runit3

Randomly last week I got in the Jeep started driving, and heard a clicking sound coming from directly underneath the passenger front wheel well. It is a very clear rotationally associated sound, and makes no difference under load or coasting. The faster I go the faster it clicks.

Thinking it was mud/silt/rocks stuck in my brakes I completely disassembled both front calipers and the rotors. Blasted all the crap off of them w/brake cleaner and compressed air and reassembled everything to torque spec. Sound is still there, and getting worse. When I'm going above 30mph it sounds like I'm going to throw a tire off the studs.

I've greased all the zerks for my CA's, sway bar discos, changed the diff oil and inspected the gears, pulled the axles to check for abnormal wear, nothing. When I look @ my front DS the front appears about 3 degrees off from the matching opposite transfer case angle I don't know if this could be the cause.

If anyone has ideas please fill me in cuz I'm clueless, and starting to worry about something detonating on the road.

ronjenx

Does the rotational frequency seem to match wheel speed, or drive shaft speed?

EstianSwanepoel

Usually if your drive shaft is making contact with anything there will be some vibration too. Is there anything?

runit3

I cant tell if it matches wheel or drive shaft speed. I had my brother drive it while I bear crawled after him and I honestly cant tell. There are no physical obstructions to the DS, plenty of clearance to skid plates, exhaust pipes, etc.

Could it be the carrier or pinion?

falconfixer

No zip ties around the driveshaft, correct?

I always look for the dumb stuff first too....no screws, rocks, railroad spikes jammed into the tire?

I would never recomend this to anyone as I would not do it myself but an "option" is to maybe get her on a lift with all 4 off the ground with someone inside and toss her thru the gears to see if you can replicate it

gimp_dkd

I recently started hearing the same clicking noise. After some research I came across this thread:
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...clicking+sound

gregkuiper

My guess is that the driveshaft next to the transfer case has cracked. Mine sounded like that when it cracked.

jeepoholic

Try pulling the front drive shaft out and driving it down the road to see it still makes the same noise.

runit3

Pulled the front drive shaft. Still there. After a process of elimination I decided to chock the front tires and lift the rear axle...This is what I found If someone tells me this is normal I will shit myself. I'm in the process of pulling the rear passenger to see if there's damage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZlXgcua7fc The clicking sound when I grab the rear passenger wheel and stop it is almost exactly what I heard while driving.

runit3

well apparently it is normal because the rear rotors, pads, axles, and diff all look completely normal w/no abnormal wear.

I'll try and get it into the shop tomorrow and hope for the best...this is ridiculous. Last guess is the transfer case but fluid level is fine and I only have 30k miles