Fellow cherokee owners, I have a problem I have been chasing and cannot seem to fix. When I turn right I get a pop coming from the front end. It doesnt do it when Im sitting still just turning the wheel back and forth, only when Im moving. It seems to be the worst when I give it gas or go over a bump while turning. I put all new bushings in the front end, new ball joints, and greased my tie rod ends. Everything is torqued to spec. Im worried about it being my track bar but as I said it wont do it for me standing still and everything looks tight when I inspect it standing still. My other theory is possibly the tie rod end on the drag link but I dont know why it would only do it turning right. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

Your probably rubbing when you turn. Control arms are the most popular. And i think turning right is the side that always rubs.

I would start there.

or is it more of a metal on metal sound?

 

It'll be a single metal POP. My tires don't rub. I don't have to turn the wheel very far for it to happen and it only pops once.

 

Ball joint maybe?

 

Sounds likes binding in the steering to me. My buddys 00' with 4.5" did the same exact thing when he got it, cant remember exactly what he did, but im kinda thinking he just literally greased everything he could possible grease and it fixed the problem. Probably not a permanent fix, but i know i didnt here any noise for at least the 5 months he had it after that

 

I had this happen on my TJ. Drove me crazy trying to fond the source of it.

Turns out the ball joint in one of my swaybar links had failed, and the "pop" was the ball half of the joint popping in and out of the socket half, kinda like pulling your shoulder out of socket and then resetting it.

 

Um ouch! but sounds like a good thing to check out.

 

I chased same problem forever if was a tranny mount

 

Trans mount is new. Ball joints are new. I guess its time to get a new drag link and tie rod end. Don't want the steering to fail.... Thats my first suspect. I hope it isn't popping in and out.... Yikes! I'll take a pic of the angle its at later. Wish I could replacing that tie rod end without the whole drag link.

 

Tighten up your track bar bracket mount to the frame rail. If they're slightly loose, you'll get a pop. It was so prevalent when the Jeeps were new that during the Pre-Delivery Inspection at the dealership we tightened them just so we wouldn't have to deal with it after a customer heard it.

 

Ya that's what I'm thinkin.... One thing too is my track bar uses a heim end at the frame side. Why would it only POP turning right?

 

Definitely look at your track bar, but also check the axle end.

Mine was doing this after my lift install, turns out the adjustable track bar wasn't quite tightened enough and the axle end was moving about a quarter of an inch when I turned.

 

I torqued the axle side a couple weeks ago thinking that would help. It didn't. I know the mount gets wallowed out sometimes but like I said its hard to tell cause it won't do it just sitting. The adjustment nut is cinched tight. I just hope it isn't the frame side..... I wonder if I can go down to orchard supply hardware and buy a new heim joint that will screw right in..... Thanks for everyone's input so far. I was hoping someone would have the symptom of only doing it when turning right, that should be a tell.

 

Got a video camera? Strap it underneath somewhere pointing at your steering components and go for a drive.

 

Sounds like the ball joint on the frame side of the trackbar my 2000 does that but turning either way And sounds like something breaks its so loud.got a new adj RC coming today.