New member... not too familiar with the basic mechanics of a jeep. I have a loud squeal that sounds like a piece of tin spinning around and rubbing against it's enclosure. I know this is not very much to go on. It doesn't happen when idle. It seems to happen for the first 10 or 15 miles and worse when it is cold out, like in the morning. It doesn't start making the noise until I am going at least 25 miles per hour. and is not effected by bumps and does not change in pitch much when going faster, other than it seems to spin a little faster as I speed up. As I am driving I can put my head down by the gear shifter and it sounds like it is coming from directly below. I have only had the jeep for a month and it had not started until the temp outside has dropped into the 40's, 50's and below. It doesn't seem to effect the way it shifts or drives mechanically... yet. Any suggestions??? It is a 2003 Jeep wrangler Sport
Loud Squeal.. Trans Case or Transmission??
- Thread starter nschliske
- Start date
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
Welcome to the Z. That is most commonly the front driveshaft going bad, more specifically the centering ball in the CV joint. Remove the front driveshaft and see if the noise goes away.
Utah_jeepster
Super Moderator
now I might be reading something into this, but you say it only happens with in the first 10- 15 miles? or till the motor transmission warms up? and only started happening when the temp dropped below 50 or so?
I take it its also an automatic transmission? Since your not saying anything about it when you have the clutch depressed.
If you you don't find a bad U-Joint, I would suggest you service your transmission and transfer case, new filter and oils.
I take it its also an automatic transmission? Since your not saying anything about it when you have the clutch depressed.
If you you don't find a bad U-Joint, I would suggest you service your transmission and transfer case, new filter and oils.
SteelHeadz
Super Moderator
Another suggestion would be to check your brakes, specifically the front. from what i understood in reading your post, it only occurs when the veh. is moving. so, to me that rules out the powertrain. i would check anything commonly associated with the drivetrain that spins like a wheel bearing, brake pad squeelers(although stationary)receives a friction input from the rotor and what Bounty and Utah suggested, u-joints.
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
If it is a bad CV joint centering ball, you will grenade the transfer case if the front driveshaft isn't removed asap.
I've built and sold many transfer cases to jeepers that ignored similar symptoms.
I've built and sold many transfer cases to jeepers that ignored similar symptoms.
I do apologize for not giving all of the details... It is a manual transmission, not an automatic. I just picked the jeep up from a repair shop in hopes that he could locate the problem. He could hear the noise when we took it for a drive.. but when he put it up on his lift an engaged it in gear and ran it up to 40 miles per hour he could not duplicate the noise??? He went ahead and checked the starter drive and lock ring. He also checked the front axle and U joints. He also checked the flywheel cover thinking that was more than likely the cause.. but all to no avail. Still not sure where to go with this issue at this point. In addition.. in response to Utah... When I am noticing the noise driving down the road going 30 or 40 I can press in the clutch and put the transmission in neutral and I still hear the squeal until my speed coasts down to about 25mph or below??
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
Try driving it without the front driveshaft, have to rule things out somehow.
SteelHeadz
Super Moderator
was it in 2wd when it was tested on the lift?
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
Sounds like its in the front half of the drivetrain since it wasn't in 4wd on the lift.
SteelHeadz
Super Moderator
I agree with Bounty Hunter.
jfrabat
New member
Me too...
When in 2WD on the road, the front tires spin as well (unlike when up in the lift in 2WD). IIRC, on the TJ, much like on my YJ with the alloy axles, the front drive shaft rotates when driving down the road even when in 2WD (it is disengaged in the TC, but the axle rotates nonetheless because both wheels are spinning).
This leads me even more to believe that it is the front DS. As Bounty said, remove it and give it a shot. To remove, you only need to remove 8 small bolts, so you can do it yourself in about 5 to 10 minutes...
Here you can see the bolts you need to undo:
And if it is the U-Joints, you can also change them yourself. Remove the 2 snap rings from the drive shaft yoke ends.
Support the drive shaft so it's sitting level with the 1-1/8 socket facing open side up on the bottom. Place the 11/16 socket on top of the bearing cap and tap it down until the cross contacts the bottom of the drive shaft yoke. Then use a BFH until the cap on the opposite side is out.
Basically, something like this:
Remove the cap and try to get the U-Joint out (you may have to get the second cap out in much the same way... only using a smaller socket set).
Clean up the drive shaft. Carefully remove all 4 of the bearing caps from the new U-joint and stick the cross into the drive shaft yoke. Screw the grease fitting into the cross and make sure that it is facing the same direction it was when you took the joint apart. Pack grease into the caps to hold the needle bearings in place. Put the first end cap in the bottom section of the yoke (open side facing up) letting the cross fall into it as far as it can. Put it in the bottom so the needles have less of a chance to fall out. Make sure the cap is lined up square and the needles are all standing straight up. Tap on the opposite side of the yoke to push the cap up into the yoke.
Hold the cross in the end cap you just seated and turn the drive shaft 180 degrees and carefully install the other bearing end cap the same way. Take the 11/16 socket and tap or press the end caps into the yoke so the snap ring groove is exposed. If the end cap doesn't want to seat it means that one of the needle bearings has probably fallen out of it's place in the cap. Take the joint apart and fix it.
Once the caps are in place make sure that the cross rotates freely in the yoke. It will be tight but you should be able to rotate back and forth with you hand. If you can't, take it apart and see why.
Install the snap rings on both sides using a pliers to squeeze the ring. Make sure the snap rings are seated all the way in the grooves.
Do not put the last 2 end caps on yet. Reinstall the drive shaft.
Line the differential yoke up with the cross on the drive shaft by either turning the shaft (tcase has to be in N) or turning the diff. Place the last 2 bearing end caps on the cross and carefully assemble the joint. Put the straps back over the end caps and bolt them in place. Use some locktite. The book says to tighten them to 18 ft lbs.
Pump grease into the joint until you see it coming out the end caps and your're finished.
If you want more details/pictures, I got this from here, so you can check it out as well (I am too lazy to write so much, but it is the same process I used for my front DS).
Felipe
