Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Found what I broke ( I think)

Today I turned to go up a hill and heard the tire rubbing horribly.

Got out an looked and not only is the wheel well sitting on the tire. But the tire is pushed way back. Looking under neath all looks fine and normal.

Any ideas.

hers what it should look like


heres the problem side

How do the springs and u-bolts look? Have you jacked the vehicle up and looked underneath yet?

lifted the jeep up took off the wheels an hosed off all the mud.

Springs look fine except for one of the lil clips that keep the spring pack together. Its a lil loose.

U-bolts are fine too.

No visible bends or breaks to speak of. The one thing that I did notice is that the axle is not directly below the bump stop. It is behind it some. So just the corner of the bumpstop would make contact.

Where the other side the bumpstop is directly above the axle.

So it appears the axle has moved rearward on the passenger side. Is there any chance the axle looks like it has slid rearward on the spring pack?

Looks to me like you broke a spring shackle mount on that side

Sounds like the winner.

If the vehicle is settled lower on the passenger side, then maybe the rear shackle is broken?

Whats the diff u-joint look like?Is the driveshaft square.Wish I was there to see it for myself.

rear shackle could be it. Its to dark outside to be sure. But I stuck a handyman jack on the back bumper on that side and started lifting it up. with the help of a flashlight with fading batteries it looked like there was some movement in the shackle.

Ill take it out tomorrow and look.

Doesnt look like the axle slid on the springpack.

the front springhanger is broken.

just curious as this is a problem that hasnt come up for me before.

But what would make one assume it would be the front spring hanger instead of the rear shackle?

would the tire be in a different location or sumthin?

There is a center bolt in the spring pack that the axle plate locates on. Looks like you may have broken the center bolt and the axle has simply slid back on the spring.

What did you hit?

Didnt hit nothing.

However saturdy, I was stuck in a ditch. The front was darn near on the ground and the rear end was up in the air. When winching out it had to pull the front end up an the back down before it would budge. Im guessing thats when it got hurt an it just choose today to let loose.

Those jeep wranglers dont have frames. Maybe you tore up the unibody sheetmetal..LOL... Is there a big crack under the rear seat LOL!!! Im suprised you couldnt figure out what broke. Beer?

Too funny!!!

I know the CHEROKEE'S have a unibody. seems to be farely tough. No big crack any where besides the windshield

LOL !!! Stick a water hose under there and wash all that mud off so ya can see what broke!! LOL!!!

Should have went with an Isuzu! Told you those chrysler products suspensions fall off!

My asss. For startes that isuzu wpuldnt have even made it in to where I injured the jeep.

And second Instead of breaking sumthin on the suspension like my jeep did. That isuzu probly woulda had a tire ripped off an woulda had to have a jeep come in there to pull it out.

CHEW ON THAT FOR A WHILE

ok Finnally had some time for a good look. Washed the mud off the spring pack an took off the U-bolts an that plate on top. Heres what I found.



I probed around an it feels like that centering pin is just below the upper leaf.

Im thinkin I might tear the spring pack off the other side to compare it to as I havnt worked on that end of the jeep before.

Looks like an easy fix. Should be a nut on one side and the pin head on the other side.

As a side note, My brother has a jeep cherokee like yours and he broke the rear axle ring and pinion carryer and ring and pinion gears striped.

Ive busted spider gears and transfer cases and other goodys in my old CJs