popping noises from the front end?

[David Woo]

I did a run a couple of weekends ago, banged around on some rocks and got a bunch of noises from the front end. Lubed the OME springs and much of the noises went away, but when the wheels are turned and moving and it hits a bump in the road, I hear a popping noise. Nothing seems bent or tweaked,
any thoughts?
DW
ps 1990 fj62, 3" lift, otherwise stock front end.

 

[roscoFJ73]

Its most likely your spring packs shifting a little as you turn.
You could try torquing the U bolts in situ or pulling the springs apart ,cleaning and reassembling them.

 

[lovetoski]

Make sure nothing is worn or loose. Check the u-bolts, knuckle studs, knuckle bearings, wheel bearings, TRE's, wheel lug nuts...

If all of these are tight, not worn/sloppy, then the noise is from your springs. Leaves shift a bit relative to each other when turning, and they pop as the move. It's irritating, but not a problem.

Make sure you don't have any other issues though.

 

[bunnyhill]

is it hard to steer?

 

[High Desert]

check torque on the shackels and hangers, could be too tight/loose.

 

[dtrain]

Edit

I put in some MAF front swaybar extensions... I get the same popping you are experiancing... I need to tighten them down after my initial install (they have thread lock washers)

EDIT: .....install (they have thread lock nuts)

 

[land crusher]

Dry joints in your steering linkage will make a metal popping sound, though it's only likely to happen when the tie rod end or drag link end has NEVER been greased. I supposed if they gone unlubed for a long time it's possible.

 

[David Woo]

thanks for the suggestions...

I have tightened everything, and lubeb up the springs pretty good. They are the older OME springs, no pads between the leafs. The leaf spring sounds more like creaking when dry, I'm getting more of a pop. After a water spray to get rid of dirt and sand, I spray lithium grease into the springs and the creaks go away.

My thought is maybe the TRE's, they look fine but I'm tempted to take them out, clean and lube them up and re-install to see if the pop goes away. Another weekend project.
DW

ps the steering is fine and the lug nuts are tight.

 

[dtrain]

Just reposting... is it your front swaybar extensions? I tightened mine last night and he popping I was hearing went away

 

[David Woo]

I'll check the sway bar this weekend, thanks!

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