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4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/1996 Jeep GC road noise

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Expert: - 11/12/2004


Question
Hello Carl,
I have a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. It has the six cyl. eng. and is 2WD. When I am on the interstate (60 mph + ), I hear a buzzing type sound and after a few minutes, it becomes more of a light clunking. Where would this noise be coming from? The car has 134K miles and I have owned it about 6 months. Thanks.

Answer
Bill,

I would suggest that you have someone ride with you, and have them try to locate the general area of the sound.  Do this with the windows closed, and with them open.  Just a guess, would be a wheel bearing, rear end, or a possible transmission problem.  I have, even, seen a tire make this sort of noise.  Tires can get a bubble of air between the side wall cores that can do something like this.  If the bubble is on the inside of the tire, it can be hard  to see.  With that many miles on it, it is due for new wheel bearings.  If you can't seem to isolate the area the sound is coming from, I would see if I could find a reputable shop, and get one of the mechanics to ride with you so that you can point out the sound to them.  If you have any vibration in the steering wheel, or the brake pedal, this could be an indication of where the problem is.

I know this is pretty general, but without driving, or riding in the Jeep, it's pretty hard to guess what the sound is, or where it's coming from.

Carl  

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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