synergy58

Okay, so... I recently removed a Rusty 2" (poor mans) lift kit (2" spacers, add-a-leaf with 4 longer shocks), and dropped height to factory. I replaced rear leaf springs with new ones and installed 4 new Bilstein 4600HD shocks. Installed new Michelin LTX MS Defenders (235's) about 1000 miles ago. The ride is really nice!

Prior to all of this I had an intermittent popping sound in the steering, it happened about once a month, and it would stay that way for about 1/2 day then stop, just disappear. Weird! The steering would feel wobbly when this occurred, but not unstable. It would run true, maintain a straight and steady path even when it did pop and wobble.

Now that its been lowered and new shock, tires and springs are in, it's doing this popping thing every day it seems. I can run the engine, sitting still and rock the steering wheel back and forth a few inches and hear the "pop, pop" sound. I can hear it while driving and turning most of the time, and it also wobbles some too. It stills runs straight and true, at 5 mph or 80 mph, doesn't matter.

142k. What should I replace, needs to be replaced?

Thanks!

chipmaker

My money goes on the track bar. Lay under the jeep and have a helper turn the wheel, put your hand on both sides of the bar and see if you feel the popping in either end. If it feels good just take a good look and feel of the rest of the steering parts till you locate the popping. Keep us posted on what you find.

cruiser54

Tighten the track bar bracket to frame bolts first.

Fred/N0AZZ

When I first bought my 99 it had spacers and blocks on it for a 3" lift and had the same problem when I test drove it, was good for an extra $400 off. Loaded it on my trailer and brought it home unloaded it and that was the problem. The stock track bar was loose was all it was.

synergy58

So I can feel it but can't hear from the outside. Inside I hear it and feel it through the steering wheel.

Thanks!

synergy58

Ok, I'll try this, but just feeling them has proven that they are not loose. I'm guessing "wrench it"!

synergy58

Would be nice if this is all I find wrong too! Wish I had some pictures of all this, just to have a good reference.

bluejeep2001

If its not the trac bar...it might be your sway bar mount bolts . They are pressed in thru the arms on the axle but over time they come loose and allows the sway bar to shift . You need 2 people to do the check but its obvious when you look at them when they moving in a direction they should not. They should only pivot back and forth around the bottom mount bolt if they move up and down or left to right they usually make a popping noise...A track bar with a worn lower mount bushing or bolt hole will allow the axle to shift when the wheel is turned causing the sway bars to shift and pop either of these two symptoms will be easy to find but you need 2 people

TFitzPat87

Those track bar bracket bolts need to be tight. They may be loose, but just feeling by hand won't tell you that. Put a wrench on em, and see if you can't get them tight.

Could also be sway bar like mentioned, or even the steering box bolts are loose, the box itself is bad, or the spacer has corroded enough to create slop. Or even could be that the frame is cracked right there.

PJB

I just fixed a similar problem, when I turned the wheel. it would pop and I could feel it under my feet. Turns out, where the track bar bolts to the axle, the bolt hole was oblong. I welded the washer to the bolt hole in the correct spot and now it drives like a champ.

synergy58

Wheeeeew! Man, lots to check and temps dropping fast. Gonna run it over to a friends tomorrow and get a second hand for the check over. And, right before xmas too!

Hope I don't get over there and have too many beers. LOL!

Is that right? too many? hope I don't, REALLY...no such thing, right? LOL!

Okay, well I will check all said and put a wrench on every freeekin bolt I can find to make sure at the very least things are tight, tighteeeer. Unless I find something too loose, in which case, well I'm sacreeeewweed! till after X-mas anyway!

Many thanks!

bluejeep2001

If he had a 2 inch lift...did he keep the original stock sway bar end links or did he have extended ones...if they were longer then you need to put stock ones back in....the correct geometry should be end links basically vertical and the sway bar arm should be horizontal where it bolts to the end link

Waynerd

I've had multiple vehicles with worn ball joints that pop. Also on one of my cherokee's now, it pops when turning hard and it's the control arm bushings.

Cane

x2 on control arm bushing, especially if it wasn't replaced for the lift

i couldn't feel it myself, had to get my mechanic to take a look at it and once he popped it out you could see the bushing was shot. felt it at my feet too

EatonXJ

Mine was making a popping noise also for a couple days when it was really cold (in the negative degrees). I didn't have much of a chance to check it out but I could hear the noise the loudest when I had my head up under the dash. I was thinking it was something in the steering column or shaft. It's stopped doing it now that's it has warmed up so I can't look into it more.