Chick-N-Picker

89 XJ 4.0 auto 4x4 102,000 miles.

I have a clunk noise coming from what seems to be the passenger side when applying brake.

Crank it up. Put it in Reverse. Let foot off brake and begin to roll back. No noise. Apply the brake and it makes a slight clunk. Nothing crazy loud but you can hear it.

Back out. Put it drive. No noise. Let it roll forward and apply brake. Same noise. I can then drive down the road and brake and don't get any noise. Seems to brake pretty good. It doesn't shake, pull, or anything at the moment. It also doesn't make any noises when turning that I can hear.

Now if I stop and put in Reverse and let it roll back and brake. It makes the noise. It seems to only make the noise on the first brake in Drive and Reverse unless....unless. I let it roll back or forward and brake hard.

Things I will be checking. All caliper bolts. Take wheels off and inspect pads and anything brake related up front and make sure retainer clips are there. Make sure control arm bolts are tights.

I just changed my motor mounts and transmission mounts about 2 weeks ago. First time I noticed this noise was last week. I just rechecked my big motor mount bolts today. I tightened one a bit. But noise is still there. I was hoping it was just a mm loose and shifting around.

Any other suggestions. Really just making this thread to walk through. I have already did research, of course.

97grand4.0

Yep something's loose. Heh. Don't overlook lug nuts. But that would make a repetitive thumping as you come to a stop.

Chick-N-Picker

Checked out some stuff on the right front today which is where the noise seems to be coming from.....but I know our ears will trick us.

I jacked up the right tire. Checked it at 12 & 6, and 3 & 9 for ball joints, u joints, and wheel bearing play. Couldn't find anything that felt loose or made a noise.

I took the tire off. Checked caliper bolts. Inspected caliper, retainer pins, rotor, and pads. All looked right. Tool my hands and tried to shake my caliper around to get it to move or make any noise. Nothing.

I then reached and shook EVERYTHING in and around as hard as could to get in noise or movement. Everything seemed tight. Put tire back on.

Also, I looed at the bushings and nothing seemed obviously bad. Though I know that ain't always the case.

I guess next I will check the left side just in case my ears are tricking me. And try to get somebody to set in the jeep and get it to make the sound while I lay on the ground beside it.

Other than that all I know to do is drive it until it gets worse amd reveals it self or out right breaks, which will also reveal it self. Not my style but it's hard to fix something that ain't obviously wrong after you checked it out.

Edit: For some reason I am just feeling it is my control arm bushings.

97grand4.0

I forgot to say....Check verrrry closely to the top of the sway bar links...there's a little ball joint in there. When then break (I;ve had 2 go) they klunk quite distinctively. If you can jump up and down in your seat you might hear it. But you should be able to reach up and grab it while watching the top nut closely for movement / non movement.

PatHenry

Did they put those god awful sway bar links on the XJ?
My 00 TJ had them and those f'n things would fail like clockwork every single year. I have always thought that the XJ's used the good old solid links that just have a solid bar type link with a rubber bushing on the top and bottom of the sway bar and a nut on top, but I've only personally dealt with model years prior to 97.

97grand4.0

Oh yeah, they did. I thought it was because I only paid like $10 for 2 on ebay, but, I think they all must be terrible. And there is no way I'm handing over $56 to Autozone, for 1 (ONE!) Moog. In fact, I have a broke one now on the passenger side of the zj. But my 98 xj has the same thing. Interestingly, the ones that break are on the zj. I think if the rear suspension is a bit too "swingy" it yaws and snaps them easier.
And easy to change out? you would think so, right? no.

PatHenry

Wow.. that's obnoxious! I remember doing them on the TJ. I happened to buy a set of Autozone specials for the TJ back when they had lifetime warranties on them.. hehehehehe.. I got my money's worth out of that purchase, that's for damn sure!

I think you must be right about the rear end. The TJ had the quadracoil suspension design, like the ZJ's, but perhaps the leaf spring design on the XJ's prevents that excessive sway.

BruceB

maybe?

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/thu...ehicle-252085/

BUELLIGAN

I think my front lower control arm was making this BAD NOISE in reverse . I have adjustable control arms ,I made 1 whole turn out to tighten the Arm more . The noise is less now, I will try another turn and see how that is.

Sparksvonrou

Mine was similar and I found a stripped and unbelievably a missing caliper bolt. Repaired with the helicoil kit. Nevertheless I still have a slight klunk. Backing up I consider maybe it's the self adjuster and subsiquent brake movement. Forward no idea. Everything seems tight just like you say. It sure sounds like it's from the front.