Small knock noise

[Mgaylord]

@Mgaylord I had some similar issues you are describing, but a substantial clunk when the wheel drops on the other side of a bump. I was especially getting it when driving off a flat surface with ~2" sudden drop. Since the (then stock) UCA could not reach the spring when jacked up, and saw no rubbing of the spring paint in that area, I figure that was not it. I became convinced it was the shock topping out due to almost no remaining downtravel and a massive amount of preload from the long/stiff coil. I still think that was the case but one can never be 100% certain. Another thing to consider is your CV joints. Your photo looks like mine did with the inner CV at an extreme angle. One concern is consistently running at that angle, another is over-angling it, and another is wearing out the boot with those rubber ribs stacked. Now, that said, I've been without swaybar for over a year and not actually had any problem with CVs. Just a caution. Your KJ is very high at 23". When you jack up the front, what does it drop to - 24"?

I will have to measure the drop next time I have it jacked up. Since those pictures I have done a 1 inch cradle drop to help the CV's. That helped a lot. It appears that my springs are very close to the what would be a frame area and I thought maybe it is tapping that area? I don't think it's the shock bottoming out though. We are fixing to do some tinkering with the front end again soon. Replacing lower control arms for one. I will touch back here with an update.

 

[Mgaylord]

Yes that is what it is , spring hitting UCA, plus your clevis bushings are shot
Running without front sway bar is very bad , emergency situation and you have to **** wheel one way or the other, good luck and hold on

Hey Tom I have another question about the clunk noise. I can stick my fingers between the upper control arm and the spring so it looks like I have plenty of clearance there. However the spring is about a 1/8 in or maybe a little more from the side of the frame on the inside but I don't believe it will move to make any noise there? I was looking at my CV axles and moving them up and down they feel pretty solid no real movement. But when I grab the CV axle and move it in and out I can replicate that clunk noise like this CV axle is bottoming out into the hub area. Does this make sense the way I am explaining it? Basically when I slide the CV axle toward the pumpkin and then push it out toward the wheel it replicates that clunk noise hitting the hub area. Can that be the noise that I am hearing when I'm hitting bumps? I drove down a rough gravel road the other day and it is almost a steady clunk noise when the wheels are moving up and down hitting small bumps.

 

[Mgaylord]

Hey Tom I have another question about the clunk noise. I can stick my fingers between the upper control arm and the spring so it looks like I have plenty of clearance there. However the spring is about a 1/8 in or maybe a little more from the side of the frame on the inside but I don't believe it will move to make any noise there? I was looking at my CV axles and moving them up and down they feel pretty solid no real movement. But when I grab the CV axle and move it in and out I can replicate that clunk noise like this CV axle is bottoming out into the hub area. Does this make sense the way I am explaining it? Basically when I slide the CV axle toward the pumpkin and then push it out toward the hub it replicates that clunk noise hitting the hub. Can that be the noise that I am hearing when I'm hitting bumps? I drove down a rough gravel road the other day and it is almost a steady clunk noise when the wheels are moving up and down hitting small bumps.

I guess this is a nevermind lol. I went out and just moving the jeep around in the driveway and paying attention to the uca and spring, they get very close. So I am going to assume that is where the noise is still coming from. How do we fix this? I did put new lower control arms on so all those bushings are now new also.

 

[jeeptorino68]

JBA upper control arms will have more clearance for the lift/springs so they wont contact

 

[duderz7]

My jba's do make contact, but I probably have a little too much lift. I slipped a piece of rubber oil line over the offending coil and it quieted it down some.

 

[Mgaylord]

JBA upper control arms will have more clearance for the lift/springs so they wont contact

I do have JBA's. I may be lifted just a little too much to completely clear. I am dead on 23 in from center of hub to rounded corner of fender flare. It's just very annoying driving on some of these Management area roads makes a lot of racket.

 

[Mgaylord]

As soon as my alignment guy gets out of quarantine we're putting the Jeep on the rack and we're going to work on the alignment and work on some other little ideas and see if we can straighten some of that out.

 

[Mgaylord]

Hey Tom I have another question about the clunk noise. I can stick my fingers between the upper control arm and the spring so it looks like I have plenty of clearance there. However the spring is about a 1/8 in or maybe a little more from the side of the frame on the inside but I don't believe it will move to make any noise there? I was looking at my CV axles and moving them up and down they feel pretty solid no real movement. But when I grab the CV axle and move it in and out I can replicate that clunk noise like this CV axle is bottoming out into the hub area. Does this make sense the way I am explaining it? Basically when I slide the CV axle toward the pumpkin and then push it out toward the wheel it replicates that clunk noise hitting the hub area. Can that be the noise that I am hearing when I'm hitting bumps? I drove down a rough gravel road the other day and it is almost a steady clunk noise when the wheels are moving up and down hitting small bumps.

Still curious about the CV axle movement if someone will chime in. There may not be any issues with it but I just want to make sure. Meanwhile we haven't messed with the jeep anymore yet on the alignment

 

[tommudd]

If you can move it out that much are you sure its tightened down correctly
also if you replaced the CV recently did you replace the Intermediate shaft?

 

[Mgaylord]

If you can move it out that much are you sure its tightened down correctly
also if you replaced the CV recently did you replace the Intermediate shaft?

It is tightened. And we haven't replaced them. My first thought was oh no it's loose but it isn't. There is no other play in them at all.