I have a serious drivetrain issue and I need your help now!!

Budke · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 12:51 pm

Ok, well I'm going down the road and all is fine. Then I hit a stop light and as I accelerate I hear this sound. Its a metal on metal sound and its like grinding and like a thumping type sound too. I can feel it in the drivers seat. It sounds like it coming from the front right assembly. It happens when I first accelerate but when I let off the gas and get back into it it stops. It also happens sometimes when I make right turns.
I'm sitting in a mcdonalds parking lot right now and I need to know whatt the problem should be so I know if I should keep driving or not.

TAHOE · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 1:04 pm

I bet you got a CV joint going out. or maybe wheels bearing. Probably shouldn't drive if it worries you... and it happened all of a sudden. Something has let go. Can you crawl under there and shake the front driveshaft going to the wheel? see if there is any play in it... maybe a little is norm, but if a lot, theres' your prob.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 1:09 pm

1) CVs
2) front Driveshaft

first two things I would look at

Budke · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 1:26 pm

Well it only happens at low speeds. When I get up to speed it stops. I'm looking at it now, I habe it jacked up and the wheel off. The cv is what connects the front diff to the wheel right? Well if it is it has a lil play, like 1/32 of play. I don't think I can check the wheel bearing and the front driveshaft moves like 1/16-1/8 before the rotors move when I turn it with my hand.
It started like a week ago and I was worried about it and my friends told me its just mud in my suspension. After I got moving it would go away and wouldn't come back for a while then it would come back

.

Budke · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:46 pm

I think i found the problem. The front driveshaft has a lot of play in it and when I'm going down the road I can hear a grinding sound coming from right under me.

I'm so mad right now.

STINGN · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:48 pm

if your under 75,000 miles it should be under warranty mine was

Budke · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:56 pm

Its not. I just broke 98k last week.

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 4:20 pm

How have you determined that it has "a lot" of play? The front drive shaft will turn by hand like 1/4 turn, the rear shouldn't move though.

stumpjumper_09 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 4:35 pm

Pull the front drive shaft and see if the noise goes away. I think that everyone here that has really wheeled a kj has replaced the front driveshaft at least once. mine has 45k on it and i just installed a tom woods cause i don't want to have to deal with that piece of #### ever again.

Murphyman · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 4:38 pm

How much work/time/money is involved in replacing the drive shaft?

stumpjumper_09 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 4:44 pm

Oem Replacement-
45 Min
About $350
Can do it in driveway.
Only tool is a 10mm if i remember correctly

Tom Woods -
2 hours
About $420
Atleast need a Good set of jack stands
Remove T case skid
Remove Tranny skid
swap front yoke
remove t case yoke
replace t case seal
install new t case yoke
install drive shaft
Life is good........... :lol:

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 4:55 pm

I have 86K on my stock dealy and I wheel like a crazy person!

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 4:57 pm

Mine gave up at....125,000 :cry:

Budke · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 5:06 pm

Well I can hear it make a grinding noise when I'm moving.
It makes this hardcore like clanking metal on metal sound when i first start moving then after I get up to speed it just makes a grinding noise. Not a loud grinding noise, but you can hear it and it dosen't sound good.

durangotang · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 5:37 pm

stumpjumper_09 wrote:

I think that everyone here that has really wheeled a kj has replaced the front driveshaft at least once.

I guess I've never really wheeled my KJ then :roll:

kskj · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:04 pm

Mine went out at 120,000. I found a used one for $ 90.00 and it's worked fine for the last 30,000 miles.

Quicksilversurf917 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:16 pm

Well I had that same exact problem and I took it into the shop and got new wheel bearings and there are no more sounds

kskj · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:32 pm

Check the rubber seal on the rear of the front driveshaft if it's ripped or gone that is the problem.

Budke · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:30 pm

Well I took off my front driver shaft and drove around for a little bit and the sound was gone. So it was my front drive shaft, the boot on it is gone and the inner rubber seal is cracked. So now I have to start shopping around for a new drive shaft.

oddball · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:37 pm

Bummer. I'm not looking forward to that day....

I have a serious drivetrain issue and I need your help now!!

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