Clicking noise from front end

[BlacXJeep]

Whenever I stop I hear 3 or 4 clicks/pops coming from the front end. It sounds like its coming from the drivers side. I also noticed it sometimes does it when turning the wheel, and then I noticed a slight sqealing sound while driving it on the highway this afternoon. My best guesses are, hub assembly, loose lug nuts, or a U joint. I guess it could be a shock bushing but considering my shocks are fairly new I doubt it. The sound seems to be eminating from right underneath the floor board, near were that ujoint is, and I can kind of feel it through the brake pedal as well as the steering wheel. Still need to fix that leaky seal on that side of the axle, so if its the hub assembly it will be conveinient to do all at once i guess. I got underneath and shook sh*t around but I don't really know what I'm looking for so much. What do u guys think?

[BlacXJeep]

Also My ABS light has been on for some time and My brakes really need to be done. Could the clicking have to do with the ABS? maybe a cracked rotor? I'm going to try tightening the master cylinder cap, maybe the popping/clicking sound is coming from that. Just worried that this is something that will get progressively worse.

[kirksjeep]

Since you need to do the brakes,  knock them out and see if that fixes it.  Since you also need to fix the axle seal, which requires you to pull the shaft, replace the U-joint.  It is not a bad idea to replace the passenger side one too.  When you pull the shaft you will be able to tell if the hub assembly is bad.

[BlacXJeep]

Since you need to do the brakes,  knock them out and see if that fixes it.  Since you also need to fix the axle seal, which requires you to pull the shaft, replace the U-joint.  It is not a bad idea to replace the passenger side one too.  When you pull the shaft you will be able to tell if the hub assembly is bad.

What should I look for to check the hub assembly? Looks like I'll be dedicating a weekend to wrenching soon.

[flexj]

I had a clicking noise in the front of my car once.  The shop told me that I had spun a muffler bearing, and they wanted $1200 to replace it.  I was able to talk them down to just $850, and when I picked up the car, it was good as new!!

[BlacXJeep]

I'll check the muffler bearing with my metric hammer, maybe the nut behind the wheel needs a few good whacks. Or its something in my cadillac converter. lol muffler bearings do exist. the early dodge stealth had a kind of a 2 stage exhaust system with an electrically operated flap and motor at the entrance to a muffler, that opened and closed depending on eng rpm, and veh speed. these flaps were mounted to shafts that had a small bearing at each end. as you may expect, these bearings bound up due to exhaust carbon and trash, and they became noisey and inoperable.

[flexj]

They had to install the muffler right in front of the EG performance muffler.

[kirksjeep]

Since you need to do the brakes,  knock them out and see if that fixes it.  Since you also need to fix the axle seal, which requires you to pull the shaft, replace the U-joint.  It is not a bad idea to replace the passenger side one too.  When you pull the shaft you will be able to tell if the hub assembly is bad.

If it is bad it will have play to it and/or it will not spin smooth.  My 01 XJ with 196K on it still has the original hub assembly as far as I can tell and they are fine.  U-joints usually wear out a lot faster then the hub bearings.  You will need a 32mm socket get the hub assembly off the shaft and an impact wrench will make you life much easier. 

 

What should I look for to check the hub assembly? Looks like I'll be dedicating a weekend to wrenching soon.

[PaulW]

They had to install the muffler right in front of the EG performance muffler.

They put in 2 mufflers??

[flexj]

I meant they put the muffler bearing in front of the muffler.

[PaulW]

Why would they do that?

[BlacXJeep]

hey leaf blower boy I don't care about your rice eating dual muffler gofast car, i'm trying to figure out how to fix my junk 

[calvynandhobbs]

hey leaf blower boy I don't care about your rice eating dual muffler gofast car, i'm trying to figure out how to fix my junk 

  That made me laugh out loud at my desk.

I agree with Kirk said. If you know you need brakes do those first and see if it clears up. If your brakes are real bad you could have pieces of brake shoe laying in there and making noise along with warped rotors.

[kirksjeep]

hey leaf blower boy I don't care about your rice eating dual muffler gofast car, i'm trying to figure out how to fix my junk 

 

[BlacXJeep]

Yeah well, I kinda figured that I should wait to do my brakes but you know how it is. You start hearing a new noise and everytime you hear it you get more an more paranoid about it. Either way I need to do u-joints probably and that axle seal. Waiting on that damn bonus to do my brakes too. Just wanted some feedback. Thanks guys and I'm glad I could make you laugh.