04JeepGrandCherokee

I recently began hearing a clicking noise coming from the underside (think its in the rear) of my 04 JGC 4.0l I6. I have checked both the front and rear drive shafts for slop thinking it would be the U-Joint but nothing other then being able to slightly turn the front one about 1/8 of the way around. when i do this i hear the gears in the transfer case clunking but am not sure if this is it. I have also checked the CV joints thinking that it may be them but they seemed fine. I have checked the wheel bearings as well but no luck. could it be that i need to add new fluid in the differential or the transfer case? any help would be much appreciated thanks.

04JeepGrandCherokee

Ok so i've done a little more research and i have read that it might be the chain inside the TC that may have been stretched out and is causing the clunk noise. what do you guys think?

MellottN

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giwill

I know you said that you check it but it could be your front dive shaft. Take it off and run the jeep and see if stops i had a 00 GC with a similar noise and it was the front drive shaft.

Hope this helps

04JeepGrandCherokee

haven't checked the fluid yet... but i will be changing it tomorrow hopefully their is not any metal chunks in it.. as for the front drive shaft removal its an AWD so would removing it and driving it around hurt the trans at all?

giwill

no it will not hurt the TC at all i took mine off my 99 WJ with the Quadar-drive TC and drove it for about a year like that.

04JeepGrandCherokee

Ok so i changed out the TC fluid today and it was in good condition still pretty gold in color and no metal shavings or chunks (thank god). so upon further inspection of the rear i found that my rear sway bar links have gone out on both sides. i know this will cause a clunking sound so im gunna install new ones and hope that this will take care of the problem. if not i'll try removing the front drive shaft and see if that helps

04JeepGrandCherokee

ok so i figured out what the problem was finally... i tried the front drive shaft but that didnt work so i ended up pulling off the rear to find that it was a bad U joint turns out that the needle bearings in one side were completely worn out... not sure why but their was no play in it at all but i changed it and that solved the problem

betterboats

1999 I lifted up all 4 tires with jack stands, I here the noise coming from the rear with the jeep in gear. We replaced the rear wheel bearings, rotors, calipars, and pads. Still cant find the problem.

ol"blue

My brother has an '04 WJ w/the 4.0L and less than 40,000 miles. He was plagued with similar issues plus there was a clunking noise when releasing the brake from a stop to accelerate again. I crawled under it and told him the slip-yoke was bottoming out into the t-case and he should take it to the dealer since he had the extended warranty. They replaced the entire rear driveshaft, including the slip-yoke, and the problems went away. I don't if it had the wrong (too long?) driveshaft or not, but the replacement slip-yoke doesn't go as far into the t-case as the old one did.
I don't know if this is your problem but it's possible. Look at the slip-yoke and you can tell right away if it's too far into the t-case and bottoming out.
And Welcome to CF!