Thumping from front driver side wheel

[kaprice919]

From a cold start, Im getting a rotational thumping noise from my front driver side when I start moving. Its a Tick-Tick-Tick right as I start moving the car, and then it completely goes away for the remainder of the drive. Its only at low speed right as I pull away from the driveway. Im only getting it for 5-10seconds until it goes away completely.

Things Ive tried:
Checked my drive shaft U joints — first trying to move them and seeing if there is any play, they are tight as a glue-maker's butt.
I jacked my car up and rotated the wheel, the U joints look fine, there is no play. Also, I dont get the thumping at all when I rotate my tires with them in the air.

Checked my ball joints — I jacked the front driver side wheel up and tried moving it laterally to see if there was play in the ball joints. They were tight as well, and aside from being insanely dirty did not look like they were failing.

Could it be my brake calipers hitting my wheel as I drive? I did just replace them not too long ago... seems that the noise might have showed up around that time.

 

[LONGJP2]

Most sounds don't go away, they just get harder to hear as you go faster.
You should try to determine if it's one tick per revolution of the tire or driveshaft. Could be as simple as a rock in the tread.

 

[kaprice919]

Thanks for the feedback. I dont think this gets harder to hear as I go faster... Its a pretty loud thumping/popping and I dont hear the noise leaving a stoplight or when I slow down again. Its pretty much only when I initially take off from a cold start, like from my driveway.

 

[JeepsDIY]

Thanks for the feedback. I dont think this gets harder to hear as I go faster... Its a pretty loud thumping/popping and I dont hear the noise leaving a stoplight or when I slow down again. Its pretty much only when I initially take off from a cold start, like from my driveway.

I get the same thing. Did you ever figure this out? Sound more or less goes away when I shift into part-time 4WD. Service station replaced left front U-Joint with NO improvement. They say I need a remanufactured front differential to the tune of $3,500.

 

[JeepsDIY]

I get the same thing. Did you ever figure this out? Sound more or less goes away when I shift into part-time 4WD. Service station replaced left front U-Joint with NO improvement. They say I need a remanufactured front differential to the tune of $3,500.

My similar problem is solved! TJ needed a new front driveshaft (Adams front driveshaft (non-Rubicon) 1310 CV driveshaft (extreme duty series) for less than $500 installed by Happy Trails 4x4 in Jacksonville. They know Jeeps and saved me thousands on this fix!!!

As previously noted, I had taken it elsewhere first (a reputable car repair chain) because there was no waiting. They did fix the "death wobble" with that U-Joint, 2 stabilizers and a rear drive shaft for a couple thousand total. They said I still needed to replace the front differential probably for another $3,500.

They claimed they got 90% of the noise issue. But the noise did NOT change at all. I opted for a 2nd opinion even though it did sound like the noise was from the differential.

Happy Trails 4x4 then fixed it for thousands less with the front axle. They said a new differential wouldn't even have solved the problem!

This was for a 2003 Inca Gold TJ 4.0L with 4" lift & 35x12.5xR15 tires with 104K miles, automatic transmission.

Again, this was a rhythmic thump thump thump or tick tick tick sound in 2 wheel drive going from 0-10 mph when it would then disappear, just like the original post. But it was every time — not just cold start. In 4H, mine was intermittent. But I couldn't stay in 4H because I have the NP231 transfer case that doesn't have a "Part Time" option — it's NON-slip and only for slippery roads/ground.