I’ll try my best to make this long story as short as I can, and maybe, just maybe it will save someone a lot of time and effort in finding a simple fix for the issue I had.
I have a 2003 TJ 4.0 6cyl 5 -speed with 108k miles on it. Recently I had to replace the clutch and had a buddy of mine who is a mechanic do so. When I got it back it had a new issue, a slight vibration at top end of 1st and 2nd gear. So I talked to him and he suggested I bring it back to him and he would see if something wasn’t lined back up right on the front driveshaft. It took me a few weeks to have time to get it back to him as he’s about an hour away, and over that time it started to develop a CHIRPING noise at low speeds as I took of, and eventually started doing it even at cruising speeds around 35-45, sounding like the birds everyone talks about with driveshaft centering ball issues. So, he ended up fixing the vibration issue by replacing the u-joints in my rear driveshaft, and thought it fixed the chirping as well.When I got it back, the vibration was gone, but his hearing obviously wasn’t as good as mine, because the chirping was still there, and now a little worse. I jumped back in the forums to find all of the threads about angry birds and the centering ball, and decided to pull the front driveshaft at 9:30 a few nights ago, and took it for a test drive.... the chirps we gone and I thought I had found my issues. I decided to just order a complete new driveshaft the next morning from Adams, and did so. Here’s where it gets fun. Later that day with the front shaft still out, I had an errand to run and I’ll be damned....the chirping was back!!! I come back to the house, jump back in the forum and find one post where a guy said his transfer case linkage was causing a chirping noise. I went back out to the garage, got under my Jeep and grabbed the linkage and wiggled it and BAM... it was the exact sound I had been hearing all along! Reached on the workbench to grab my WD-40 , sprayed all joints in the linkage, jumped in it, ran down the road and I’ve not heard them at all since this simple fix. I’ll be ordering a new bushing for the one that’s worn, but for now I’ll just keep it lubricated. You’re welcome in advance if this helps you find your sparrows!! So happy to have my chirp free jeep back!
I have a 2003 TJ 4.0 6cyl 5 -speed with 108k miles on it. Recently I had to replace the clutch and had a buddy of mine who is a mechanic do so. When I got it back it had a new issue, a slight vibration at top end of 1st and 2nd gear. So I talked to him and he suggested I bring it back to him and he would see if something wasn’t lined back up right on the front driveshaft. It took me a few weeks to have time to get it back to him as he’s about an hour away, and over that time it started to develop a CHIRPING noise at low speeds as I took of, and eventually started doing it even at cruising speeds around 35-45, sounding like the birds everyone talks about with driveshaft centering ball issues. So, he ended up fixing the vibration issue by replacing the u-joints in my rear driveshaft, and thought it fixed the chirping as well.When I got it back, the vibration was gone, but his hearing obviously wasn’t as good as mine, because the chirping was still there, and now a little worse. I jumped back in the forums to find all of the threads about angry birds and the centering ball, and decided to pull the front driveshaft at 9:30 a few nights ago, and took it for a test drive.... the chirps we gone and I thought I had found my issues. I decided to just order a complete new driveshaft the next morning from Adams, and did so. Here’s where it gets fun. Later that day with the front shaft still out, I had an errand to run and I’ll be damned....the chirping was back!!! I come back to the house, jump back in the forum and find one post where a guy said his transfer case linkage was causing a chirping noise. I went back out to the garage, got under my Jeep and grabbed the linkage and wiggled it and BAM... it was the exact sound I had been hearing all along! Reached on the workbench to grab my WD-40 , sprayed all joints in the linkage, jumped in it, ran down the road and I’ve not heard them at all since this simple fix. I’ll be ordering a new bushing for the one that’s worn, but for now I’ll just keep it lubricated. You’re welcome in advance if this helps you find your sparrows!! So happy to have my chirp free jeep back!
