Grand Cherokee clunking

[JackstandJohnny]

on the way to work (and noticed it last night) jeeps making bad noises when under acceleration. its clunking and grinding real bad, at least thats what it sounds like. sounds like its coming from the front. so at a stop light i revved the engine and nothing. no bad sounds, it also did not do it while coasting, i dropped it into neutral and revved engine. still no bad clunks. this leads me to believe its something like a u joint or CV join (as the WJ only has CVs up front and on the drive shaft) again, only under acceleration can i notice it.

does anyone have any ideas? like i said, i'm thinking its a ujoint somewhere or a Cv. tonight i can crawl underneith it and check for play, but until then it will drive me nuts.
any ideas?

[Bnine]

CV should be quiet until turned. If doing a uturn and the CV clunks, bangs, grinds, then thats a sign its going bad.

With luck it might be a driveshaft.

Without luck, it might be that AWD system that are so infamous for blowing up on WJ's. Good luck, hopefully its the later.

[JackstandJohnny]

thanks bill. its definitely doing it while going in a straight line.  and its definitely while under acceleration...  by AWD system do you figure its just teh 247 tcase?  cause i've ZERO qualms about swappin in a 242

i will be able to crawl around underneith tonight or tomorrow to take a real look, and test driveshafts, hopefully its a stupid ujoint. if not,  ummmmmmmmm............

[Bnine]

I've only ever had one in that wasnt working, and it was quiet about it. Just never had 4wd. My experience with that awd is limited to say the least.

But yeah, it should be in the case. Thats where I beleive the viscous coupler that controls the awd resides.

My money is on the front shaft. Fingers crossed.

[JackstandJohnny]

my fingers are crossed to. i always thought when u had a bad VC you also couldn't turn worth a damn. well the jeep is still fine wheel lock to lock, so i'm bettin driveshaft too...... or i guess, ujoint on the driveshaft. or the CV joint thingy at the axle end...... oye tonight will tell

[LifesGrand]

Does it have the double cardon u joint assembly on the t-case end of the drive shaft?
If so, I'll bet dollars to doughnuts the ball bearing inside this assembly has failed.
I've already gone through 2 on mine, I think greasing this assembly is part of reg maintenance.

[cLAY]

Did you have the "angry squirrels" sound leading up to the clunking? This often signals that the CV in the front shaft is failing.

[JackstandJohnny]

possibly clay. kind of like a chattering kind of deal?  i think so. there are also some big clunks too.  hopefully i can diagnose tomorrow

[cLAY]

Just reach under and give the front shaft a good shake. It shouldn't move, turn a bit maybe but shouldn't move laterally.

[JackstandJohnny]

hey clay, i gave it a shake, and yea its VERY loose.

which will bring me to next question.  its got some sort of CVs on both ends. can i just get replacement parts from auto value (and ummmm, how the heck do i change it?)

or do i pull the shaft and brng it in to get rebuilt or something?

[esi]

Drive systems  has replacement CVs. Or you could switch out the drive shaft for a U-joint shaft. I got one from Jeep Stuff  $200 for  a shaft and maching diff hub, Then your U-joints go bad you can change them yourself.

[JackstandJohnny]

i'd like that, and would think of doing it if i were to swap tcases. but this thing has a CV on both ends. it must be a GC thing or something......

[JackstandJohnny]

so took the driveshaft off, and i effectively grenaded the CV joint at the tcase end.  went to pats and they had a driveshaft in stock.  just easier than waiting for the replacement CV and hoping it would work (price difference minimal)
so grands back up and running

[Immortal]

yay!! go team GC!!

[JackstandJohnny]

it'll be good to go for 101 Trev!