98CherokeeLimit4x4

So My cherokee has this popping coming from the front left while turning to the left but no the right probably 4 or 5 pops while turning the wheel all the way too the left?Anybody

muddeprived

Possibilities:

u-joint in axle shaft
worn out trackbar
worn out suspension bushings (sway bar, control arms)
bad steering gear box
Tools rolling around in the back banging against the plastic side panels. There's a coat on the left side softening the blows on right turns so that's why you only hear it popping on left turns.

Does it do this when the jeep is parked and you turn the wheel?

98CherokeeLimit4x4

Yea it does it setting still too I think it might be tracbar

muddeprived

Could be. Have someone turn the wheel and you can sit under there with some popcorn and watch the joints for movement. It's a great show.

MasterShakeXJ

usually the pop comes from your tracbar

98CherokeeLimit4x4

Could it just be the bushings? trackbar bushings?

hubbazoot

The hole for the bolt to go through the track bar is just slightly larger than it should be for the track bar on my '87. I still get some popping noises when I turn hard from left to right and back (they seem to have faded though) and discovered this was the cause. The only real solution is to weld a plate on and redrill the hole.

This is just a statement of what I think it could be. I'm not saying that's what it is.

grn99

I also have a popping noise but mine is the axle shaft U-joint. Check yours out too the caps on it should be wasted. Crawl under it and try to rotate the frt. driveshaft. If it is a U-joint youll be able to see it moving losely in the shaft.

mobilecherokee4

could be the wheel bearings, i just had to replace mine

muddeprived

Sometimes the needle bearings in the caps turn to dust and seize up, causing popping and all kinds of noises. You can't really notice them bad other than the noise or if you remove the shaft and try to bend it at the joint. THere won't be any play in the cap/ears. For instance, i just replaced my rear driveshaft u-joint at the pinion. There was no play but once i took it off, the caps would not turn. The needle bearings were dust and it took a large vice and hammer to get the caps off the u-joint.