Over the last week I've an occasional rumble at low speeds. It sounds like driving over rumble strips. I'm noticing it when I drive over large speed bumps (the 5 mph kind), or turn, maybe hitting a small bump during the turn.

Could this be a torque converter shudder? My 2003 KJ has about 120,000 miles on it. The engine, torque converter and transmission are all original.

It also sounds like it could be a tire issue, but the tires look okay.

I'm not hearing the rumble at highway speeds, but do hear and feel other things that I can't describe that make me wonder if something is up with the torque converter or transmission. For example there doesn't seem to be as much acceleration, like there's too much slippage.

The front end suspension and drive train are all pretty new. I can't think of any component there with more than 20,000 miles on it. I just replaced the UCAs and got an alignment. There were no issues.

I was planning on taking the KJ on a ~2500 mile trip to CO. Maybe I need to rethink that plan.

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2003 Liberty, ARB bumper w fogs and KC SlimLites
Front Franky II HD, rear OME948 w Rancho RS9000/XL shocks
LT245/75R16C Duratracs on Moabs
4.10 gears, front & rear ARB lockers, Boulder Bars, AFE Stage 2 intake
Surco rack w BajaRack jerry can holder
Cobra 75 WX ST

06 LJ Rubi, 3.5" RE SA and 33" BFG KM2s, GenRight tank

This mystery was basically solved. Eventually I figured out that the rumble noise only happened when I was turning left. The noise was nothing but the tire rubbing in the wheel well, presumably at the pinch weld. The pinch welds were beat down long ago, with the liners flattened with a heat gun. When the tires were new, there would be occasional wheel rubbing on both sides in hard turns. The tires are pretty old now, so it's rare that I hear any rubbing. That's why I didn't recognize the noise. Really I don't think I was turning sharp enough to expect rubbing.

I took it to my regular repair shop to figure out what was going on. The bigger part of the story is that the driver side front axle shaft had come out of the differential (about "1-1/2 inches"). I didn't see it, but I guess that means the axle was supported by the axle bearing (otherwise how could you drive at all), but the splines were disengaged from the differential. Maybe this explains the sounds I heard driving over bumps. (Axle is bouncing around because it's not engaged.)

I replaced the UCAs a few weeks ago. My guess as to what happened is that I displaced the steering knuckle and other stuff when the UCA was off enough to pop the shaft out. (?) Because the struts never came out I wasn't worrying about that kind of thing.

I'm not 100% sure that's what happened but it's the only explanation I can think of.

I worked with a different service manager than I normally do. He was clearly mistrustful of the lift and thought it might have popped out under normal use at full extension. I really, really don't think so. I've had this particular lift for 20,000 miles and had a similar one previously for about 50,000 miles.

They replaced the axle shaft seal and the inner CV boot. The cost was pretty reasonable.

Everything appears fine now.

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2003 Liberty, ARB bumper w fogs and KC SlimLites
Front Franky II HD, rear OME948 w Rancho RS9000/XL shocks
LT245/75R16C Duratracs on Moabs
4.10 gears, front & rear ARB lockers, Boulder Bars, AFE Stage 2 intake
Surco rack w BajaRack jerry can holder
Cobra 75 WX ST

06 LJ Rubi, 3.5" RE SA and 33" BFG KM2s, GenRight tank

Glad to hear you was able to get it figured out and fixed. I had an occasional rumble on my KJ that I think was the Ujoint.

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2010 Jeep JK - Mango Tango
TeraFlex 2.5 suspension lift
Rancho RS9000Xl adjustable shocks
Tom Woods 1310 Front driveshaft
JKS Quicker front Disconnects
Synergy 1.75" Wheel spacer