Popping noise in TJ steering

[mbalbritton]

Buddy has a '00 TJ, 5" of lift, running 33's. He's developed a popping noise in his steering and can't figure it out. with wheels straight he can turn to the left about 4" rotation of steering wheel and make something pop in his steering. we've traded off steering and listening for where it's coming from, but amazingly still can't narrow it down between Steering box, tie rod ends, steering box brace....

Also, don't know if it hase anything to do with it, but when straighting out from a turn instead of teh wheel coming back to center in a fluid motion it does it witha bit of a turn, stop, turn, stop motion.

Anyone run across this before or have any ideas before we go swapping each individual part out?

thanks

[LEVE]

1. I'd have to guess the tie-rods are binding.
2. Try a test...
3. Take it to an empty parking lot and do a couple of turns.
4. Make sure the problem can be repeated.
5. Note the point when the steering's re-centering that it seems to bind.
6. Then stop the Jeep during the bind.
7. Hop out and look at the Joints...
8. I'd bet that's the wear or bind point.

[dorfs]

Good points Leve. I'll bet without adjustable lower control arms, the sway bar link mount on the axle is rubbing the hydrolic steering stabilizer.

[WHTTRASH]

hey im brents bud with the popping jeep..........thanks for the ideas......but im guessing the popping is coming from the box because it only pops when turning left not right, but thanks for the info and we'll check it out next .....

later
john [img]images/graemlins/chair.gif[/img]

[Caver Dave]

Fill out your profile weiner! [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I'm not totally convinced it's in the box. I think you need to jack up the axle off the ground and check for the same noises. Seems like you'll never find a bad TRE with all the weight on it. Could even be a boogered ball joint....Just incase you want to verify DPs "parking lot diagnosis" BEFORE you tear out the box only to find the pop is still present [img]images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[WHTTRASH]

it filled out now [img]images/graemlins/AR15firing.gif[/img] get back to work dave [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

later
john

ps yea i fig. before i drop some cash we can check out that kind of stuff................

[RockRash]

I dont know how TJs are set up but my CJ-7 did the exact same thing after I installed a 2" body lift. I had drilled out the pins on the steering shaft but it didn't seperate when I lifted it. I had too pull the shaft out - force seperate it by hand and reinstall it. Problem fixed from then on. Dont know if this could relate, just putting some ideas out.

[mbalbritton]

Found it!

It's a TRE. Sorry, don't know exactly what all the different rods are called on these new fandangled Coil suspension jobs [img]images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] but the TRE that mounts to a bracket that's welded to the axle tube on the driver side. Just behind the Steering box. you can actually see it pop back and forth.

Just thought I'd answer the question for future searchs. Whats the point in a thread with out an answer. [img]images/graemlins/40BEER.gif[/img]

Thanks

[Caver Dave]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
<font color="blue"> Whats the point in a thread with out an answer? </font color>

[/ QUOTE ]

Why "post padding" of course! [img]images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]