resharp001

Was searching for something else and ran across this post again. Just curious if you ever figured out what that was?

locked&loaded JK

Curious as well...

Rednroll

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to track this one down. Then on top of that, the trip I had planned on going to the dunes got derailed at the last minute. My 6 y/o son came down with some type of flu the night before we were to leave for the dune trip. So the 4WD creaking is still a mystery to me.

I still suspect the front U-joints. I actually started shopping around for a replacement front Adam's drive shaft, figuring I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone if I get a DS which includes front U-Joints. I'm likely gonna have to duct tape a camera under there to figure this out, or replace the DS and see if it goes away,...unless the ghost decides to give itself up before then and something decides to break.

Rednroll

I'm re-visting my creaking sound. Today, I put a video camera underneath to see if I could see where the sound was coming from. Unfortunately, I waited too long and it was dusk out where I really couldn't see much of anything on the video. I taped the video camera to the driver side front lower control arm and pointed it at the front drive shaft U-Joints. While recreating the noise, I noticed while looking out the window, that the noise seemed to be coming more from each wheel. So I turned the cam around and pointed it towards the driver side wheel and sure enough, the sound was louder on the video when pointed at the driver side wheel. This led me to believe maybe it was my ball joints, so I went to inspect the ball joints. Yep, my ball joints are due to be replaced but there wasn't a lot of movement.

What I really noticed that looked in pretty bad shape were my axle U-Joints.

So here's what they look like.

Drive side axle U-Joint


Passenger side axle U-Joint


Here's what it sounds like:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lG...lqQu9NpE0g41C7

The strange thing is that the sound only happens when I have it in 4WD and am going up and down minor inclines with some steering thrown in.

Anyways, I have a trip planned to Silver Lake sand dunes next week, tomorrow I leave for another trip with the family to the Toledo Zoo and African Safari where we're renting a vehicle, and I was going to drop JK off at the shop and leave them a note of what to repair. When I get back, I will be doing the TF ball joint replacements myself and don't feel like messing around with U-Joints. Axle U-Joints seem like what is bad here? But why only in 4WD?

Ghost JK

Because they only have a stress load on them in 4WD. In 2WD they just kinda hang out and keep the hub connected to the axle, but in 4WD they are applying force to the hub from the axle.

karls10jk

The u-joints aren't too bad on the jeep, the catch is to make sure when you reinstall the axle shaft (applies to your TF bj's too) that you're careful in your insertion. I removed and installed my shafts numerous times before I finally tore (more likely actually wore out) the inner axle seal.

I prefer doing the u-joints myself because of the rust accumulation on the shaft, I think you'd be surprised. I cleaned mine up and did the full rust converter and paint on them, then proceeded with the other work. They won't rust through but why allow rust to live at all?

resharp001

I look at it like this......you have to replace BJs, so those axle shafts gonna be out anyhow. Replace the u-joints cuz that's a good time to do it, you have a lot of years and miles on em anyhow, and good overall maintenance.....even if for some reason that didn't end up being the issue. Like Karl said, take the time to clean up in the saddle cuz that is an area you can't easily access. There are tons of vids on youtube on how to replace a u-joint, and it's something you can easily do at home there, especially since you'll have the shafts out anyhow.

x2 on Karls caution of inserting the axle shafts again. Grease the splines and a nice steady hand. It's no fun to button everything back up, and then start to see those tell-tale drips of gear oil on the garage floor or driveway a few days/weeks later indicating a leaky axle seal.

jedg

I agree with Karl and resharp and will add if this is the first time you're pulling the axle shafts, be conscious of the plastic tab that should be present on the axle shaft. Sometimes they stay stuck in the axle tube and then when you re-insert the axle shaft, that dang thing jams you up.

karls10jk

That harbor freight press in a vice with an impact gun makes quick work of the u-joints.

Rednroll

Thanks for the tips. I dropped it off at the shop to have them do the U-joints. I just don't have enough time right now where this is one item that has to get done prior to the dune trip. Plus if there's any other problems the shop will call me to authorize and fix as well while I'm currently on the road. I'll have about 1 day to do the ball joints once I get back and then it's on the road again.