Its offical!!!

saabflyer89 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:46 am

Well I bought my first liberty yesterday (CRD) and drove about 250 miles to get her home. Long day especially since my wife and I just flu in from China late Friday night. Over all I am very happy with my jeep but I did have 1 big question to ask about it. While driving I noticed that if you press the gas the butt end feels as if its crabbing to the left just a hair but when you let off the gas she will crab back to the right but this time the feeling is much more pronounced. Its not really really bad but It really kind caught me off guard. I pumped the tires up to around 35 as I wasn't sure of the proper inflation at the time but after getting back in and driving again I remembered that info should be on a door somewhere, either way the feeling did subside some but its still there. My M151 will do this same thing but only when there is a low tire on one side. There is no other noise ie rear end noise and after the 200 mile trek I checked under her and I see no signs of leakage from anything. Thanks again for any ideas

jinstall · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:46 am

Congrats, mayeb the upper or lower control arm bushings in th erear??

Hexus · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:48 am

Check the brake calipers after driving for a warm side, they have beem known to grab. Also put it up in the air and spin the front tires and listen for a WUMP WUMP WUMP (laughing as I type that) as the wheel spins, it will tell you a bearing is going out and might contribute to your "crabbing."

Also, there is a recall on the rear control arms because they have been known to fail, check and see if that recall has been performed, and visually inspect them, they're right out in the open.

What you are experiencing is not at all normal and you need to find and diagnose the problem quickly before it causes a wreck.

saabflyer89 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:51 am

Thanks for the responses, i will look at the control arms this morning, what exactly am i looking for with them, I do know of the wheel bearing noises lol but i do not hear any noises as of yet. thanks

Hexus · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:56 am

saabflyer89 wrote:

Thanks for the responses, i will look at the control arms this morning, what exactly am i looking for with them, I do know of the wheel bearing noises lol but i do not hear any noises as of yet. thanks

You're looking for excessive rust, as you can see by this set they're starting to rust already. They weren't properly painted upon construction so they've been rusting and failing, especially since they were designed with a nice hole to rust through already, and it looks as if the welds weren't allowed to properly cool prior to painting either.

On the front, inspect all the bushings and all of the grease fitting areas for slop, have someone sit in the drivers seat and turn each wheel both ways as you inspect all the moving parts looking for vertical and lateral movement that is not normal, and listening (sometimes that diesel can hide slight noises).

Inspect all these parts on the front:

You do NOT want to see a lower ball joint like this one:

Just my 2 cents though.

:2cents:

**Sorry for the post edits after your reply, was trying to flesh it out a bit more.**

saabflyer89 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:00 am

ok great pic I'll run out and take a look as soon as the sun finishes coming up, if they are not rusted out but a bushing is bad will that cause the crabbing? I'm guessing I could look for a dried out/ cracked bushing anywhere in the rear end. This crabbing isn't because of an axle problem is it? like maybe the axle is trying to fall out of the diff or something like that right?

saabflyer89 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:10 am

Thanks so much for the pics I'm going to get some grub then get right on this, 3 weeks in China with nothing to do, I'm ready to play with something lol.

saabflyer89 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:51 am

Ok I've taken a look underneath and this is what I have found. The front end looks to be in fair to good shape (doesn't look like the photo listed earlier) The rear arm that was photoed earlier with the rust, well mine looks pretty much like that. What is the exact name of this item it kinda doesn't look like a control arm but I'm sure that's what its called, either way where is the best place to buy this? thanks

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 10:01 am

It's a lower control arm - Mopar only

check and see if you have a recall listed - Jeep was doing a recall for folks registered in snow country and replacing them for free
worth checking (jeep web site and enter the last few digits of the ID number)

if not any of the Mopar sites should have them ~ $100 per side
I've had good response from Mopar Parts America - but there are a lot of others too.

saabflyer89 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 10:49 am

Awsome thanks for the info I found a pair of them on E-bay for ony 75 bucks plus free shipping, I'm going to order that now and I have ordered the full timing belt package from IDparts.com as well I hope by next week I will have this jeep all squared away. I'm guessing its safe to say I should not drive this until I get the new control arms in???

Big Montana · **Posted:** Mon Nov 26, 2012 9:51 pm

saabflyer89 wrote:

Awsome thanks for the info I found a pair of them on E-bay for ony 75 bucks plus free shipping, I'm going to order that now and I have ordered the full timing belt package from IDparts.com as well I hope by next week I will have this jeep all squared away. I'm guessing its safe to say I should not drive this until I get the new control arms in???

Did you check for the recall yet? I just had my lower control arms replaced for free a month ago.

Are you doing the timing belt yourself? Don't forget to read the FSM (and this forum) for info and get the proper tools... Having said that, the dealership that replaced my belt last month didn't do either of those things, and I'm still running.

striperman36 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 26, 2012 10:00 pm

watch sir sam's video's on replacing the t-belt get the miller cam and flywheel alignment bolts

saabflyer89 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 27, 2012 9:02 pm

I am on the fence about doing the TB myself, I am a little slow (not in the head) :mrgreen:

and I take my time with things and I know kinda a lot of theory behind mechanics but I don't have a lot of hands on time. I have watched the videos and read the great write up online and believe I can do it myself and save the 750 + I have been quoted by a couple shops in the area, but I'm just a little unsure about getting my hands on someone's tools to do the job. I know some people have done it without the tools but I'm not so sure I'm that skilled. If there was someone in the area that I could go to or could come here I'd gladly pay for their time and teachings. I'll sit and stew over it some more I guess.

Its offical!!!

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