I'm not sure what it would prove but it might help trace it drown.

Please let me know what you find.

 

I had the same problem. I lubed the lube point on the drive shaft real good, and the clunk went away.

 

Its prob your u-joints. Got mine replaced last year and made loud clunking as you described.

 

I had this exact same thing on my XJ. I read about it probably being the slip joint on the rear drive shaft so I tried that first. Still thumped at braking and at acceleration. What was frustrating is that it didn't always do it. Or maybe I just didn't notice it all the time. My thump could also be felt under my brake pedal underfoot.

I also had an annoying squeal when braking, so last night I jacked up each front side, removed the wheels and disassembled the caliper (without disconnecting the brake line). Used a wire brush to clean off all the contact points and used brake quieting lube on all metal metal contact points on the caliper, pad and mount. Reinstalled and tightened up solid.

This seemed to take care of the squealing for sure. But it also seemed to have taken care of the thumping. So look at the brakes too.

 

Well, I pulled my rear driveshaft and cleaned the splines in the slip yoke real good with brake cleaner and a toothbrush, both male and female. Then I filled the splines with anti-seize, both male and female, used almost a whole tube. I also pushed about six pumps of grease into the front drive shaft slip joint grease fitting. Now she stops smooth as silk! I just wish I knew which one was the culprit.

 

What a difference huh?? i used to have to lean into the throttle VERY gently to not make it clunk(since i wasnt sure what it was i didnt want anything to rip apart, lol) and same with that last 2 inches of braking. After lubing the slip yoke it was smooth as glass