I've had a popping noise from the front end for a couple of weeks, I figured I needed to grease the front end. Today I finally got around to it and greased all I could. Looks like you can't grease the lower ball joints without removing the axles???

But the popping noise is still there. Also, I had someone else drive it and both front wheels shudder and stutter a little when turned fully and moving slowly in a parking lot. Looks like the axles are binding somehow/going bad? Does that makes sense that they'd both be doing it at the same time? If I put my hand on the tire I can feel the click in the wheel as it's happening.

Has 205,000 miles if that helps.

Thanks!
- Joe -

 

If you have open u-joint axles, those u-joints may be bad. It's happened on my 97 ZJ. They are fairly easy to replace, but require removing the axles.

The only other thing that comes to mind is binding of the VC if you have the np249 t/case. Mine was an np242.

You can't grease the lower ball joints because they are sealed, unless someone put greaseable joints in it, then you do have to remove the axles and install grease nipples, then take them out to put it back together. Greaseable lower ball joints are for 2wd models.

 

They are open U-joint and both lowers have grease zerg's but the zerg is pointing straight up towards the U-joint with about 1/2" clearance in between. I haven't been around Jeeps much before this but I did think that would be a pretty peculiar design if it had left the factory like that.

So it sounds like I should grab some U-joints and while i'm in there do the lower ball joints (the popping noise sounds like a ball joint to me but they seem to be tight) and what the heck, those wheel bearings have just a little play in them, nothing that was concerning me but if i'm already in there... Oh yeah, the front rotors were warped when I bought it and I had been living with them but now's the time In a couple weeks i'll have a really nice Jeep again, lol.

 

Okay, mine has CV joints and there is no room for a fitting. While you're in there, look at the brake caliper brackets where the pads ride on them. If they have grooves in them the pads may drag the rotor. You can weld them up and regrind them or change the spindle carrier. On my WJ, the brackets are removable. Yours are not.

 

Certainly the U joints are the first suspects. You may need a special long fitting on the grease gun to get to them. Another thing that will pop loudly when they go is the sway bar links. Easy to check, just look for them being completely broken around the top.
I changed my U joints but you can just as easily take the shafts out and have a driveline shop do it, they use american joints and amazingly cheap like $25 incl. There is a place here all they do is that stuff and the motto is "Happiness is a good joint."