Every time my fat brother sits in the rear passenger seat and I turn or cause the truck to shake side to side, I hear a crunching sound in the right rear of the truck. It's not just fat brother sitting back there that causes the noise, any weight on that area of the truck will cause the noise. This is a 97 xj sport 4.0 4x4 with leaf springs in the rear. What could be causing this noise?? Broken Leaf sping?? What should I be looking at? How could I isolate the problem?

Its probably the bushings in the leaf springs. Or the spring pack its self has come unbound from each other.. look under the chassie while your brother sits in the rear. You should be able to see the problem fairly easily. A bad bushing will KLUNK when weight is applied, A leaf spring pack will seperate unnaturally. Either way its a fairly simple remedy...And while your at it you should replace the bushings on the other side as well...
If It is a broken spring pack you will see the clips broken on one side or both. Best bet is to replace the whole thing...If funds don't allow for that a vise grip or two will get you by for a little while. A junkyard might have a broken spring pack you can cannibalize as well. hope this helps...

[QUOTE=avmx]Every time my fat brother sits in the rear passenger seat and I turn or cause the truck to shake side to side, I hear a crunching sound in the right rear of the truck.

All Cherokees have crunchy sounding rear brakes. Are you sure that's not what you are really hearing?

tell your brother he broke your truck and make him pay for it :lol: