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creaking/popping noise when turning

8

89jeepxjw

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
I have a very loud popping and creaking noise on my 89 when turning. Ive replaced the motor and tranny mounts and went through and re-torqued ever single piece of my suspension. After I did this it tamed down a little bit but it still has the popping noise. It sounbds like its comign from the fram and axle mounts of the track-bar, but i have replaced the heim on the trac bar and made sure the frame mount was tight. HELP! Dont really feel comfrotable driving it this way and got rid of my stocker for another f-body. It DID have some cracks but all were welded up and seemed great until this noise came along and the welds still look great.
 
Check that your track bar frame mount is tight and also check to see if your frame is cracked around the steering box and track bar area. These are all pretty common.
 
Are you sure that the popping noises aren't coming from your steering box? I bet your frame/unibody is cracked right behind the steering box or track bar bracket where it hooks to the unibody.
 
dude i got those same problems too man with my 89 jeep cherokee. i have no freakin clue what they are. i just put the music a little louder. maybe its normal for old jeeps.
 
haha rough country stikes again, got that lift in my jeep and had it my f150. what is it with that f*ckin company. i like how they are cheap but always problem after problem. ill have to check that out.
 
i have this same sound too, but have been ignoring it for now, until i can get done with school only 3 weeks left, and then i can fix it at home :) lemme know what you find, i will keep checking this post
 
Could be the bar pins, the front driveshaft, or the axle u-joints. My money is on the bar pins. They are notorious for making popping and creaking sounds.

Bar pin eliminators may be a good idea, even if you could use a set to test with temporarily.
 
IF it only happens when the wheels are turned, have you carefully checked your axle U-joints?

My '00 popped going around corners ever since I bought it(48,000 miles) A friend kept telling me it was a U-joint, and I said no. Joints looked good, no rust dust around the seals, couldn't shake them around. Then I munched one 4-wheeling. Turns out the bearings were gone but the seals were holding the joint up and making it look ok. 2 new joints - not a sound since.
 
tbburg said:
IF it only happens when the wheels are turned, have you carefully checked your axle U-joints?

My '00 popped going around corners ever since I bought it(48,000 miles) A friend kept telling me it was a U-joint, and I said no. Joints looked good, no rust dust around the seals, couldn't shake them around. Then I munched one 4-wheeling. Turns out the bearings were gone but the seals were holding the joint up and making it look ok. 2 new joints - not a sound since.
Click to expand...
2x I have the same problem as well. I know it's my u-joint though because I can hear it when I drive. It clicks just like when my wheel bearing gave out but this time I know it's the u-joint, wheel hop is also a huge issue when turning now because the joint binds up. Getting her fixed on Wednesday.
 
Did you check the Ball Joints? Mine would pop after turning in reverse and braking. New ball joints, problem solved.
 
No cracking around the frame at the steering box or track bar mount. Track bar is full tractions with the HD frame mount and they are tight with safety wire, and the heim on the axle end of the track bar is like 48 hours old. I do get a popping noise when braking too, but mostly while turning. Ill check for play in the ball joints today and also the u joints, I also get this noise when the front is half way drooped or stuffed??? If it helps I run FT's 6" LA on a 94 hp d30. I just dropped this d30 in while I mock up the waggy 44 and everythig was fine for about 3 weeks then I get this sound. Ill post up what I find today.
 
ya i get the noise sometimes when starting to brake, usually when i first start applying the brakes. any ideas? mine sound like tha same symptoms as yours but i jsu thave a 2 in BB and 30 BFG AT
 
Okay so the problem thickens. Its cold and rainy today and my problem is 98% gone? Only occasionaly did it do it today. I checked the ball joints and im pretty sure it could use a new set but there are not completely toast and the axle u-joints are fine. So it does it when its warm out but not when its cold??
 
Check the bushings on your control arms. Look for play or the rubber shot. Check bolt tightness on the uppers at the unibody and on the axle.
 
do you guys think bad sway bar bushings might cause this situation? i looked around underneath and the tracbar bracket is on tight as is the steering box. any other thoughts?
thanks
 
89jeepxjw said:
Okay so the problem thickens. Its cold and rainy today and my problem is 98% gone? Only occasionaly did it do it today. I checked the ball joints and im pretty sure it could use a new set but there are not completely toast and the axle u-joints are fine. So it does it when its warm out but not when its cold??
Click to expand...

I would be more inclined to think that the rain water is acting as a lubricant to quell the noise....I had a ujoint on the front shaft of my XJ#1 that was noisy untill you submerged it....once it was wet it would be quiet till it dried out....it had no play in it, but when I took it apart it was full of rust and broken needles....
 
my money is on U - joints, I just had to replace mine and they where doing the same thing when I turned the wheels, they where starting to sieze up making that noise. I was once told that the U - joints where the weakest link (as in super weak) on the dana 30.
 
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