Another problem

[extra-medium]

My Jeep has been running fine, no noises or anything until tonight. I went for a short drive since I just replaced my headlights so I could aim them. I pull out of my driveway and get down to the end of the street and make a right turn. Everything is fine then, and I go a block and make a left turn. Just before I make the left i hear a soft clunking sound. I slow down thinking I have something stuck on my wheel and it gets louder. I went down the street to a parking lot and looked at the underside of my Jeep. The rear drive shaft had about a 1/4" play either way which I believe to be normal. There is no evidence of fluid draining out of the rear diff, axle seals, or transfer case. My front drive shaft isn't in because the double cardan joint needs to be replaced. On the way home I shifted the t-case to 4-hi and I heard a clunk like the chain was meshing with the gears inside, shifted back to 2wd and everything was fine. If I go over 20 mph it is there no matter what, but under 20mph it only has a clunking sound if I am coasting. What thoughts does everyone have as to what it could be?

 

[SteelHeadz]

I could be wrong but i don't think your supposed to drive those GC without a front drive shaft otherwise it would damage the t-case.

 

[extra-medium]

That was one of my thoughts about what happened. I only have the front drive shaft out because if the joint that is bad, but now I also have new tires in the rear so they are a different size than the front, so I have to wait to get my drive shaft fixed and put back in anyways.

Sent from my Exhibit using Jeepz

 

[extra-medium]

I talked to a friend of mine who was a mechanic in the military for the last 4-5 years and he said it sounds like the u joint on the rear drive shaft. I am going to replace it tomorrow, and I have heard if you take the drive shaft out of the transfer case that the fluid will spill out. Can anyone confirm this so I know if I need to buy fluid for my t-case also.

 

[extra-medium]

Apparently it wasn't the u-joint. When I got new tires last week, Discount Tire didn't tighten up the lug nuts all the way, and my left rear tire had already lost 1 lug nut, and the other 4 only had another couple turns until they were all the way off. I tightened them back up and went back to Discount and they replaced all the lug nuts on my Jeep and made sure there was no damage to the wheels or lugs.

 

[FloridaCherokee1988]

So did it fix the clunk? But as far as driving with different size tires I did it for about a month after I swapped mine to 4x4, just never engaged the t-case.

 

[extra-medium]

Yes that fixed it. I am guessing every time my wheel made a revolution it was hitting against the brake disc. Luckily nothing got damaged, but I only drove a total of 1-2 miles with it like that, and at slow speeds. Even if I engaged the t-case it won't do anything since my front drive shaft isn't in. Once I get the constant variable joint replaced I'll put it back in, but by that time I'll have all the same size tires so it won't be a problem.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

You should be okay without the front driveshaft as long as you don't have the full-time transfer case, which it sounds like you don't.

 

[extra-medium]

Nope, I have the 242 with the 2wd option.