Pop in steering wheel

[Devallee]

Sounds like it could be ball joints if you're getting play but I'm not sure that is the culprit of the popping sound but hopefully someone else will chime in. I just know I've never had any sounds from bad ball joints. Do you have any type of shimmy in the steering wheel or bump steer or anything like that while driving?

 

[Devallee]

But either way no, that play is not normal and should be addressed. Probably bad ball joints but I'd keep looking for where the noise is coming from. Did you do the side to side test like we mentioned? Even if everything is tight, something like bad tie rod ends sound still make a sound when the steering is cycled

 

[JakeJK]

These are the three videos i took while under the jeep, hopefully they can help with the diagnosis of the whats happening.

Thanks!

https://youtu.be/XJMGcJahcHc
https://youtu.be/FkW2ritZOG8
https://youtu.be/w_-CMgKxw80

 

[JakeJK]

Sounds like it could be ball joints if you're getting play but I'm not sure that is the culprit of the popping sound but hopefully someone else will chime in. I just know I've never had any sounds from bad ball joints. Do you have any type of shimmy in the steering wheel or bump steer or anything like that while driving?

I don't feel any distinctive bumpsteer, its not really play from the 12 and 6 o clock angles or the 3 and 9 o clock angles, its more like the whole thing can travel vertically inside of the c's its hard to descrive hopefully the video may help.

 

[WJCO]

I don't really see anything abnormal in the videos. Your ball joints have slight vertical play. The manufacturer probably has a pec for that. Did you examine the track bar joints and control arm bushings also during that test?

 

[Devallee]

I've never seen that before but it definitely should not be doing that. Looks like it could be worn ball joints but I've never personally seen them move like that but I would address it sooner rather than later. Sorry I don't have a better remedy for you but maybe someone with more experience will chime in and could give a possible remedy. I'd say try to tighten that bolt at the bottom of the bj but if I remember correctly it has a pin going through it and I have no experience with that

Edit: beat me to it ^ haha

 

[Devallee]

I don't really see anything abnormal in the videos. Your ball joints have slight vertical play. The manufacturer probably has a pec for that. Did you examine the track bar joints and control arm bushings also during that test?

The ball joints shouldn't have play like that though correct? Looks like a little more play than I would like

 

[OverlanderJK]

I haven't read the whole thread but have you checked to make sure your stabilizer isn't hitting the diff when you turn? If your tie rod is bent slightly or the bracket has shifted it could hit your diff cover.

 

[JakeJK]

I don't really see anything abnormal in the videos. Your ball joints have slight vertical play. The manufacturer probably has a pec for that. Did you examine the track bar joints and control arm bushings also during that test?

The track bar seemed fine, i still dont have that torque wrench though so ill need to get one to make sure the track bar bolt is tightened to spec, its only a few months old and only been on a trail once so i cant imagine the bushings have gone bad yet, its the RK adjustable bomb proof one

 

[WJCO]

The track bar seemed fine, i still dont have that torque wrench though so ill need to get one to make sure the track bar bolt is tightened to spec, its only a few months old and only been on a trail once so i cant imagine the bushings have gone bad yet, its the RK adjustable bomb proof one

If it was tight during your steer test, it's probably fine. When it's loose, it's obvious. Also check wheel bearings, axle joints, steering box, steering shaft linkage. Can't think of anything else.

 

[WJCO]

I haven't read the whole thread but have you checked to make sure your stabilizer isn't hitting the diff when you turn? If your tie rod is bent slightly or the bracket has shifted it could hit your diff cover.

^This too. Indeed.

 

[JakeJK]

If it was tight during your steer test, it's probably fine. When it's loose, it's obvious. Also check wheel bearings, axle joints, steering box, steering shaft linkage. Can't think of anything else.

alright i will, hell maybe its just how a jeep drives haha this is my first one though

 

[WJCO]

The ball joints shouldn't have play like that though correct? Looks like a little more play than I would like

Manufacturers allow a certain amount of vertical play. I don't know what the spec is for this vehicle, but they can go from like .020 to .125 in general for domestic vehicles. Regardless, that type of play shouldn't affect steering or cause a steering noise. Also, if there is vertical play, it's usually inside the ball and socket joint, so tightening it won't do any good.

 

[WJCO]

alright i will, hell maybe its just how a jeep drives haha this is my first one though

It shouldn't pop like you described.

 

[JakeJK]

I haven't read the whole thread but have you checked to make sure your stabilizer isn't hitting the diff when you turn? If your tie rod is bent slightly or the bracket has shifted it could hit your diff cover.

no it wasnt, it only happens when like slighly turning to the left as to avoid drifting into the curb, so usually when im going straight and when the steering wheel is at the center, but it didnt hit at full turn either when i was down there checking.

 

[JakeJK]

It shouldn't pop like you described.

yeah i didn't think so either, its not an aggressive one but it can definitely be felt, i can also feel it in the gas pedal if that helps anything whenever it does it to the steering wheel it also does it to the gas pedal simultaneously.

 

[jeeeep]

that seemed like a lot of vertical play in the ball joint, try removing the cotter pin, tighten it one open space on the nut then replace the cotter pin and see if it makes a difference.

 

[WJCO]

yeah i didn't think so either, its not an aggressive one but it can definitely be felt, i can also feel it in the gas pedal if that helps anything whenever it does it to the steering wheel it also does it to the gas pedal simultaneously.

This makes me think it may be something in your steering linkage or gearbox. Can you duplicate the pop in your drive way or do you have to be moving? If you can duplicate it in the driveway, have someone duplicate it while you put your hands on the steering shaft and see if you can feel where it is the worst.

 

[WJCO]

that seemed like a lot of vertical play in the ball joint, try removing the cotter pin, tighten it one open space on the nut then replace the cotter pin and see if it makes a difference.

JakeJK, I just re-watched the last two videos. Is the noise in the video the noise you're hearing? When I originally watched it, I thought that was just your prybar hitting something. I do see some play in the uppers, but still doesn't seem like it would make that kind of noise, if indeed that is the noise that you're hearing on the road.

 

[JakeJK]

JakeJK, I just re-watched the last two videos. Is the noise in the video the noise you're hearing? When I originally watched it, I thought that was just your prybar hitting something. I do see some play in the uppers, but still doesn't seem like it would make that kind of noise, if indeed that is the noise that you're hearing on the road.

The popping (more of a feeling) in the steering wheel and the pedal are much quieter in the cab in fact they're barely audible but you can very much feel them, i couldn't get it to make any noise when I was under the jeep while it was on jack stands and my brother was turning the wheel so I checked the ball joints, since they have vertical play I'm thinking that the weight shift of the jeep when turning left and right may allow the wheel to raise up and hitting up against the c's a little causing that feeling (light popping) in the steering wheel. I will do what jeeeep suggested and tighten the bottom of them up tomorrow and hopefully it'll help some. If not, I'm afraid it may be in my steering box/gear box as you have stated.

I may have be being over dramatic when saying popping in the very beginning but I know something isn't right and didn't know how to describe it

Hopefully my theory makes sense and will solve the problem using what jeeeep said