Front axle/driveshaft shaking when accelerating at low speed

JoshJ04

JoshJ04

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
31
Location
New Jersey
Hey, guys. I have a 1997 TJ 4.0 3 Speed.

When I start to accelerate, my front axle starts to shake and you can feel it through the Jeep and the steering wheel. It only lasts for a few seconds then goes away when you get up to speed. This happens every time I'm stopped and start to go, no matter how lightly I press the gas. It feels like I'm driving over raised rumble strips, but only on the front wheels.

This started today when I was stopped at a stop sign. I lightly pressed the gas pedal and I heard (and felt) a loud bang coming from the front axle. I was going very slow since I just took my foot off the brake. It was like I hit a pot hole going 50mph. The road was somewhat newly paved and I did not see anything in the road. Plus, this was only in the front.

4WD is not engaged either. Any thoughts?
 
Check your front drive shaft for a bad ujoint. You may have to remove it to properly inspect it.
 
I agree, I would pull the drive shaft and do a full inspection of U Joints. They age, not sure how long you’ve had the TJ, but unless you know how old that’s where to start.

If you haven’t done it before, make sure to mark the drive shaft with a paint pen and the pinion and the transfer case. You definitely want to put it back in the same orientation on both ends because the balancing you know is on. I’m so anal I tend to put the strap bolts back in the same location etc.

Before taking off, hand test it as well. Shake and turn the drive shaft, and check each u joint strap bolt.

That’s step 1. If you see nothing wrong, then you can drive it without the front driveshaft.
 
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