Test drove a KK, heard front end noise... CV joint?

[MrMischief]

I test drove an 08 KK today that has 38k miles and I like everything about it. There's a bit of noise from the sky slider but I think I'm ok with that since it's not worse then my TJ. What has me concerned is I heard a noise from the front end. It changed with road speed. I first heard it at about 25 mph and it was there all the way up to 80 mph. It almost sounded like a broken tire belt that hadn't scalloped very much yet. Just sort of a roar, roar, roar, not so much a thump. I didn't notice any shake through the steering wheel. The vehicle did feel like it wandered but we were having 40 mph winds, so the wandering could have been that. I took it into a pavement parking lot and did some tight turns, slowly, no obvious grinding noises. The jeep has a command trac transfer case, and in 2 wheel drive there was a moment it almost felt like it was in 4 wheel drive. I noticed that at idle if i cut a tight turn the vehicle would slow to a stop, almost like it was in 4 lock. I gave it gas and it sort of felt like the front was scrubbing. I then put it in 4x4 and that was obviously working. I was not able to put the front end in the air and check the cv joints. A quick google search popped up results with CV joints and intermediate shaft problems. I think this is the issue, but holding out hope that it's not likely. Are these common problems? What's the average cost for a dealer to repair it? Is it better to repair it with after market parts? This is at a jeep dealer, so if I require repairs prior to purchase I expect them to be done right, but if it's better to just run it to 4 wheel parts and have them fix it with after market bits while lifting it I can try to negotiate that out of the vehicle price.

Other then the noise, l'm liking the KK, still. I noticed my last post was in 09 about a kk vs a nitro, obviously we didn't get either. Wife has a SRT8 Charger for the moment, I traded my Ram back for another TJ. looking for winter car for the wife, truth be told the Patriot and Liberty are the only two things I've liked.

 

[rockymountain]

I would get the tires rotated and drive again. If the noise doesn't change I'd just look for another one. Could be a bearing. If it is a cv it is probably the right side and it would also require a new intermediate shaft as well. Lot's of info on here about those. Try to tell if it is coming from the right or left. Also make sure the alignment is good and that it isn't sagged to crap.

edit:
I'd say with 38K it should be pretty quiet with road tires on it. Unless the tires are junk.