My Rubicon is MY2010 and it has less than 2000miles. I started feeling this clunck about two weeks ago (probably because of warmer weather).

It starts clunking when it warms up, after driving for 10-15 minutes.

I have noticed that when I have the foot on the brake and I wiggle the wheel from side to side I can feel it even better.

 

This is almost how mine looked and I was experiencing just a very light knock in the pedals when wiggling the steering wheel back and forth.

My collar seemed very tight, to the shaft at least (not to the hole) so what I did was straddled the collar with a 9/16" wrench and gave it a couple light taps with a hammer to drive the collar in further (towards the firewall obviously). Low and behold - no more knock.

My jeep is still pretty darn new - 2 months < 3,000 miles, and shows a good amount of lubricant around that bushing. If yours has fallen out completely - give it a good wipe down and fresh lube before pushing it back in. Mine appears tight enough to not need a clamp of any kind, but we'll see what happens over time.... maybe install a compression spring on that short shaft between the collar and knuckle below?

 

I found an old post in the ausjeepoffroad forum. it says:

"FIXED.....

Replaced to shit Stock Jeep bolt, it is an M10 bolt with narrow shank @ like 9mm on the shank

The hole in the Track bar is 10mm and the hole in the diff bracket is 11mm

I Got a High Tensile M10 bolt same length and used the original nut with tab and its not clunking any more"

Does it make sense ?

 

absolutly no effin way i am touching a track bar bolt, feel free and try it out for us and report back... lol... or this could also be the cause of the DW oh no i am causing a fake conspiricy i must be in the military or something....

 

Why not? I replaced mine with bigger size grade 8 ones when I had to weld washers to my wallowed track bar holes. Been over a year with no issue.

 

I start thinking that there could be several kind of clunk.

Reasons of these clunks could be collar, intermediate shaft, some bolt somewhere closer to the wheels. In any case we feel the clunk when the JK warm up, expecially if it's warm outside.

The clunk I feel is clearly due to play in some joint. And I basically feel the clunk basically only when turning the steering wheel counterclockwise (after turning it clockwise). If it was due to the intermediate shaft joint I would feel it in both senses.

Also I doubt that some grease can mechanically reduce this play, unless it's almost solid. Most of the grease would be pushed away rotating the shaft since there is nothing up and down constraining it there. A thin layer of grease would remain there but that wouldn't fill the play.

I wonder if the grease solve the problem because it does something on a thermical point of view ?

 

Well, this morning I had my wife rock the jeep side to side on level ground while I crawled under it and tried to find where the clunk comes from.

The only point where I could clearly feel the "toc" is the pitman arm joint. When I touch the joint I feel the play each time the steering wheel reverse its direction.

 

now that is awsome! it would make sence it is play with a bolt.

 

Just a quick note....but Amsoil has discontinued the 5th wheel grease in the spray can.
They now have a Synthetic Polymeric Truck/Chassis/& Equipment Grease that uses a grease gun to use. There are two different types: #1: This is a less thick formula #2: Product Code: GPTR It is thicker and tacky like the 5th wheel grease, and is basically the replacement for the discontinued item. Retail cost is $4.99 + shipping.
Just thought I would let you folks know!

 

Thanks for this. I just ordered mine. I've become convinced that the clunk is related to a grease issue in the driveshaft. It only happens after the Jeep has been at operating temperature for a while, which supports the "factory grease thins as it heats" theory of the clunk. Hopefully this stuff will do the opposite.