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Can't track down popping noise!(I searched for hours)

C

chad

NAXJA Forum User
Location
lancaster, CA
2000 xj, RE5.5" lift, 33's.
I've replaced all the tre's because they were worn anyway, tightened the trac bar bracket bolts and steering box bolts till I thought they would break, and tightened every bolt in the suspension, but I still get this loud pop everytime I turn one way or the other. I can feel it in the floorboard. It only does it when I'm moving not sitting still so I can't really watch it happen.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
Chad
 
Try tightening your small RE superflex joints(upper control arms and trac-bar on the frame side). The little ones have a habit of wearing and becoming a little sloppy causing a popping noise. You'll need to get the tool to tighten them, it's about $12.
 
Thanks,
I just checked that out and I can't get any play there either. I had my cousin turning the wheel back and forth as violently as he could while I watched everything under there, but I can't find anything moving although I can hear it. AAAHHHHRRRR! What else could it be? U-joints? Wheel bearings? I don't see any play there either.
Thanks again,
Chad
 
i had the same problem a couple years back.. turned out to the trackbar bracket. even though i'd crank on the 4 bolts, it was still slightly flexing. a couple of small stich welds between the bracket and the frame and i've never had the problem since.

formatt fabrications
www.formattfab.com
 
is there just one loud pop when you turn?
 
If you can hear your popping noise, you should be able to feel it with your hands. Try using hands to locate the pop. It should feel 'loudest' closest to the source of the pop.
 
Formatt-
Thanks, I'll give that a shot tonight.

Ramsey-
It's kind of a -POP-pop- two or three real quick with the first one being the loudest.

Lou-
I've tried that, but it seems to reverberate throughout the steering/suspension. Also, it doesn't really do it that much when I'm sitting still, just very faintly. It does it louder when I'm driving, like the weight of the jeep going around the corner really does it.

Thanks for all your help guys, I'm sure we'll resolve it soon.
Chad
 
Are your tracbar ends greased well? Mine was popping really bad especially when driving and hiting a bump while taking turns, I replaced the hardware on my tracbar with grade 8 and still the same, turns out that one of the ends on my tracbar wasnt taking grease and was popping as it had to flex and rotate. I replaced the bad Zerk fitting and greased it up, which fixed the problem.
 
i had the same sounds that you are having . I also have the RE5.5" with customs LA's. One of my sounds was the trackbar bracket coming lose and the other sound was the top of my tie-rod end that goes to the drag link hitting my jks disco's. I welded the trackbar bracket and fixed that sound. The other sound i had to get a drop pitman arm to move that rod end down so it doesn't hit.
 
i have that problem and what i can discern it is the "frame" flexing where the track bar mount is.
 
Here is what it sounds like and its a very common thing on the XJ over 3 inch.. What the deal is, its you steering box bolts ripping through your frame, You need a steering Box brace, its like $60 and you can get them at Rustys. You wont beable to see the box moving but it is because of the steering angles, tires and such, stressing the bolts untill they snap.. Mine did the same, I put the brace on and no more popping
 
I have a similar sound. I THINK mine is coming from the axle end of the track bar...my hole there has been stretched out to look more like an egg than a circle, and now the bar can move back and forth about 1/4".
 
mine does it at the axle-end of the RE trackbar.. the stock bolt is just a hair smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the bushing it goes thru.. i had the same issue with the frame-end and fixed it with an 11mm bolt that was "turned down" by a machine shop for me.. 10mm was too small and had a small amount of slop.. and as pointed out it could be your trackbar mount or the steering box too.. my bet is on the trackbar bolts..
 
RE track bar bolt at frame, I couldn't tighten it enough, during NYS inspection, they removed it, packed it full of grease, and snugged it up nicely. Prior to that, Iwould just shoot some of that Boeing lube into it hoping it would seep down into the heim joint.

I have a replacement RE heim joint that I'm going to zerk up, see if that helps. It's starting to pop again after about ten months.

Mike #300
 
Thanks everyone for all the help!
I have been too busy lately to mess with it, but I'm sure that with all your suggestions I will be able to figure it out. I'll keep ya posted.
Thanks again,
Chad
 
I had exactly the same sound and problem...looked at everything...replaced my whole steering system. Have a steering box brace. Replaced the hiem in the track bar...The problem was the steering box was shot. Everytime I turned the wheel it poped inside the box...Took forever to figure this out.
 
DrMoab said:
I had exactly the same sound and problem...looked at everything...replaced my whole steering system. Have a steering box brace. Replaced the hiem in the track bar...The problem was the steering box was shot. Everytime I turned the wheel it poped inside the box...Took forever to figure this out.
Click to expand...


Just had this happen with my 98. Wouldn't figure a 6 year old steering box would be worn. Hell, my 89 steering box was still pretty tight after 10 years, that I owned it. Ordered my self up a AGR box, C-rok plates, bought a HD rusty's tie-rod (which uses shorter CJ ends and is 1.5" dia and 1/4" wall), plus the Poison spyder custom's HD adj sleeve and drag-link reinforcement plate. Going heavy duty, baby.
 
CartsXJ said:
Just had this happen with my 98. Wouldn't figure a 6 year old steering box would be worn. Hell, my 89 steering box was still pretty tight after 10 years, that I owned it. Ordered my self up a AGR box, C-rok plates, bought a HD rusty's tie-rod (which uses shorter CJ ends and is 1.5" dia and 1/4" wall), plus the Poison spyder custom's HD adj sleeve and drag-link reinforcement plate. Going heavy duty, baby.
Click to expand...
What made me realize what caused mine was a friend of mine had the same sound comming out of his AGR box..Less then two years old and it was trashed. He was running a huge drop pitman from Shisterjacker though and I think that caused it. Anyway so much for extra strength steering boxes eh?
 
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