Wrangler sounds different after taking it out of 4WD

Severus

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Cottonwood, AZ
Hello! Need some advice! Long story short - I bought a used 2014 Wrangler JK. I finally had a friend show me how to use the 4WD. Great, I was happy! That was yesterday, today, I start the Jeep, and it sounds different. It used to be "quiet" but now it sounds as if I put a different exhaust on it. When the engine idles, it is quiet, when I put it in gear, then it makes this unusual sound. I looked it up on internet and it says it may be the CV joints? Anybody have this happen? Extra info - I live in AZ but the Jeep came from NY.
 
Hello! Need some advice! Long story short - I bought a used 2014 Wrangler JK. I finally had a friend show me how to use the 4WD. Great, I was happy! That was yesterday, today, I start the Jeep, and it sounds different. It used to be "quiet" but now it sounds as if I put a different exhaust on it. When the engine idles, it is quiet, when I put it in gear, then it makes this unusual sound. I looked it up on internet and it says it may be the CV joints? Anybody have this happen? Extra info - I live in AZ but the Jeep came from NY.

What kind of sound, clunk? Clank? Click? Does it make sound when moving?

Did you take it off-roading at all? It's possible that someone else may have worked loose in your adventure.

You may indeed be hearing the axle shaft or driveshaft joint. If you haven't used 4x4 in a while, doing so may have causing some issues since the joints may not have moved in a long time and could have rusted in place a bit.

Hard to say without crawling underneath and checking for issues.

Lots of cool areas to wheel in Sedona/Cottonwood - get that Jeep fixed up soon so you can explore before summer comes :)
 
Hi! No, did not take it off roading. Just was able to get it into 4H and drove around the block. I have a manual transmission (yes, put it in neutral to get into 4WD). The 4WD shift is very difficult to move. The sound is more of a clunking - continuous sound. Yes, only makes the sound when the transmission is engaged.
 
So a couple things...

First, you don't need to shift to Neutral to go into 4Hi. You don't even need to be stopped. As a matter of fact, moving makes shifting into 4Hi much smoother.

Second, are you saying that the sound you are hearing is while in 4Hi or in 2WD?

If you don't hear the noises in 4Hi, this is normal. You will hear more driveline related noises in 4Hi, including hearing the axle-shafts. It should not sound like hard, metal-on-metal noises (this would indicate a worn out part), but you'll hear the t-case whine a little, and the front driveshaft will hum a little bit while spinning.

Note that you should really only engage 4Hi or 4Lo on 'soft' pavements (dirt, rock, sand) or in slippery conditions. On something like dry asphalt, you can bind up the transfer case unnecessarily and in rare instances, can cause some damage.
 
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Oh wow - you taught me something new about going into 4WD - TY! The sound just started when I went back into 2WD. I backed up into my driveway in 4WD last night, put it back into 2WD, then this morning when I went out, I heard this new sound. Thank you for all of the info you have provided! I am totally new to owning a Jeep!
 
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How many miles on your Jeep? Do you know the service history? Might be worth taking to one of the many 4x4-oriented shops in the area to have a thorough inspection and maintenance catch up.