evan98xj

Hey guys I have a 1998 jeep cherokee with a 4.5 inch rc lift and 32 inch tires. Here lately I've been noticing a strange clicking coming from my front driver side tire. When I was just on the way home the wheel felt like it was wobbling and all the sudden it stopped, I'm guessing its the wheel bearing I just wanna second opinion before i replace it. Thanks. Evan

KJamesJR

I think a bad bearings usually make a grinding noise. Like roller skates on pavement... A ball joint would wobble though.

Radi

Lift it up and start shaking (the jeep that is) before you buy anything to make sure you get the right part(s). Clicking could be the bearing, the u-joint, brake pad.. wobble could be bearing, ball joint, tie rod, etc etc...

Mr.E

yea i would check it out for sure. could be tie rod, or loose shock even. I just noticed mines loose gettin a wicked wooble outta that. but good luck -Evin

Potatowalker

yea, what they said! Get it up on stands and check all the linkages and pivots and u-joints. In the last year I've replace my unit bearings(hubs), ball joints, and the entire brake system - they were all original I'm pretty sure! Even after all that I still have a clicking noise that is more pronounced when I brake. I'm pretty sure, through elimination, that my U-joints are the culprits even though they feel solid. I'm starting to see some rust-colored stains around one or two of the caps and there is a bit of unusual vibration at times. Unit bearings (hubs) are on the pricier side for ones that will last so unless you got lotsa cash, do some investigating first!

evan98xj

But the weird thing abt mine is it stops when i hit the brakes, I just replaced the brake pads abt a month ago so I know its most likely nothing to do with the brakes

nickxj94

that clicking when your braking could be a possible warped rotor..

nickxj94

yours could be the rotor also if you just pad slapped it without turning the rotors

Potatowalker

my rotors are new Brembos, with new EBC green pads installed about 6-months ago. I followed the recommended break-in procedure immediately after I did the install. Definitely a possibility, but less likely than many other things that look original on that part of me jeep - thanks though, I'll be keeping that in mind! (...I don't wanna buy new rotors again! hehe)

for the OP: how old are your calipers? maybe the cylinders aren't retracting fully when you let off the brakes and one of the pads is rubbing slightly? One of mine was doing that for a while before I replaced it. It was all nasty and corroded inside. The brake fluid was original I'm pretty sure - it was dark brown/black. Flushing the brake fluid made a huge difference too - go figure!

But really - get it up on stands or drive slowly past a friend/helper monkey and find where the noise is coming from if you can, that'll help!

evan98xj

Thanks guys ill be tearing into it on Saturday ill let yall knows what it is. Thanks for the help again!