Help diagnose my broke ass jeep

[Cruiser]

Here's the back story.

I've got a rusty little 93 YJ 4L manual that I drive around in when I don't want to take my school bus. Yesterday I was heading to the grocery and I went through a right hand turn at like 15mph. Felt a slight slip in the wheels while exiting the turn almost like I had lost traction a bit after going through some water (pavement was dry though). After that I heard a clank clank clank noise that got faster or slower with the speed of the vehicle. In gear and on the accelerator it was louder then out of gear or in gear but not on the gas. But in or out of gear it was still present. Limped it home and jacked it up in the rear. Both tires turn freely and the drive shaft will spin too. When I spin the tires quickly I can start to hear the repetitive clanking that I got while I was driving but it's faint. Nothing underneath has any excessive play in it. Rear diff is leaking some fluid from the input side (and maybe some around the cover seal as well) but nothing more than usual since it's a '93 with ~200k on the clock.

So, what's wrong with it? Will update the thread once the pro's look at it tomorrow. That way we'll have some closure. But, why not throw out some really outlandish theories about what might be broke?

[Art Shirk]

wheel bearing? But not sure why that would make a difference in or out of gear. I'll let a pro tell you why my suggestion is dumb.

[mcski]

9/11

[Cruiser]

Oh shit Mc! Are you thinking it was the god damned terrorists that did this? That never even occurred to me. I fucking hate terrorists. Especially the orange ones.

@CL: That would be super nice since a wheel bearing would be much cheaper to fix than a rear diff (which is my guess).

[digitaldeath]

i have 98 tj

i dont think the rear diff would make clanking sounds - more like high pitch screams

my guess and i know little, transfer case


could be broken drum brake too

[downvalleytrash]

When my TJ's rear diff went (due to very poorly adjusted drum brakes I think) it was a whining sound, IIRC, not a clanking.

Cheap fix though, just bought a used D30 for $50 from a guy that was putting in a D44.

[TAFKALVS]

Bad rear driveline ujoint.

[Cruiser]

^^^ Oh, I like that one best of all. Let's go with that.

But it still begs the question. Were the god damned terrorists responsible? And, if so, was it the orange ones?

[Brock Landers]

You ran someone over

[wooley12]

Put a big screwdriver in your ear (handle in ear, blade to Jeep parts) and locate the part that the clank is coming from. Report back.

My guess now is broken gear tooth in the diff. And Pittsburgh over Washington by 17.

[El Chupacabra]

Spider gear in the rear diff?

[digitaldeath]

Bad rear driveline ujoint.

ya u joints! good call



i need drum brake replaced on TJ -- can anyone fly in to minneapolis and hook me up?

[wooley12]

Spider gear in the rear diff?

Hope not. I just went for the most expensive to fix as my guess. U joint would be better for you and possible. Find the clicking.

[LightRanger]

Driveshaft fell off the back of the transfer case on my old XJ a few years back.

Easier to diagnose than your issue.

[BmillsSkier]

Probably the overhead rotary girder.

[berko]

7th fetzer valve?

[BmillsSkier]

Either way, I'd grab some ball bearings, gauze pads, and a quart of antifreeze.

Prestone, no wait, Quaker State.

[Cruiser]

Drove that sucker over to the mechanic. It was not sounding happy on the way. We'll see what they say tomorrow but something if definitely wrong underneath. F'in terrorists...

[reckless toboggan]

Seems like you're describing a worn/broken CV joint.

[wooley12]

It's a 20 y o car with a 70 y o design. No CV's I think.

Good luck cruiser. Bring baked goods when you go to see what they found.

[adrenalated]

Pretty sure the axlerod is leaking, and you should probably change your blinker fluid while you're at it.

[digitaldeath]

The front has u joints. The back is a fixed axle

[TAFKALVS]

It's a 20 y o car with a 70 y o design. No CV's I think.

Good luck cruiser. Bring baked goods when you go to see what they found.

The output shaft on the transfer case has a cv joint type deal if I recall.

[powder monkey]

You answered your own question in the title "jeep"!

[warthog]

My guess is that your limited slip axle is now fully slipping.
Were you in 4wd on dry pavement?