And another clunk related bushing post!

[fallacist]

I've had a clunking problem that had gotten suddenly worse after a trip into the mountains. I checked everything out to the best of my capability, and din't find anything, so I brought it to a shop.

The mechanic told me something I wasn't expecting. Well 2 things. First, he said they found the the u-joint going out on the right side- which is the side the clunking was coming from. Which is good because that fix costs a fraction of what ball joints would have been.

He also said the bushings in my JKS disco's were shot. That took me back, considering I put them on in May. Is it normal for disco bushings to go out that fast? I've read some back and forth about greasing them, and I decided to grease. Was that my mistake? He said they determined they were shot by pushing the jeep back and forth, and there was excessive play/movement coming from them.

I'd contact JKS, but I bought these second-hand from someone on frontrange4x4. They weren't used, they came still in the package and completely dissembled, but I doubt there's anything they can do for me.

Mechanic recommended I replace them with poly bushings. I contacted kevin's offroad, but does anyone know of a place that sells replacement poly bushings for the JKS discos, or is something fishy about this?

 

[xj-grin]

hmmm, my JKS quicker discos have kindof a ball-shaped poly bushing in it, but definitely harder stuff that the spongy bushings JKS uses in their track bar. I'll be checking mine now that you point it out, but since their discos are kindof a proprietary design, I'm betting replacement bushings will be only from JKS...

 

[time2getdirty]

I ordered a replacement bushing from JKS. I still have it in bag. You need a 50 Ton press to install it though according to JKS

 

[xj-grin]

50!?! holy shizzizzle.

 

[fallacist]

I ordered a replacement bushing from JKS. I still have it in bag. You need a 50 Ton press to install it though according to JKS

Uh Huh....
Well ****. Are you trying to sell them?

I was just going to use my bench vise. I really dont want to believe that my bushings went out after 3 months. This mechanic is has given me no reason to doubt their ability.

Am I missing something? Should I have not greased them? Do bushings On discos go out that quickly?

 

[time2getdirty]

I only have one bushing lol. If you want it paypal me $5 and I will put it in the mail.

Mine is torn up, thats why I was gunna replace it. I greased mine untill all the zerks broke off. I doubt the bushings are worn out enough to enough to cause a clunk

 

[fallacist]

The rig clunks when they're discoed; which is why I was surprised to hear them come up after the diagnosis. And that's why I'm having conflicting thoughts about this

 

[UnlimitedMatt]

I only have one bushing lol. If you want it paypal me $5 and I will put it in the mail.

What the heck? I paid $11 plus shipping for that thing!!! :twak:

 

[xj-grin]

The rig clunks when they're discoed; which is why I was surprised to hear them come up after the diagnosis. And that's why I'm having conflicting thoughts about this

um, if it clunks when its disco'd, it ain't the discos...

 

[time2getdirty]

LOL

 

[fallacist]

um, if it clunks when its disco'd, it ain't the discos...

Which is why I surprised to hear them brought up. We're hoping the clunk will begone after a new ujoint. The discos are a seperate issue, if an issue at all?

 

[xj-grin]

I'd blow off the disco bushing issue until one actually fails -- I bet they won't. I mean worst case, you suddenly become disconnected, which is how better than half the folks around here drive around daily anyways... its not like its a catastrophic failure.

 

[SolarBell]

disconnects? Oh, those things that stay strapped to my inner fender well...

 

[DutchVDub]

Whats a sway bar???

 

[Hypoid]

He also said the bushings in my JKS disco's were shot. That took me back, considering I put them on in May. Is it normal for disco bushings to go out that fast? I've read some back and forth about greasing them, and I decided to grease. Was that my mistake? He said they determined they were shot by pushing the jeep back and forth, and there was excessive play/movement coming from them.

I call BS! Post a video of this "excessive play." There are a few people here who don't mind sharing opinions, FOR FREE!

I grease my used JKS discos, maybe less than I think I should. So far, so good.

 

[Fred]

There is always some play in any disco. It doesn't effect drivability that I've ever seen.

 

[fallacist]

So the clunk is fixed. It was one of the common clunks, a bolt on a LCA I checked, but not well enough. Tightening it with hand wrenches on a driveway just wasn't enough I guess. Guy had to use an impact wrench to turn it a couple more times, but that made the difference. Its a good thing I brought it in though, apparently my 1 u-joint was completely toast, but embarrassing nonetheless, as the LCA bolts were some of the first bolts I checked.

The disco thing turned out not to be the bushings themselves, but the metal sleeve that runs through the bushing. There was 1 too many people in the chain of communication when they told me the first time around, so it wasn't clear. He showed me when he rocked the jeep back and forth from the side how the center bolt moves, but nothing else does. Doesn't seem like a big deal to me for now, and a cheap fix when I get around to it.