Front end maintenance

[CJfix]

Just replaced the rear "Boomerang", shocks and lower rear control arms on my car. Made noticeable difference. Now turning my attention to front end. This looks a little tougher. Car has over 100,000 on it. Got any pointers on source for good replacement parts? This vehicle has been rock solid off road (4x4 trail rated). But now seems a little squirrely. Would like to bring back that new car tightness.

Advice for parts source and stiffer components welcome.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I'd start with replacing the sway bar bushing and endlinks, see how that does. Most of the front end clunks come from there in my experience, as well as the intermediate shaft.

For brands, the intermediate shafts are all the same on eBay, so just go with the best price.

Sway bar stuff, I've had terrible luck with Moog bushings and end links. Now I have Ramcoa bushings, they're only a week old so it's hard to tell. I've been using Master pro end links from O'reilly's and they seem pretty good for the 7 months.

 

[LibertyTC]

Just replaced the rear "Boomerang", shocks and lower rear control arms on my car. Made noticeable difference. Now turning my attention to front end. This looks a little tougher. Car has over 100,000 on it. Got any pointers on source for good replacement parts? This vehicle has been rock solid off road (4x4 trail rated). But now seems a little squirrely. Would like to bring back that new car tightness.
Advice for parts source and stiffer components welcome.

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HJ's got some good parts advice there...
Then have the wheel alignment done and have em check the front end over good as well. :gr_grin:

 

[profdlp]

Yep: Jeep. A little bird told me...

 

[CJfix]

I guess I am going to give it a shot. Doing new brakes on the rear and starting on the front end. Its funny, it doesn't seem sloppy but under hard steering input it seems softer. At 115k I guess it would.

Is Rock Auto the preferred vendor for upgraded parts? Any other vendors I should look at?

One more thing. The ****** is starting to give off a bit of a whine and gear noise. Is this common? I have changed the fluid twice since having the car (at 16k). It was suggested that I have it "cleaned". Oh yeah. Jeep wants 900 bucks. Really?

 

[tommudd]

I guess I am going to give it a shot. Doing new brakes on the rear and starting on the front end. Its funny, it doesn't seem sloppy but under hard steering input it seems softer. At 115k I guess it would.

Is Rock Auto the preferred vendor for upgraded parts? Any other vendors I should look at?

One more thing. The ****** is starting to give off a bit of a whine and gear noise. Is this common? I have changed the fluid twice since having the car (at 16k). It was suggested that I have it "cleaned". Oh yeah. Jeep wants 900 bucks. Really?

900 for what?
part of the sloopiness is the weak springs in front at 115K.
Rock Auto seems to have its fan base, I still prefer walking into NAPA and buying my parts right there , no waiting, no mixups etc

 

[LibertyTC]

Whine & gear noise..You sure it is the transmission? Jeep likes fresh fluids!
Checked the U- joints?
Transmission, drop the pan & new filter and add Atf+4.
The rear end needs new 75W-90 or 85w-140 gear lube very frequently.
Recommended change is every 12k miles! I do mine every 20k.
If trac-lok limited slip rear diff, needs Mopar LS addiitve as well.
Front Diff: 1.25 Litres GL5 75w-140 (90)
Front Transfer case: 1.4 Litres of ATF+4 .

 

[CJfix]

Whine & gear noise..You sure it is the transmission? Jeep likes fresh fluids!
Checked the U- joints?
Transmission, drop the pan & new filter and add Atf+4.
The rear end needs new 75W-90 or 85w-140 gear lube very frequently.
Recommended change is every 12k miles! I do mine every 20k.
If trac-lok limited slip rear diff, needs Mopar LS addiitve as well.
Front Diff: 1.25 Litres GL5 75w-140 (90)
Front Transfer case: 1.4 Litres of ATF+4 .

Thats good info. I guess I need to read the manual.

I did replace the rear driveshaft u joints.

 

[CJfix]

900 for what?
part of the sloopiness is the weak springs in front at 115K.
Rock Auto seems to have its fan base, I still prefer walking into NAPA and buying my parts right there , no waiting, no mixups etc

The 900.00 was for "power flushing" the manual transmission and replacing with "clean" fluid. The only thing I see getting flushed is my money.

