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XJ front axle noise

Mikel

Well-known member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
727
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427
Loc
Conn
The mighty dana 30 in my DD '96 XJ has been making this rumbling noise for some time, starting at 30MPH. Today I noticed that one of the outer u-joints is completely wasted. I had already bought a bearing kit for the D30 and I was going to rebuild it this weekend. Can a bad outer u-joint sound like a bad carrier bearing?
Thanks.
 
Last edited:
I’d be willing to bet that it’s wheel bearings. U joints will usually be clanky, and the pinion/carrier bearing usually won’t make noise when they aren’t under a load.
 
Just out of curiosity, how many miles on the XJ?
 
Forgot to say. 205K. All wheel bearings were replaced 30K ago. The noise is independent from load.
Thanks.
 
A u-joint can definitely rumble when they dry out, rust and turn the needle bearings into gravel and dust. If you have already done the unit bearings that is likely the culprit.

Pinion bearing usually clunks when going bad.
 
You can typically tell a bearing by driving down the road and taking long sweeping turns at speed. You will hear a tone change. If you feel it oscillating in the steering wheel, most likely it is a u joint though.
 
Mikel said:
Forgot to say. 205K. All wheel bearings were replaced 30K ago. The noise is independent from load.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Not uncommon for parts house UBs to fail that quickly. Jack it up and shake it up.
 
Check your u joints in your driveshafts. I had bad u joints in the front and they made a rumble noise. they almost sounded like a hole in the exhaust
 
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