So I have a LHS front issue - it started off with a whirring noise on deceleration and a slight clunk when turning left slowly. There was also a metallic rattle when driving on bumpy roads. Now after making a big series of RH turns in a car park it's turned into something a whole lot worse - when turning right, I can feel resistance in the steering wheel; then when I level off again there's a massively loud bang/clunk from the front left which you can feel through the whole car.

It does it when accelerating and backing off now too. When coasting, there's a whirring/clicking noise coming from front left. The car is basically undriveable; when it got bad like this I just limped it home. Going to jack it up and have a look but I'm away in Sydney ATM so I don't have all my tools.

I've heard of the steering issue happening after changing springs, if the strut top isn't aligned properly. I have changed all four struts recently but I didn't change the springs - they were the King Low SP's out of Articuno's car and he never had this problem. Can something become unaligned without changing the springs?

Given that it started after changing the struts, I'm inclined to think it's a suspension issue. Could it be steering rack or driveshaft though? While I'm at it, ever since I got the car it's had a clunk when releasing the clutch and on backing off. I've replaced all three engine mounts so it's definitely not that. It doesn't stop me from driving the car, but I thought I'd add that in.

Other stuff I've recently done:
RH front engine mount replaced w/Polyurethane mount
Both RH CV boots replaced and joints regreased
Transmission oil replaced w/ Castrol VMX-M
Full wheel alignment
Front and rear engine mounts replaced
Sway bar D bushes (both sides) replaced
Lower control arm bushes replaced (both sides)


Any help would be appreciated... especially from Madmagna! Hahaha

Check that the bolts that go through the bottom of the strut onto the hub are tight.

You mean the steering knuckle? They're fine. So are the 3 bolts at the top of the strut.

No I mean the 2 bolts that hold the bottom of the strut to the hub.

Yeah, they're fine.

Get it up on chassis stands or a hoist and pull/tug on everything.
Check all bolts for tightness, check all the ball joints. Look for rub marks on the wheels and surrounding structure.

Maate,
I'd be jacking up the front of the car with it in gear & rotating/rocking the wheels back & forth to check for free play in the drive shafts.

Ok I've damaged something in the gearbox/driveshafts - I took both front wheels off and run them in 1st gear - constant rattling/clunking while the car is in gear. What have I done?

the rattling you are hearing would be the brake disc's as they are a floating hub design. Do it again but with one wheel nut done all the way up holding them on tight.

Ok - will try that tomorrow to see if that's what it is. The noise is pretty similar to the noise I was hearing while driving though.

Yeah in these situations you just have to work on one noise at a time. Process of elimination.

Yeah it's not the hubs. And the clicking/rattling noise sounds like it's coming from in the transmission.

Diff ???

Lets not start with serious issues until the minor ones are done

You state you did not change springs but you have changed dampers, did you align the top plates correctly when you re installed the lot.

Noises are very hard to diagnose on the internet, if you want to book in for me to have a proper look feel free to contact me

Mal

The rubber nipple faces the outside, yeah. That's how they get aligned right? The noise when the car is moving is what's worrying me more - it grinds/clicks whenever the car is moving, even when it's in neutral and the clutch is in. Driveshaft?

I'd love to bring it in to you but I'm in Sydney until February.

So I took it to a mechanic and it was the diff. They didn't charge me to look at it, which is good.

Am I correct in assuming that it's easier (and probably cheaper) to replace the transmission rather than trying to replace the diff in the gearbox?

Maate, replacing the transmission is probably more practical. If your'e interested in a parts car then check the following link http://www.pickles.com.au/damaged/listing/?ed_item_type_id=100000001&ed_make_id=100000261&ed_model_id=10001432&ed_fromyear=&ed_toyear=&ed_fromkms=&ed_tokms=&ed_city=All&ed_description=manual&ed_damage=DAM&ed_sort=description&ed_search_type=AUCTION&x=27&y=12

there is a complete TJ manual being auctioned as a repairable write off at Milperra in Sydney on the 6th Jan

Cheers

Wow, thanks for the heads up. That's pretty awesome. Could just swap the panels from my TF onto it.

Wow, thanks for the heads up. That's pretty awesome. Could just swap the panels from my TF onto it.

You'd be better off to transplant the TJ running gear and electrics into your TF.

You'd be better off to transplant the TJ running gear and electrics into your TF.

I don't really feel like dismantling two entire cars. I certainly don't have the engine hoist, jacks, specialist tools necessary. Also this TJ has done half the K's of my TF so is generally going to be in better nick. A couple of hours swapping panels sounds good to me.

I don't really feel like dismantling two entire cars. I certainly don't have the engine hoist, jacks, specialist tools necessary. Also this TJ has done half the K's of my TF so is generally going to be in better nick. A couple of hours swapping panels sounds good to me.

It won't just be 'swapping panels' though. That TJ will probably have some pretty serious and fiddly damage (like bonnet hinges, etc) and then you'll have a retarded looking TF front end TJ rear end combination.