wesmcbride

I replaced my leaf springs yesterday, when I was done took it out for a ride. Before I made it to the end of my driveway I had to stop due to a nasty wheel "wobble" in the rear. Parked it and checked the following:

-Re-torqued the leaf spring bolts to 109 ft-lbs
-Re-torqued the u-bolts to 52 ft-lbs
-Re-torqued lug nuts to 85 ft-lbs

Drove it again and noticed it was the passenger side.

-Jacked the rear and engaged it in drive to get a visual of the "wobble"

Turns out the passenger side wheel was spinning way faster and it was making a ticking sound. And there wasn't a wobble See video:


What would cause this?

XJRed96

it's possible two things have happened. one... the extra tension on the brake line is forcing that brake to apply and that side happens to be applying more because it may have more adjustment on it than the pass side. if the noise is definetly coming from the wheel then pull the brake apart and check it out. also the angle on your drive shaft looks pretty high you may have a rusted out bearing in the u joint that is now making noise due to the new angle it is at. i know i need to replace my ujoint because of that. has no play and made no noise before i lifted the rear end. after lifting it though i can hear it and feel it. i suspect a piece of rust broke off the brake drum and is rubbing somewhere inside the brake.... keep us posted

XJRed96

(fyi the last relating to the brake is directed towards your car.

SeriousOffroad

First you need to learn how a differential works. Watch the video start to finish.

wesmcbride

Thanks for the quick replies and the idea for the brakes. Funny story about the brakes, a few months I replaced them with a friend, I did the front he did the rear. Used the Haynes manual and got them done twice as fast if it was just me. I noticed the brakes seemed a little bias towards one side but I didn't really care that much. After me checking them today, turns out he put the two long shoes on one side and the short ones on the other. Fixed that.

That was an awesome video on the differential, but how would the differential have an influence of wheel spinning when both wheels are in the air with no traction or turning?

U-joints didn't have any play. Pinpointed the noise to the transfer case, any ideas? And what would cause this just from replacing the leaf springs. The Jeep already had a lift kit, but it was all old and sagging. I replaced all the front suspension and rear shocks a few months ago (same time as the brakes), but it took me awhile to find time to get the stubborn leaf spring bolts out.

93XJLI

dude, you have no idea what youre talking about. that is 100% normal for an open diff.

wesmcbride

Just ordered a transfer case drop kit, hopefully that fixes the noise from the transfer case. Not sure why it would be needed now, since it had the lift before and didn't make the noise. Oh well.

mr white

The jackhammer noise isn't normal though.

93XJLI

well, i didnt have my sound on. so there that. possibly bad spiders or a messed up ring gear.

Bustedback

Sell the Jeep and get a bus pass.

94XjSport94

It sounds like a spider gear to me. OP, crack the diff open and see what's going on

rawk krawler

Just my .02, I lifted my rear about an inch higher without a tcase drop and drove for about 300ft and it snapped in the tcase/driveline area so hard it shook the cab, I dropped it 1inch and it ran properly again. Maybe your p.o. Was a idgaf owner and drove it like that or installed a worn out lift.

I'd bet that drop will fix it, and make sure you do a damn sye eventually, you're wasting your time lifting if your drivetrain isn't going with it!!

77olds

OP, try this:

Put the whole vehicle on jack stands. Put it in 4 high. Start it and put it in drive. Get out and notice something:

1. The right rear tire will spin faster than the left rear tire.
2. The left front tire will spin faster than the right front.

THIS IS 100% NORMAL.

That sound sure as hell sounds like your u-joints binding to me. That drive shaft angle is not good.

I had some driveshaft vibrations after my 3" lift but a 1" cross member spacer fixed it completely.

Your problem is not in the brakes or the rear differential. It's in the drive shaft because the u-joints are binding up.

You want a quick, redneck diagnosis?

Throw a BUNCH of weight in the back of your Jeep. Make sure the back end is sagging. Then drive it - if the noise/jumping is gone, well, then you know it's the driveshaft angle.

Probably because the old springs were sagging and the new ones make the back sit up higher.

Tell me, what brand springs did you use?

holycaveman

Dang, that is a horrible sound?

You have something going on for certain.

SeriousOffroad

Hydrolocked it.