Clunking/Popping? Help? Front end IFS
 

Hey guys,

I've had major suspension issues lately. I replaced the whole upper control arm with bushings and ball joints already in on both sides because it was cheaper than just buying bushings. After that came steering issues to the point that the car was pretty uncontrollable. So the idler arm and pitman arm both got replaced. After all this, I had to get an alignment done that took several hours to do because the alignment was so far off in left field. I should post a pic of the alignment specs before and after lol. But there is STILL A FREAKIN' CLUNKING/POPPING sound! I have isolated the noise to the middle of the vehicle in the front end, right around where the pitman arm would be. Everything is greased up so that wouldn't be it. Any ideas? Anybody ever heard a gear box make a clunking or popping sound? That's about the only part left near the pitman arm. Inner tie rods seem to be too far away from the noise, but I wouldn't rule it out. Hmmm.... I just don't know...

im dealing with a similar sound that I'm chasing, all new front suspension
Parts, I'm starting to think it may be a CV axle cluncking

Tibby, i found in my case that the CV axle where they go into the pass. axle tube had a lot of play in them, the noise im getting sounds like a loose shock adsorber in its mount, i did replace the tube, and it did help, but not all the noise is gone, i may have a worn cv axle..

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Okay, my shocks are only more than a year old so they are fine. This is more of a POP! when turning either direction and going over obstacles like speed bumps. Also, if you put it in drive for example and hold down the brake while turning the steering wheel a little bit, you can hear the popping sound turning either direction. I can't figure it out though because it's coming from the middle of the ifs. What kind of sounds do gear boxes make when they wear out? If not the gear box, maybe an inner tie rod? It can only be a few things as half the ifs is new.

that would be the torsion bar mounts,I almost guarantee it.

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That's something I didn't really think about, but you may be right. It sounds like a pop of something that is under stress, but there aren't that many parts located in the middle of the front. How much work is involved in changing both mounts?

its just a matter of unloading the t bars, then removing the links and replacing the rubber,and reinstalling, i remove my t bars with a 2 jaw
puller with no problems. there may be a way to support the cross member
and possibly and carefully removing the links, im not sure if that is safe or not though..
have you raised the front end off the ground and had some one move the tires left and right while you were carefully watching all the moving parts to see if the pitman arm on the steering box is showing play? just had to ask

On my 91 1st gen,you didnt have to touch the bars. the mounts held down the crossmember the arms ran into. Im not too sure though on the design on a 2nd gen as ive never owned one.

Tibby, so what did you find out about your noise??

My 95 jimmy just started doing the same thing with the popping noise and steering problem. It was the same problem as okiedoak had, my cv axle was making all the noise and making my truck turn when ever I hot a bump.