 

[tommudd]

The 900.00 was for "power flushing" the manual transmission and replacing with "clean" fluid. The only thing I see getting flushed is my money.

Power flushing a manual transmission ....900 :emotions34:

 

[LibertyTC]

$900 :Insane: That dealership is prepared to have you....
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[ltd02]

One more thing. The ****** is starting to give off a bit of a whine and gear noise. Is this common? I have changed the fluid twice since having the car (at 16k). It was suggested that I have it "cleaned". Oh yeah. Jeep wants 900 bucks. Really?

I'd suggest going elsewhere. :Insane:

 

[jrsavoie]

I guess I am going to give it a shot. Doing new brakes on the rear and starting on the front end. Its funny, it doesn't seem sloppy but under hard steering input it seems softer. At 115k I guess it would.

Is Rock Auto the preferred vendor for upgraded parts? Any other vendors I should look at?

One more thing. The ****** is starting to give off a bit of a whine and gear noise. Is this common? I have changed the fluid twice since having the car (at 16k). It was suggested that I have it "cleaned". Oh yeah. Jeep wants 900 bucks. Really?

Rockauto has zero customer service. They remind me of an insurance company. Everything is great as long as you pay your bill. But God forbid you have a problem.

I had a problem with one part. I wasted 4 hours - at least, trying to talk to somebody at rock. I left messages, voice mails, Facebook messages, Every method of attempted contact I could think of.

I finally gave up and filed a dispute with my credit card.

rockauto called me back a month or so later to address my problem.

By then I didn't have a problem anymore.

 

[sparky123321]

I use RockAuto often and they've been very responsive and great to work with. One time they sent the wrong y-pipe and getting a return auth was easy and they even shipped the replacement before receiving the part back. As soon as they received shipping confirmation that I shipped the incorrect part back to them the correct part was on the way. They aren't always the lowest price, but most of the time they are and by far.

 

[jrsavoie]

I use RockAuto often and they've been very responsive and great to work with. One time they sent the wrong y-pipe and getting a return auth was easy and they even shipped the replacement before receiving the part back. As soon as they received shipping confirmation that I shipped the incorrect part back to them the correct part was on the way. They aren't always the lowest price, but most of the time they are and by far.

That was my experience until I had an issue

 

[jeepguy4276]

That was my experience until I had an issue

That's how it always goes. I bought a part from driveshaftparts and they were great, I sang their praises. Then a month later the part went bad. I found out how they really work and how they don't stand behind their product. I've never had an issue with rockauto. They return something easily and they stand behind their products. I got a part from them that had a problem a couple months latter and had a new one installed in a week of notifying them. I use them a lot. I'll probably even use them to replace the cv joint from driveshaftparts that was defective when I get time to replace it.

 

[jrsavoie]

That's how it always goes. I bought a part from driveshaftparts and they were great, I sang their praises. Then a month later the part went bad. I found out how they really work and how they don't stand behind their product. I've never had an issue with rockauto. They return something easily and they stand behind their products. I got a part from them that had a problem a couple months latter and had a new one installed in a week of notifying them. I use them a lot. I'll probably even use them to replace the cv joint from driveshaftparts that was defective when I get time to replace it.

How long ago was it that you had an issue with rockauto part?

How did you ever get a hold of anybody to get your issue resolved?

The last time I had an issue with a rockauto part, they contacted me a month or so later to ask how they could help.

 

[jeepguy4276]

How long ago was it that you had an issue with rockauto part?

How did you ever get a hold of anybody to get your issue resolved?

The last time I had an issue with a rockauto part, they contacted me a month or so later to ask how they could help.

I've only had 2 returns with all the parts I've ordered. One,about 3 years ago, was due to damage packaging. I called and got someone right away. They gave me a return auth and I put it in the mail the next day. As soon as it was sent they mailed the new part and I had it in 3 days. The other was a warranty return last spring. I emailed them to file a claim and had a response the next day. They confirmed the part had a warranty for my issue and gave me a return auth. As soon as I mailed it, they sent a new one. The whole process took about 1 1/2 week with shipping.

I was pretty impressed.

 

[scottg]

I only use Rockauto when I need it cheapest, and don't care about a Warranty

But then again, I managed an Autozone, so i get a fairly decent discount (not as good as the one I had at O'Reilly though)