1998 ZJ questions

Below is a question from a friend of mine who has a

1998 GC Laredo, 5.2L engine, quadra drive, 117,000 miles. His mechanic says he needs a new transfer case (?), as well as a front CV joint. He asked if I could check my "resources" to make sure he wasn't getting screwed. He doesn't have an estimate yet. What could/should he expect $$? Here is his story. Any feedback would be great. Thanks in advance!!!

I have a "whirring" noise that is coming from the front drive train area of the jeep. The noise is not faint by any means. The noise increases proportionately with the speed I am driving. Our mechanic drove it and noticed that moving the shift lever (i.e. from 4H to 4L) does alter the noise level. Aside from the audible signal that "something doesn't seem right" I have not noticed anything that doesn't "feel" right with how it drives. The noise has been there for a while...more than 6 months, but it may have been constantly increasing but since I drive it all the time I haven't noticed the change. Being the idiot I am, I always just figured that this is some form of annoying drive-train noise that plagues some full time 4WD vehicles. Only after our mechanic saying to me "that doesn't sound right" did I decide I needed to explore the situation.

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Reply to
MJ
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I don't think that you would need a whole new Transfer Case if the mechanic is competant that he can replace a bearing in it. The rebuild kit sells for a few hundred, a new t-case, more than a few thousand.

CV joints are normal wear and tear items. However you should hear a noise when you turn the wheel towards the side that has the bad joint. Watch out on that one. He may be fishing. If you're not gunna take the big bite on the transfer case, atleast he still has you for a quick repair that will cost a few hundred.

Reply to
Collin

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