Issues Towing
JK Jedi
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,642
Likes: 486
From: Knoxville
Not necessarily. Mine are almost tight and I get noise randomly on a turn like what you're talking about. With the shift in weight and basically those are the connection between the body and the axle, that's all I've got for you.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,463
Likes: 165
From: Austin <--> Colorado Springs
You said the bumper needs to be trimmed. Is it actually contacting the hitch somewhere? If I read it right, the noise only happens in turns? Putting those two things together makes it sound like maybe the bumper/hitch are binding, then popping apart on the turn?
Maybe when you are test driving, you can find a corner where you can repeat it every time, then have someone sit in the back seat or even stand on the sidewalk and listen for it? A few people have also posted video after mounting a camera in the suspect area to help prove/disprove. Could be an option.
I generally tow OD/Off with my 08 unlimited. A 3000 lb boat weekly during the summers, and have done several 12+ hour trips with loaded uhaul trailers that had to be up near the 3500 lb limit. No clanks/pops with the uhaul trailers. The boat trailer has surge brakes, so I get a clank sound when braking with it. (the jeep slows, the trailer moves toward the jeep, and whatever parts are in there contact each other and then actuate the trailer brakes). It has gotten worse as the trailer ages. Took me a while to figure out what was causing it, but I can actually hear that the noise is coming from the back, doesn't sound like it's from the engine bay like you are hearing.
Maybe when you are test driving, you can find a corner where you can repeat it every time, then have someone sit in the back seat or even stand on the sidewalk and listen for it? A few people have also posted video after mounting a camera in the suspect area to help prove/disprove. Could be an option.
I generally tow OD/Off with my 08 unlimited. A 3000 lb boat weekly during the summers, and have done several 12+ hour trips with loaded uhaul trailers that had to be up near the 3500 lb limit. No clanks/pops with the uhaul trailers. The boat trailer has surge brakes, so I get a clank sound when braking with it. (the jeep slows, the trailer moves toward the jeep, and whatever parts are in there contact each other and then actuate the trailer brakes). It has gotten worse as the trailer ages. Took me a while to figure out what was causing it, but I can actually hear that the noise is coming from the back, doesn't sound like it's from the engine bay like you are hearing.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: Florida
You said the bumper needs to be trimmed. Is it actually contacting the hitch somewhere? If I read it right, the noise only happens in turns? Putting those two things together makes it sound like maybe the bumper/hitch are binding, then popping apart on the turn?
Maybe when you are test driving, you can find a corner where you can repeat it every time, then have someone sit in the back seat or even stand on the sidewalk and listen for it? A few people have also posted video after mounting a camera in the suspect area to help prove/disprove. Could be an option.
I generally tow OD/Off with my 08 unlimited. A 3000 lb boat weekly during the summers, and have done several 12+ hour trips with loaded uhaul trailers that had to be up near the 3500 lb limit. No clanks/pops with the uhaul trailers. The boat trailer has surge brakes, so I get a clank sound when braking with it. (the jeep slows, the trailer moves toward the jeep, and whatever parts are in there contact each other and then actuate the trailer brakes). It has gotten worse as the trailer ages. Took me a while to figure out what was causing it, but I can actually hear that the noise is coming from the back, doesn't sound like it's from the engine bay like you are hearing.
Maybe when you are test driving, you can find a corner where you can repeat it every time, then have someone sit in the back seat or even stand on the sidewalk and listen for it? A few people have also posted video after mounting a camera in the suspect area to help prove/disprove. Could be an option.
I generally tow OD/Off with my 08 unlimited. A 3000 lb boat weekly during the summers, and have done several 12+ hour trips with loaded uhaul trailers that had to be up near the 3500 lb limit. No clanks/pops with the uhaul trailers. The boat trailer has surge brakes, so I get a clank sound when braking with it. (the jeep slows, the trailer moves toward the jeep, and whatever parts are in there contact each other and then actuate the trailer brakes). It has gotten worse as the trailer ages. Took me a while to figure out what was causing it, but I can actually hear that the noise is coming from the back, doesn't sound like it's from the engine bay like you are hearing.
https://www.pepboys.com/product/deta...%2520%25203.8L
The bumper when trying to put on does not slide all the way on because it just hits the hitch frame. I need to trim about half an inch or inch off the underside of the bumper and I should be good to slide it on. Once I get home from work tonight I will drive it around the neighborhood and see if I hear anything. Depending on my kids and my wife's mood maybe I will have her tag along or separately in another car alongside me to be better able to locate exactly where the sound is coming from