Okay so i have a odd problem that just started recently. When in 4wd when you start to get any wheel spin the whole front axle starts shacking pretty violently and you can feel it and you can see the front wheels hopping and shacking pretty bad. It does get worse when the front wheels are turned and can get so bad it feels like the front axle is going to blow apart. I'm thinking a u joint but haven't looked real close yet. Axle wrap came to mind but it isn't leaf sprung. What do you guys think?
That's the nature of forward control arms. You cannot eliminate it, but you can dampen it.
Heavy shocks will dampen it enough to make it livable.
My brand new '03 Rubicon did it - I tried climbing some dirt hills behind my house on the way home new. It wheel hopped. I took it back and yelled at the dealership. There was nothing they could do.
I put on good stiff shocks at a friend's shop, it helped immensely. Then I drove it home.
Since then I've noticed some TJ's do it, some don't, some worse than others.
Since it's getting worse it's not just the design.
Something's getting loose, and looser, and --.
Bushings maybe?
It could even be the control arm brackets where they are welded onto the axle or frame for the control arms. The welds break and/or the thin metal fatigues, cracks, then breaks.
Try the "Poor Man's Magnaflux" trick - spray a THIN coating of flat black paint on the brackets, welds etc, anywhere you suspect a crack might be developing. Then take it for a ride.
A crack usually has steel dust deep inside it - it sluffs off onto the outside onto the paint while you drive. After sitting overnight that steel dust rusts - especially if it's damp outside - or parked on wet grass.
Next morning look for a thin bright orange line on your flat black paint - there's the crack!
Don't forget the "tower" that the right control arm attaches to the axle with. They are famous for snapping off.
your shocks wearing out would increase it. i had a 99 dodge that was reall bad about wheel hop in the front. id check all your suspension links (track bar etc.) and then look for some new shocks up front.
what lift are you planning on getting? get it now or if it doesnt come with shocks then just get long shocks now so you dont have to get new shocks twice. Now your springs will fly out if you flex it but i'd imagine you can stay on the road till u get the lift kit?
I would love to buy it right now but dont have all the cash yet but i did get a new job that im starting soon so ill have some fresh cash to play with.
track bar=99.9% of all steering and suspension problems usually
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