Clicking Sound When Turning

[Vacane]

I've had my 80th Anniversary JT now for a couple of months and haven't done any suspension mods yet. I notice a clicking sound coming out of the front axel when turning the wheel. This is most noticeable at slow speeds or stopped, like when I'm pulling out of the driveway. I have an appointment to take into the dealer next week but was curious if anyone else has had this issue.

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[Jstrick]

I've had my 80th Anniversary JT now for a couple of months and haven't done any suspension mods yet. I notice a clicking sound coming out of the front axel when turning the wheel. This is most noticeable at slow speeds or stopped, like when I'm pulling out of the driveway. I have an appointment to take into the dealer next week but was curious if anyone else has had this issue.

I just had a similar issue fixed. Would click when I would back out of the driveway and cut the wheel. They retorqued the driver side ball joint to spec and it went away. Had them retorque everything while they were under there. Seems to be a common issue.

 

[Vacane]

So I took it to the dealer yesterday and they kept it overnight. I’m told they can’t figure out where the noise is coming from. Seems like a common enough issue that the Jeep techs wouldn’t be scratching their heads trying to figure it out.

 

[Mjolnir]

So I took it to the dealer yesterday and they kept it overnight. I’m told they can’t figure out where the noise is coming from. Seems like a common enough issue that the Jeep techs wouldn’t be scratching their heads trying to figure it out.

Bring it back and tell them to retorque everything, or do it yourself.

 

[Vacane]

Bring it back and tell them to retorque everything, or do it yourself.

They still have it. I would torque it myself but I just don’t think when you pay $50k for a vehicle and it has 4000 miles that you should have to do that.

 

[Mjolnir]

They still have it. I would torque it myself but I just don’t think when you pay $50k for a vehicle and it has 4000 miles that you should have to do that.

Have to? Maybe not. But if they don't find/do anything, why not take 10 minutes to do it?

I keep seeing people state this whole "for a $50k vehicle _____" and I think that is ridiculous. Every single manufacturer forum you will see people doing things themselves for a $25k vehicle to an $80k vehicle due to their dealership not doing something/being incompetent. Take things in stride and if it is less of a headache to do yourself, do it. Then find a different dealership.

 

[SelfmodJT]

Talking about ball joints, ive seen a few youtube videos on the ball joint for these jeeps and they are very weak and have plastic components. They all switched to dynatrac ball joints but theyre almost 700 lol.

 

[Mball488]

I ran into this issue after 3 months of owning mine. I could only hear the ticking when I was turning. I took it to the dealership and they didn't even know where it was coming from. About an hour into their troubleshooting another tech came over and he had another JT doing the same thing a few days earlier. He pointed out the nut on the back side of the track bar "the one that has a welded bar on it to keep it from rotating". BAM! the whole bottom side of the track bar was loose and the clicking noise was that nut hitting the welds of the axle. Torqued and now silent ever since.

 

[Renegade]

Talking about ball joints, ive seen a few youtube videos on the ball joint for these jeeps and they are very weak and have plastic components. They all switched to dynatrac ball joints but theyre almost 700 lol.

Dana HD ball joints are about $400 for the set, without labor cost to install. I plan to go to them myself if/when my stock joints wear out.

 

[WXman]

Traditionally, clicking from the front axle of a Jeep has always pointed to a U-joint that's failing.

 

[Erievon]

People have mentioned it on the JL forum too, most ended up being re-torque the ball joint.

 

[mike921921]

Have to? Maybe not. But if they don't find/do anything, why not take 10 minutes to do it?

I keep seeing people state this whole "for a $50k vehicle _____" and I think that is ridiculous. Every single manufacturer forum you will see people doing things themselves for a $25k vehicle to an $80k vehicle due to their dealership not doing something/being incompetent. Take things in stride and if it is less of a headache to do yourself, do it. Then find a different dealership.

AND - there's always the risk the dealer will mess something else up while trying to fix the problem. I always take a swing at a problem first - dealership is the last resort for me.

 

[StingyJT]

Dana HD ball joints are about $400 for the set, without labor cost to install. I plan to go to them myself if/when my stock joints wear out.

Check Rockauto, they’re cheaper there. I went with Dynatrac though because I had constant clicking even after torquing

 

[Rei]

By chance does anyone have a recording of what the “click” sounds like? I’d like to find out if what I’m hearing is the same.

I do occasionally hear a clicking noise
when I’m turning the Gladiator at low speeds. But it never really seemed like an issue - it never impaired performance.

Also:

 

[NJKen]

Just got mine back from the dealer yesterday and they re-torqued ball joints and now its quiet again.

1700 miles btw

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