Mickey - I did computer support for 40+ years and so many times I just jumped in to the hard stuff to fix and completely skipped past the easy stuff like is it plugged in? or is it turned on? Have you tried to just jack that wheel off the ground and turned it to hear/feel. Removed the wheel and inspected it for foreign debris, brake pads. Since it happens every wheel rotation I'd start there. All the parts replaced is good for regular maintenance.
This is a saga that doesn't want to end. For a recap the noise is a metallic/binding "click-clack" noise (no grinding) that happens with each tire rotation but ONLY when accelerating and appears to come from under the drivers feet or center console area. The harder the acceleration the louder the noise and there is a slight vibration that I think is associated with it. The noise is not RPM or gear dependent. As I accelerate with the transmission shifting and rpm's changing the noise does not change. Above 40 mph it doesn't seem really noticeable because the tires are rotating fast enough and wind noise but I can still feel the vibration when I accelerate. The noise started after the lift and has grown slightly louder over time. At this point I am literally about to attempt an action movie scene where I hang from the bottom of the car while someone accelerates so I can pin-point the noise (not really but I'm definitely frustrated).
Initially I replaced the front CV axles with Cardon Select reman's and when that didn't work I installed a new front driveshaft but it also made no difference. So next I thought maybe transfer case chain or internal bearing/bushing so I swapped the transfer case for one with only 84k miles. The noise persisted un-changed! Next I thought maybe the original 12 year old rear drive shaft had a bad u-joint I couldn't feel so I replaced it with a new steel driveshaft with serviceable u-joints. The noise persists but slightly louder now!! Finally I thought maybe rear diff ring gear issue because two things 1) now that the noise is slightly louder maybe the new steel shaft is resonating noise from the rear diff more than the aluminum and 2) the noise occurs with each tire rotation, not driveshaft rotation. But since I don't have any differential experience I decided to take it to a 4x4 professional for a diagnosis. He blew away my theory and said front CV axles, even though i replaced them 5k miles ago (I told him this but he persisted). Sooooo I went out and bought new not reman front CV's and dug into replacing them along with my LCA's since the bushings were looking a little old. The noise persists but even louder now!!!
The transfer case and front differential changes didn't change the noise level or frequency at all. The only things that have affected the noise (by making it louder) was the rear driveshaft and new front CV axles, otherwise everything I have done hasn't affected the noise at all. At this point the noise is louder than my new Magnaflow exhaust.
So far I have done the following:
2" RR lift w/ Bilstein shocks (21.5 hub center to flare)
1.25" spacers
255/70R17 tires
JBA UCA's
OEM LCA's w/ new bushings
OEM sway bar links
Moog Sway bar bushings
Timkin front L/R hubs
NEW Carquest front L/R CV axles
Low mileage front differential w/ new bushings (Amsoil fluid+mopar additive)
New front driveshaft
Low mileage transfer case (Mopar fluid)
New rear steel driveshaft
Rear differential Amsoil fluid+mopar additive
Mickey - I did computer support for 40+ years and so many times I just jumped in to the hard stuff to fix and completely skipped past the easy stuff like is it plugged in? or is it turned on? Have you tried to just jack that wheel off the ground and turned it to hear/feel. Removed the wheel and inspected it for foreign debris, brake pads. Since it happens every wheel rotation I'd start there. All the parts replaced is good for regular maintenance.
I come from a computer support background to so I totally understand your comment about skipping the easy stuff. But I have jacked it up and spun the wheels and everything feels fine, it also only makes the noise when accelerating ie. under some level of load/torque. As for debris everything is clean, I've quadruple checked that 10 times over. I thought maybe brake calipers so I even pulled the caliper and pads then hung the caliper with something stuffed in them so my brakes would work and drove around my parking garage. The noise didn't change so I know it isn't a rotor/caliper/pad issue. Thanks for the reply.
Yup, when I first bought it the bushing was toast so that was replaced before the lift. Also the replacement front diff I put in has a good bushing. At this point I am really leaning toward a bad ring gear in the diff and the noise is reverberating down the half shaft and using the hub/rotor as a sound amplifier. But I'm literally chasing anything at this point and throwing money like I'm at the strip club to get this noise fixed.
I've used the action cam and recorded along the front driveshaft, both sides of the front diff, diff side of the half shaft and half shaft ends @ the hubs. The only time you can really hear the noise in a recording is in the passenger hub area which I posted earlier. You can only hear the noise inside the cabin (loudest and you feel it in your feet) or next to a concrete wall through the passenger window.
Yup, when I first bought it the bushing was toast so that was replaced before the lift. Also the replacement front diff I put in has a good bushing. At this point I am really leaning toward a bad ring gear in the diff and the noise is reverberating down the half shaft and using the hub/rotor as a sound amplifier. But I'm literally chasing anything at this point and throwing money like I'm at the strip club to get this noise fixed.
