[biggreg]

89 YJ 2. 5" lift 6 cylinder 5 Speed.
I have owned this jeep for 10 years. It has developed a loud groan/ creak when i turn on uneven surfaces.Seems to be in the vicinity of the rear springs. It is worse when I back up and turn onto an incline. Sounds to me like a very dry bushing but I have done the following with no luck in getting rid of the issue:

*Changed the spring bushings and bolts. Greased em up with silicone grease
*Cleaned and greased the shackles.
*Removed, greased and reinstalled the large sway bar over the rear end.

Still makes the same loud, dry groan / creak. Only when turning onto a an uphill surface. I am thinking that it is not the springs because they make no noise when I bounce the vehicle and I get no noise when traveling on a straight bumpy road. My next step will be to change the springs but hate to do it if that is not the cause.
Any suggestions? This is making me crazy.

thanks,

Greg

 

[Jar06896]

Are you sure it's spring related and not something else? I would be thinking body mounts, frame issues possibly? I know on my '88 the cross member in front of the fuel tank where it hits the frame rails got crunchy...

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[biggreg]

Are you sure it's spring related and not something else? I would be thinking body mounts, frame issues possibly? I know on my '88 the cross member in front of the fuel tank where it hits the frame rails got crunchy...

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Thanks for the reply. I will put it back on the lift and check it out.

greg

 

[Luckymac]

Just a guess. I'm guessing ball joints or tie rod ends. I'd grease whatever zerk fittings on the Jeep and see what happens. If the groan/creak persists, I'd park the Jeep in a location where you hear the creak. Then, I'd have an assistant turn the steering wheel to attempt to duplicate the creak. If the creak happens, grip the various components as your assistant turns the steering wheel back and forth. You should be able to feel the vibration as the creak happens.

Another thing to lube is the sway bar bushings. Loosen the brackets from the frame, pry the bushings off the sway bar and give them a dab of your silicone grease. Put it back together and test drive.

Let us know what you find and what cures the groan/creak.

Good Luck, L.M.

 

[biggreg]

Just a guess. I'm guessing ball joints or tie rod ends. I'd grease whatever zerk fittings on the Jeep and see what happens. If the groan/creak persists, I'd park the Jeep in a location where you hear the creak. Then, I'd have an assistant turn the steering wheel to attempt to duplicate the creak. If the creak happens, grip the various components as your assistant turns the steering wheel back and forth. You should be able to feel the vibration as the creak happens.

Another thing to lube is the sway bar bushings. Loosen the brackets from the frame, pry the bushings off the sway bar and give them a dab of your silicone grease. Put it back together and test drive.

Let us know what you find and what cures the groan/creak.

Good Luck, L.M.

It is definitely in the rear of the jeep.I have greased all of the bushings and related items. I have doused the springs with WD40. I just tightened the spring u-bolts and checked for bad tub mount bushings. Have not found the cause yet. Thank you for your input. greg

 

[Luckymac]

It is definitely in the rear of the jeep.I have greased all of the bushings and related items. I have doused the springs with WD40. I just tightened the spring u-bolts and checked for bad tub mount bushings. Have not found the cause yet. Thank you for your input. greg

Do you have a hard top? If so, tighten the bolts that hold it to the side panels. Perhaps lube the glass tailgate hinges and the gasket.
Try lubing the tailgate gasket, latch and hinges.
Is your spare tire bracket tight on the tailgate? Are the lug nuts tight on the spare? Have you removed the spare tire and lubed the 4 bumpers that the tire rides against? Do you have a bumper mounted spare? If so, you might try lubing the hinge and the latch.

I don't know what Jar06896 means by "crunchy" but I'd check the fuel tank bolts at the X-member ahead of the tank and to the rear of the tank.

Let us know what you discover.

Good Luck, L.M.

 

[biggreg]

Do you have a hard top? If so, tighten the bolts that hold it to the side panels. Perhaps lube the glass tailgate hinges and the gasket.
Try lubing the tailgate gasket, latch and hinges.
Is your spare tire bracket tight on the tailgate? Are the lug nuts tight on the spare? Have you removed the spare tire and lubed the 4 bumpers that the tire rides against? Do you have a bumper mounted spare? If so, you might try lubing the hinge and the latch.

I don't know what Jar06896 means by "crunchy" but I'd check the fuel tank bolts at the X-member ahead of the tank and to the rear of the tank.

Let us know what you discover.

Good Luck, L.M.

No hardtop on at this time. I will address the other Items you mentioned and post the results. Thanks for the advice.

greg

 

[wcjeep]

Wd40 is not lubricant. It's ability to "lubricate" is very short term. Do you have cheap frsradios? Key one with zip ties, change its location while you narrow down the problem. Go pro camera? Rear track bar installed?

Does vehicle have a lift? Did you remove the half bump stops located on the frame forward of the axle?

 

[vmxwinn]

Just a stab in the dark but What about your shock bushings?

 

[biggreg]

Just a stab in the dark but What about your shock bushings?

I disconnected the shocks and the noise remains

 

[JonStevens]

Exhaust hangers?

 

[biggreg]

Exhaust hangers?

They are fine. Worked at Midas muffler when I was a kid. Very familiar with how a system hangs.Still looking.

 

[iajet]

Did you ever find the source of the noise? I have the same issue now

 

[Luckymac]

It's a good idea to start a new thread, describing your particular issue and exactly what you've done to resolve it. Plus, whatever mods are on your Jeep like a lift that might contribute to the noise.

I'm guessing biggreg is still hunting for his groan/creak. I wish I had more ideas. Does the noise go away when driving on a rainy day?

Good Luck, L.M.

 

[biggreg]

It's a good idea to start a new thread, describing your particular issue and exactly what you've done to resolve it. Plus, whatever mods are on your Jeep like a lift that might contribute to the noise.

I'm guessing biggreg is still hunting for his groan/creak. I wish I had more ideas. Does the noise go away when driving on a rainy day?

Good Luck, L.M.

Actually I just figured it out. It was the rear springs after all. I changed everything else but them so I figured what the heck. I put some new old man emu springs on and noise is gone. None were broken but they were very rusted. Thanks for everyone’s input.

 

[Luckymac]

@biggreg thanks for letting us know what was causing the noise.

Good Luck, L.M.

 

[iajet]

Ha! That was my fix also. The leaf springs were removed, new spacers installed and springs and shackles lubed. I thought it was something suspension related.

 

[Luckymac]

Ha! That was my fix also. The leaf springs were removed, new spacers installed and springs and shackles lubed. I thought it was something suspension related.

A second success story. Good to hear.

Good Luck, L.M.