Strange popping sound when turning

1997 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 auto 227,000 miles

Ok so when tracking straight there is no apparent noise, but when turning about half way, from straight, to full lock in either direction there is a strange popping/clunking sound that I can only describe as muffled popcorn popping. In the last year and a half I have replaced BOTH front wheel bearing, BOTH front axle shaft u-joints, and BOTH sets of ball joints. I am familiar (or atleast I thought I was) with what bad wheel bearings sound like since this is the third set I have gone through with this Jeep, which the sound is a usually a low grinding/whirring sound at speed when turning a bit with some vibrations. I also got a bad repetitive squeak with a strong repetitive pull or tug fee and then release when turning when my u-joint about seized up.

But what I am experiencing now is new for me. I was wondering if this could be something farther into the axle since the other things have been replaced so recently? Maybe something in the differential? I had a guy that was doing some work on my Jeep mention that my pinion bearing had a tiny bit of play in it.

Any ideas?

Trac bar mount and steering box bolts the one that hold it all down to the uni-frame.

muddypunk said:

Trac bar mount and steering box bolts the one that hold it all down to the uni-frame.

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I spent allot of time searching for a front end noiselike the one you have. After replacing a bunch of stuff it turned out to be the bolts that hold the sway bar to the frame.

They seemed tight but when I finally figured out that was the problem it took a socket and 3 foot pipe to finally get them tight so the bracket did not move around.

I think they were rusted so it took a long cheater bar to finally get them to turn.

Both great suggestions thanks guys! I actually remember noticing some excessive play in the bushing at the axle in on my IronMan4x4 track bar so I will just order up some new bushings and tighten those bolts and see if that solves the noise.

x2 on the track bar