Alright I need help!!
I have been chasing down a popping sound from my Jeep that has been driving me crazy. Let me describe the problem and then the chain of events that got me to begging for help...
I am getting a popping sound under hard acceleration that sounds like its somewhere in the transfer case or rear diff that roughly matches the driveshaft speed. (I haven't actually counted the pops but it is much faster than tire speed.) It only happens under load and heard mostly from a stop. If I accelerate slow enough it will not make any sound at all. It will only make this sound in forward and RWD. If I put the Jeep in 4hi or 4lo it makes no noise. If I run the Jeep in FWD (4hi rear drive shaft removed) it makes no noise. So only in RWD (2hi) and under heavy load does it make the popping.
Now for the lead up...
I broke my front ring and pinion while at Hollister. I ended up getting an HP30, trussed it, put in a truetrac and 4.1 gears. I also got new spring and lifted the Jeep about .75in during the HP30 install. As soon took it out for a test drive and tried to go forward the popping began.
After some investigation it was clear the popping was coming from the rearend. I checked ujoint and they all looked good. I checked the rear diff and the pinion was completely loose, you could easily pull the yoke/pinion in and out of the housing. I tightened the pinion nut back up and the sound still continued. I then got a new pinion bearing set and replaced the pinion bearings thinking they were tossed. While I was pulling the axles out I noticed I had a bad axle and axle bearing. I went ahead and replaced the axle and both axle bearings. The sound continued. I then tried realigning the ring and pinion and could not get the patterns to come in. I then got a new ring and pinion, new pinion bearings and set everything back up. The patterns looked good and it still made no difference in the popping sound.
So now I am confident(ish) that it is not the rear diff making the sound so I began to investigate the TC. While trying to check for chain slop I noticed that my front hub bearing is completely shot. I am in the middle of replacing the hub bearing now but given the sound if from the mid/rear I don't think this will help with the sound.
So to summarize, new HP30, the rear diff has been rebuilt, new bearings and R&P. Ujoints look good and no noticeable movement in the TC yoke or chain slap. What else could it be? Any suggestion are welcome!
I have been chasing down a popping sound from my Jeep that has been driving me crazy. Let me describe the problem and then the chain of events that got me to begging for help...
I am getting a popping sound under hard acceleration that sounds like its somewhere in the transfer case or rear diff that roughly matches the driveshaft speed. (I haven't actually counted the pops but it is much faster than tire speed.) It only happens under load and heard mostly from a stop. If I accelerate slow enough it will not make any sound at all. It will only make this sound in forward and RWD. If I put the Jeep in 4hi or 4lo it makes no noise. If I run the Jeep in FWD (4hi rear drive shaft removed) it makes no noise. So only in RWD (2hi) and under heavy load does it make the popping.
Now for the lead up...
I broke my front ring and pinion while at Hollister. I ended up getting an HP30, trussed it, put in a truetrac and 4.1 gears. I also got new spring and lifted the Jeep about .75in during the HP30 install. As soon took it out for a test drive and tried to go forward the popping began.
After some investigation it was clear the popping was coming from the rearend. I checked ujoint and they all looked good. I checked the rear diff and the pinion was completely loose, you could easily pull the yoke/pinion in and out of the housing. I tightened the pinion nut back up and the sound still continued. I then got a new pinion bearing set and replaced the pinion bearings thinking they were tossed. While I was pulling the axles out I noticed I had a bad axle and axle bearing. I went ahead and replaced the axle and both axle bearings. The sound continued. I then tried realigning the ring and pinion and could not get the patterns to come in. I then got a new ring and pinion, new pinion bearings and set everything back up. The patterns looked good and it still made no difference in the popping sound.
So now I am confident(ish) that it is not the rear diff making the sound so I began to investigate the TC. While trying to check for chain slop I noticed that my front hub bearing is completely shot. I am in the middle of replacing the hub bearing now but given the sound if from the mid/rear I don't think this will help with the sound.
So to summarize, new HP30, the rear diff has been rebuilt, new bearings and R&P. Ujoints look good and no noticeable movement in the TC yoke or chain slap. What else could it be? Any suggestion are welcome!
I am guessing the CV is shot to hell.