So I have a clunk whenever you step on the accelerator, or let off of it. Also a pretty significant vibration at various speeds on part throttle. Goes away if you accelerate harder or coast.

Nothing looks or feels loose underneath. My thought is to take off the driveshaft, put it in 4wd and drive around on the front hardware. If the noise/vibration is gone, I can assume it is the driveshaft. If it’s not gone, I can assume at least the driveshaft is good.

Does this make sense? Any reason it won’t work, or do some damage?

Thanks.

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2006 Liberty CRD.

What you said sounds like a typical driveshaft issue, but you can also have a bad tire (bubble), a bad wheel, lost some of the balancing weights etc. I had an issue with other vehicle where I had custom rims, but the rims did not have center caps, so they were "almost" centered, weird thing was that it was shaking more noticeable on load than coasting, when was almost unnoticeable. Took me 2 alignment and balancing to realize that... If you checked those obvious things, it is worth what you said, but if you never replaced the U joints, considering how cheap they are, it is probably worth just replacing them, since you take out the axle anyways, most likely if the cause is from the drive shaft that would be from the u joints (or bent drive shaft, which you'd know for sure from scuffmarks).

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2005 kj CRD, samco, suncoast tc, provent, Kennedy lift pump, GDE ECO full torque, 2nd gen filter head, 245/70/16 a/t tires, mopar light bar, fumoto oil valve, OEM Skid Plates, ARB Front bumper and HD OME, tru cool LPD47391 40k GVW tranny cooler (stock cooler delete), FF Dynamics e-fan and shroud, rocker arms replaced, HDS2 190F thermostat.

That makes sense, thanks. I don’t think badly balanced wheels would stop vibrating when I let up on the accelerator, would it?

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2006 Liberty CRD.

I agree, the vehicle should shake regardless on the engine load, in case of improper balanced wheels. As long as you did not hit something to bend the wheel, something in the drive line or bubble a tire, which you would know for sure...

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2005 kj CRD, samco, suncoast tc, provent, Kennedy lift pump, GDE ECO full torque, 2nd gen filter head, 245/70/16 a/t tires, mopar light bar, fumoto oil valve, OEM Skid Plates, ARB Front bumper and HD OME, tru cool LPD47391 40k GVW tranny cooler (stock cooler delete), FF Dynamics e-fan and shroud, rocker arms replaced, HDS2 190F thermostat.

So the rear ujoint is totally shot. Now we’ll see how 15 years of rust comes apart…

Thanks for the advice guys.

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2006 Liberty CRD.

Don't forget to apply thick grease to the spline of the slip yoke, it might be where your "clunk" is from !

Will do, thanks.

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2006 Liberty CRD.

Get greasable ujoint and grease it every 3-5000 miles. Got mine from Napa years ago. Also, if you apply some pb blaster on the retainer wire (that you need to remove to pop the ujoint out), at 20 min interval few times, you'll help with the rust . Before use a wire brush is it is very rusty. You can replace pb blaster w break fluid if you want, although I find pb blaster better when it is a lot of rust.

Good you identified the problem, that's the hardest thing sometimes...

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2005 kj CRD, samco, suncoast tc, provent, Kennedy lift pump, GDE ECO full torque, 2nd gen filter head, 245/70/16 a/t tires, mopar light bar, fumoto oil valve, OEM Skid Plates, ARB Front bumper and HD OME, tru cool LPD47391 40k GVW tranny cooler (stock cooler delete), FF Dynamics e-fan and shroud, rocker arms replaced, HDS2 190F thermostat.

Thanks Thermorex. I was worried about diagnosing it too, but luckily (or is it unluckily) this ujoint was in such bad shape it was obvious. I even took a video of it, but cant’t figure out how to post it. Let’s just say there was a lot of play in it.

I like the idea of a greasable one. It seems like it has to be better than permanently lubricated.

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2006 Liberty CRD.