I've used the action cam and recorded along the front driveshaft, both sides of the front diff, diff side of the half shaft and half shaft ends @ the hubs. The only time you can really hear the noise in a recording is in the passenger hub area which I posted earlier. You can only hear the noise inside the cabin (loudest and you feel it in your feet) or next to a concrete wall through the passenger window.
No DTC's. Noise and vibration are manageable (magnaflow and radio help some) I don't like it because it usually means something isn't right and I hate ticking time bombs. I think I'm going to order some new diff fluids and pull the front diff cover this weekend and look for damaged gears.
I've listened to a couple videos of bad CV half shafts and it sounds very similar to mine but I've replaced one side twice and the other three times already, along with the the hubs twice on passenger and once on the drivers side.
And my shaft angles are minimal at rest, 21.5" hub to fender so it's not like I'm over extending them.
No DTC's. Noise and vibration are manageable (magnaflow and radio help some) I don't like it because it usually means something isn't right and I hate ticking time bombs. I think I'm going to order some new diff fluids and pull the front diff cover this weekend and look for damaged gears.
I've listened to a couple videos of bad CV half shafts and it sounds very similar to mine but I've replaced one side twice and the other three times already, along with the the hubs twice on passenger and once on the drivers side.
And my shaft angles are minimal at rest, 21.5" hub to fender so it's not like I'm over extending them.
This weekend I tried another fix. I found several TSB's for 2011+ Jeep Grand Cherokee's, Chrysler Pacificia's, and Ford Explorer/Taurus's about the CV axles causing a click/clack noise. Their solution was a metal washer between the CV axle face and wheel hub. So I ordered the washers for the Grand Cherokee and installed them along with my extra front diff. The noise didn't change. Still there in all its annoying glory. However, my front diff now has new seals, fluid and Creative Steel Daily Driver poly bushings. I guess the bright side to all of this is that each time I do something I am making it that much more reliable.
At this point I am about to leave the noise since it doesn't appear to be serious or I would have found it by now. I will update if one day I find the source. If anyone knows an amazing vehicle sound diagnoser let me know and I might indulge their expertise.
Bought a remote vibration microphone off Amazon and used it around the problem areas. The noise is definitely coming form the front passenger spindle. This only leaves the CV axle and/or Front Hub and/or Brake Rotor/pads as possible causes. Since there is no vibration when braking and the noise stayed on the passenger side when I swapped my rotor/pads side to side this only leaves the CV axle or Hub. If the issue was with the hub then one of the 3 hubs I put in should have fixed this. So this really leaves just the CV axle as the culprit. I have had 2 aftermarket reman CV axles and 1 aftermarket new CV axle so I am hoping the issue is with using aftermarket CV axles. I ordered a NEW OEM Mopar CV axle today and will install this week. Hoping for something!!
Mine has started to develop this exact noise over the course of this winter (and I did lift and tires in November before all the snow). I am curious... So much ice and snow here right now, I am not freaking out about it...yet.
Bought a remote vibration microphone off Amazon and used it around the problem areas. The noise is definitely coming form the front passenger spindle. This only leaves the CV axle and/or Front Hub and/or Brake Rotor/pads as possible causes. Since there is no vibration when braking and the noise stayed on the passenger side when I swapped my rotor/pads side to side this only leaves the CV axle or Hub. If the issue was with the hub then one of the 3 hubs I put in should have fixed this. So this really leaves just the CV axle as the culprit. I have had 2 aftermarket reman CV axles and 1 aftermarket new CV axle so I am hoping the issue is with using aftermarket CV axles. I ordered a NEW OEM Mopar CV axle today and will install this week. Hoping for something!!
Yes, please keep us posted. I developed a click/clack after thanksgiving that sounded like the rear brakes or drive shaft. I've jacked up the rear end a dozen times and can't replicate it when stationary. The click/clack is now gone but a vibration develops around 25-30 mph and the vehicle feels like its dragging. if I shift it into neutral the vibration goes away. Is the driveshaft under load in neutral? I'm pulling my hair out. Both Diffs and transfer case got new fluids last June.
Lesson learned about OEM vs Aftermarket. After using the microphone and honing in on the passenger spindle area I decided to try for a 4th time replacing the CV half shaft but this time I bit the bullet and bought OEM at $275 (vs $80 for 'new' Advance Auto). A friend talked me off the ledge of buying the RCV Ultimate axles with my credit card and convinced me to do the OEM first.
So don't cheap out on drive train parts, spend the extra bucks and be happy it is fixed the first time.
Time to bask in my Magnaflow exhaust tones and only those tones.
Lesson learned about OEM vs Aftermarket. After using the microphone and honing in on the passenger spindle area I decided to try for a 4th time replacing the CV half shaft but this time I bit the bullet and bought OEM at $275 (vs $80 for 'new' Advance Auto). A friend talked me off the ledge of buying the RCV Ultimate axles with my credit card and convinced me to do the OEM first.
So don't cheap out on drive train parts, spend the extra bucks and be happy it is fixed the first time.
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Time to bask in my Magnaflow exhaust tones and only those tones.
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