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YA popping sound from steering

maxbraketorque

NAXJA Forum User
Location
PDX
I'm hearing an intermittent popping sound when turning the steering wheel a large amount. When I got under the vehicle to listen while my daughter turned the steering wheel, I found the noise to be coming from the steering box area. I have the Ironman steering box brace, a JCR steering box spacer, and lots of Grade 8 hardware holding everything together. Nothing is moving, and there are no cracks anywhere in the frame.

I found by accident that turning the steering wheel to full lock eliminated the popping sound. Any suggestions as to what's happening? My current thought is that there is/was an air bubble in the PS fluid in the steering box. The fluid level in the reservoir is full.
 
Check the torque (with a torque wrench) on all the steering and suspension parts. What model trackbar/brace do you have?
 
So the possibility of it being something with the power steering system is moot? I'm asking because I can definitely feel the popping when my hand is on the steering box. I don't feel it when my hand is on any other part of the steering or track bar system.
 
I went through all the "usual suspect" nuts and bolts. The only thing that I snugged up was the collar that goes around the snout of the steering box on my Ironman4x4Fab steering box brace. It wasn't loose, but there is no specific tightness value that Andy recommends, so I gave those two nuts another half turn. Everything else was tight, and most everything in the steering system is new or reinforced.

Its definitely not anything to do with the track bar system. I've modded an Ironman4x4Fab track bar bracket brace to fit my RC track bar bracket (double shear bracket). And I have the Clayton 9/16" track bar mounting bolt at the axle side with a new factory JK bushing on that end of the track bar.

The popping sound seems to have been resolved by going full lock on the steering. When I opened the PS reservoir (motor still running), it sucked in air which was interesting. Fluid level is good.
 
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