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Front end popping

Jonesy51

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Ojai, ca
Hi guys, I have a 2001 xj 5.5 RE lift. I have some popping noises coming from the front end and I cant locate where it is coming from. I have checked the track bar bracket, steering box and lower/upper control arms to make sure they are tight and greased everything... Still popping. Has any one else had this problem? It seems to make the popping noise when I take off from a dead stop and when I am turning.
 
i know you said you checked the trackbar bracket, but did you do so while someone else dry steered it? this usually shows any problems in the front end
 
i know you said you checked the trackbar bracket, but did you do so while someone else dry steered it? this usually shows any problems in the front end

I had some one steer it back and forth while I looked at the track bar mount and the rest of the front end. Everything seemed to be tight. Do you think it could be axle u-joints?
 
sorry cant be for sure, havent done any work on my axle u-joints.... do you have full time 4x4? in my eyes, there shouldnt be a load on them axle u-joints unless your in full time 4x4.

sorry for coming back to the trackbar, im sure 90% of other threads basically say trackbar too... but its a common thing, make sure your axle-side bracket hole isnt oval'ed out.... sometimes there can be discrepencies with bolt sizing too....

good luck, its a holiday weekend, you might get better anwers come tuesday.
 
It would help if the OP would describe how and when it pops. I would have to agree with XCM at this point!
 
XCM, thanks for the help. I will check the axle side track bar mount. I dont have full time 4x4. At ColoradoRaptor, the popping happens when I am turning around a corner, going over bumps in the road and from taking off from a dead stop.
 
my trackbar bracket that continuously moves around on the frame on a secondary mj has 2/3rds of those noise... but i do not get any creaks on taking off from a dead stop... (MAYBE if i was turning quite a bit, af if i was in a tight parking spot..)

most of MY creaking comes from when im doing 35+ then make a sharp turn without slowing down, basically fast direction changes where it wants to rip the axle away from the chassis. the jeep i mention that has a continuously loose trackbar bracket is running a RE tranbar bracket that just didnt want to fit right, or go on the holes during installation, had to break out the prybars and tapered aligment tool. did you have any problems installing your RE trackbar bracket?
 
my trackbar bracket that continuously moves around on the frame on a secondary mj has 2/3rds of those noise... but i do not get any creaks on taking off from a dead stop... (MAYBE if i was turning quite a bit, af if i was in a tight parking spot..)

most of MY creaking comes from when im doing 35+ then make a sharp turn without slowing down, basically fast direction changes where it wants to rip the axle away from the chassis. the jeep i mention that has a continuously loose trackbar bracket is running a RE tranbar bracket that just didnt want to fit right, or go on the holes during installation, had to break out the prybars and tapered aligment tool. did you have any problems installing your RE trackbar bracket?

Talking with you I am leaning towards the track bar being the problem. I have been checking it with the weight of the jeep on it. I think I need to get the jeep off the ground and get the weight off the suspension and see if I can find a problem with the track bar. I bought the jeep with the RE kit already on it (which could be the problem in itself, I don't know who installed it). I can feel the popping in the floor board when it happens.
 
Tighten the track bar bracket up and steering box, also check the upper shock mounts and tighten them...

I had the same problem, ended up being the TB bracket was a C.hair loose.
 
When was the last time you replaced your front unit bearings? When you turn hard, can you feel like a 'pulsing'? Bigger, heavier tires accelerate their wear pretty quick. When the TJ's unit bearings were shot, it had that kind of noise, and you could feel it in the steering wheel when making a hard turn. My 99 XJ has the noise now too, and it definitely needs unit bearings.
 
Could the noise be coming from the coil spring contacting the lip of the bumpstop bracket?
 
You should crawl under the front and shake the axle U joints. There should be zero play in the joints. Put a glove on and check them for any play. If you feel play, replace the u joint.

I see you have the RE kit. The johnny joints on the RE control arms are notorious for binding. The UCA joint is at the rear of the UCA. If the left one is binding, you can feel the popping through the floor on the drivers side. I have this problem on my rig right now and am waiting for the brown santa to show up with the RE tool to take them apart. If you haven't heard, RE was bought by Four Wheel Parts a few months back. You can no longer buy direct from RE. You will need these tools to take the joints apart, RE3771 & RE3772.

When I was looking for parts and tools, I called RE (their tech support is still active), Four Wheel Parts and 2 local vendors. As soon as I mentioned Johnny Joints, they all interrupted me with the quesiton "have you loosened them?" The RE rep admitted that in the past, they were setting the joints too tight before they were shipped. RE also told me any grease was acceptable, it was only there to prevent dirt from getting into the joint. One of the vendors explained they used to pull the collars all the way down until the ball could just be rotated. He said they now back the collars off one quarter of a turn before locking them with the setscrew.

If you decide your problem is a binding johnny joint, drop the control arm, taking all the usual safety precautions and only disconnedt one side at a time. You should be able to easily rotate the ball inside the joint with the attaching bolt. If it is binding, time to open it up, clean, lube and adjust the joint.
 
a rubicon express joint (not a johnny joint, thats like calling a whopper a big mac; not true) shouldnt be sooo loose that you can easily turn it by hand... i feel that thats way too loose, i prefer em where you have to put a short metal rod in them to rotate them by hand... not a cheater bar... just an alignment tool, or a thick punch.

also, the tools are easily made... if you dont have them allready.
 
My 98XJ is set up about like yours and it had a popping noise. Turned out the frame was cracked. The crack showed up from behind the driver's side motor mount. We added plating and welded up in other areas. Installed the RE Trackbar Bracket & Brace. Getting the Rusty's Offroad Steering Box Brace this week just to be sure.
hth,
dn
 
My 98XJ is set up about like yours and it had a popping noise. Turned out the frame was cracked. The crack showed up from behind the driver's side motor mount. We added plating and welded up in other areas. Installed the RE Trackbar Bracket & Brace. Getting the Rusty's Offroad Steering Box Brace this week just to be sure.
hth,
dn
Ive got the Rustys offroad steering box brace on already. I checked the steering box and trackbar mounts along with uppershock mounts.... everything is tight. I'm still getting popping. Front driveline ujoints are good also. It seams to be happening mostly when I am turning.
 
I have the short arm kit and it does the same thing. I can feel it in the floor. All the bolts feel tight as a nun. Let me know what you find. RE didn't help me much.
Did you read my post about the RE Superflex joints? I know the Johnny Joint was created by Curie, but I don't see any difference, other than the name. Maybe you were just confused by the BS about Whopper Juniors and McDoubles.

You are not looking for a loose bolt. What you feel is when a binding ball slips. If you can feel it in the floor, drop the CAs and see if you can rotate the ball end with the bolt that was holding it. I would bet the left side UCA rear joint is binding; Just check them all.
 
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T&Js also has new joints to replace the RE joints and they claim to be stronger an last longer!
 
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