Front Strut Access

meh_kick · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:50 am

I’ve been noticing a knocking and squeaking sound for a couple months. Thinking that it was the front swaybar bushings, I let it go. Just yesterday however I noticed the dust cover on the strut a little crooked. Further investigation revealed a little bit of play in the strut (red arrow) and I assume the upper plate nut (red circle) when the suspension is bounced (successfully repeated the knocking sound).

My question is: Since this nut can’t be accessed with the assembly still in the Jeep, how much of the front suspension should I pull out in order to get at it? (Do I really need to remove everything as if I was installing the lift the first time?)
Suggestions and thoughts are appreciated.

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:20 am

prety much. UCA needs to come undone then the top strut bolts. u might be able to pull it out after u losen the stut forks but im not really sure. mine does the same thing and ive been meaning to do it as well so let us know how it goes. i am changing my lift and was going to wait till then.

wildrussian · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:00 am

The whole things needs to come off. It happened to me when I installed my rustys lift first time, I didn't tighten that nut all the way so it was creaking and rattling. I took it all off and tightened the nut and all is well.

Maximum Carnage · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:33 am

meh_kick wrote:

Further investigation revealed a little bit of play in the strut (red arrow)

Is this play you talk about with the vehicle lifted (front wheels off the ground) or non lifted?

meh_kick · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:37 pm

Maximum Carnage wrote:

meh_kick wrote:

Further investigation revealed a little bit of play in the strut (red arrow)

Is this play you talk about with the vehicle lifted (front wheels off the ground) or non lifted?

The Jeep is on its wheels and I had a buddy hop on the bumper. I wanted to replicate the sound heard while driving. As he was flexing the front end, I could visibly see the dust boot wobble and hear the same clunk/squeak. It was rock solid on the other side.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:38 pm

Yup, unhook the sway bar, pop the upper balljoint loose, loosen the clevis bolt and take the bolt out of the fork. Should come right out once you take the bolts out of it.

Make Eddo do it, he is the one that didnt get them tight enough. :lol:

meh_kick · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:11 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Make Eddo do it, he is the one that didnt get them tight enough. :lol:

I am flying to Denver for the weekend... Maybe I'll pack it in my carry-on....

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:42 pm

Flying to Denver ...well there you go, problem solved!

meh_kick · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:02 pm

Any last words of advice? I'm going to try to tackle this thing tonight, but have never pulled the front apart by myself.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:57 pm

Hey you can do it Mitch I am sure of it, easy teardown I will PM you my cell## if you need anything

meh_kick · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:38 pm

So I'm at the point of reassembly. The Upper Ball Joint is spinning as I am tightening the nut below the steering knuckle. Any tips on keeping that thing still?

It only got as far as the nut itself before spinning; no threads from the ball joint are showing through.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:04 pm

Sorry didnt catch your phone call right away, hope youre getting it now!!

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:54 pm

meh_kick wrote:

So I'm at the point of reassembly. The Upper Ball Joint is spinning as I am tightening the nut below the steering knuckle. Any tips on keeping that thing still?

It only got as far as the nut itself before spinning; no threads from the ball joint are showing through.

Not sure if you got it or not, the bottom of the balljoint has a place to put a wrench to hold it while tightening the nut.

If the nut isnt on far enough to expose that, push the control down so that the joint goes down into the knuckle. You may need to jack the Jeep up some from the lower control arm. The joint will hold itself from spinning and you can tighten the nut.

meh_kick · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:33 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

If the nut isnt on far enough to expose that, push the control down so that the joint goes down into the knuckle. You may need to jack the Jeep up some from the lower control arm. The joint will hold itself from spinning and you can tighten the nut.

This is exactly what happened, and Tom told me the same thing. I used a crowbar against the spring and UCA and got it back together.

Thanks guys.

Oh yeah. So after about 1.5 hours of work, I got the nut on the strut to turn exactly ONCE. BUT that was enough to eliminate the squeaks and rattles... <knocks on wood>

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:38 pm

glad that fixed it. mine is doing the same thing but i will have to tear mind down this weekend when i put in my new springs so ill make sure to check that.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:03 pm

Glad you got it all back together !! Plus it fixed the problem!

Tom

Front Strut Access

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