Last week I started noticing a grinding sound when using my brakes, and then I began to hear a spinning, grinding sound when the wheels were spinning, coming from my driver's side front wheel. Upon looking underneath, I saw this, and have no idea what it is. This is perhaps my ignorance, but it does not match the passenger side.

This piece is between the upper and lower ball joints. I know a little bit about Renix engines, but am fairly ignorant of suspension and drivetrain. So what the hell is this that's broken? Is this just the axle?

 

CV Joint.

Probably not the brake/grinding sound though. Have you checked your pads and rotors? Wheel bearings?

 

or CV boot. you can get a quick boot that will rap around it. Otherwise you can replace the whole joint.

 

Yeah, I looked at the pads and rotors, and didn't see anything.still plenty of pad, nice and shiny rotors. The grinding on the brakes only appears as I'm slowing to a halt, I think its the shaft moving around. Yeah, a guy over at jeep forum is telling me I should replace the CV joints with U joints because they're stronger. Your opinions? I may have misunderstood, but he implied I should replace the whole shaft, and not just the joint. I really have no knowledge of this stuff, so I'm at the mercy of you guys with more experience.

 

get rid of the crappy cv axles

 

cheapest way is the up ullit yard http://www.jeep4x4center.com/jeep-ax...herokee-xj.htm

 

Yeah, salvage is definitely looking like the answer. Thanks guys. I may wind up taking this to a shop to be done, it looks a bit complicated for someone as mechanically disinclined as me.

 

What year is this on? I have never seen an XJ with CV axles.

 

I'm with him... Cherokee+CV joints=wut.

 

I wonder if someone swapped in a ZJ axle at some point.

 

I'm pretty sure the previous owner did this, because the CV joint is only on one side.

 

its not a joke some came with them