Can the steering box make an occasional 'popping' sound?

[Jerry Bransford]

I'm getting an eratic fairly loud 'pop' sound somewhere in the front end 4-5 times a day when steering up a driveway or similar low-speed maneuvering.

I've had a couple of my shop guys look things over and they say nothing looks loose when I turn the steering wheel back and forth. All the front-end stuff has been thoroughly torqued down including the new RE trackbar, control arms, the Currie draglink, Antirock, the three steering box bolts (on the side), etc..

My shop foreman said he thought it sounded like it was coming from inside the steering box the one time I could make it pop with him there to watch and listen as I turned the wheel back and forth... but it happened so quickly and I couldn't get it to pop again for him so he wasn't really that sure the sound originated inside the steering box.

I have nothing else to go on since I've been looking at all the bracketry for torn welds, loose hardware, etc. but have found nothing other than the steering box suggestion but he wasn't even sure of that.

If a steering box in a TJ starts to go bad, is an occasional 'pop' out of it a normal symptom? Thanks!

[mrblaine]

trackbar or control arms

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by mrblaine
trackbar or control arms

I have been leaning towards the driver's side front control arm myself since I feel I have pretty well eliminated the fairly new Currie trackbar. I wasn't too worried since I'll have the new RE LA's installed as soon as the recently broken extra rack in my shop gets fixed. Thanks Blaine.

[blkTJ]

Just double check that the track bar is tight at the frame. Mine had a habit of coming loose a while back. good luck.

[Darrell C]

Ditto the track bar, Jerry. I had an identical problem a few weeks ago, popping on the left front while turning. Sounded like it was coming from the steering box, or the RE track bar drop bracket that I had welded to the frame. Scoured the front end for problems and finally narrowed it down to the track bar.

Unbolted it, check the end over, and rebolted it to the frame and the sound went away.

[Jerry Bransford]

Thanks, I'm pretty comfortable it's not the Currie trackbar. That was the first item I thoroughly checked over because it's the most common cause of this 'popping' kind of noise when the steering wheel is turned. Both trackbar mounting bolts have been checked and re-torqued to even slightly higher than R.E. calls for, plus the lock nut was checked. Everything including the trackbar will be replaced when the LA kit gets installed, I was just concerned it might be the steering box since my shop foreman thought he might have heard the pop coming from the steering box area.

[Robert J. Yates]

That RE trackbar requires more than the 150ft.lbs specified for the torque value in my experience. When I had it at 150, it made all kinds of noise. Now I don't even measure it anymore, I simply put the 2' cheater on it. I figure its at 200 lb.ft at least and I have no problems.

I will also say that if you still have the Teracrap arms on your Jeep - they are also a very likely culprit - mine made all kinds of noise if the bushings were the least bit worn.

[TJeeper]

A little off topic, but can anyone suggest a torque value for the RE dropdown bracket for the front track bar? I am chasing down a vibration, and I can't figure it out. I set the 2 frame bolts at 90ft.lbs, and the 1 that goes up into the original trackbar bracket to 130ft.lbs.

[Darrell C]

Originally posted by TJeeper
A little off topic, but can anyone suggest a torque value for the RE dropdown bracket for the front track bar? I am chasing down a vibration, and I can't figure it out. I set the 2 frame bolts at 90ft.lbs, and the 1 that goes up into the original trackbar bracket to 130ft.lbs.

I've got the one that goes upwards into the original trackbar bracket at 175 ft/lbs.

BTW, the 2 horizontal frame bolts will probably work loose over time.

[Jerry Bransford]

Wow, I didn't know the RE trackbar needed to be that much tighter than the directions indicated for the mounting bolts in order to be quiet. I'll go back and tighten them to the upper numbers you guys suggest. Yep I still use those same Teracrap control arms Robert which is why I kept thinking the noise was probably from them. I'm thankful that they will be gone before much longer. Thanks again guys.

[RipCurl]

slander had a similar problem on his YJ. When he turned the wheel or moved the Jeep with the wheel turned, he'd get a popping sound. It was most pronounced when backing with the wheels at full lock. We couldn't figure out what the heck it was until we jacked up the front end and found the unit bearings were shot. Replaced them and the front end quieted down completely. Might want to see if you've got any play in yours.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by RipCurl
we jacked up the front end and found the unit bearings were shot. Replaced them and the front end quieted down completely. Might want to see if you've got any play in yours.

Thanks RipCurl but the unit bearings were replaced by Timken bearings in the new Warn hub kit some time back.

[RipCurl]

Guess that rules THAT out

[Jerry Bransford]

Well the steering clunk is gone and you guys were right. Even though I'm always suggesting to others that this type of clunk is usually from a loose trackbar, I didn't think mine was loose because I had recently torqued it again to Currie's recommended tightness and then went even a little tighter than that... but it continued to clunk afterwards.

So even though the trackbar was torqued down even slightly tighter than Currie's specifications, you guys were right that it needed to be even tighter than that. I replaced the lower mounting bolt with a metric 8.8 (like a Grade 5) 10 mm bolt so it wouldn't snap, then I really hammered it and the upper bolt down with the impact wrench.

Things are quiet again, thanks!

[Darrell C]

Glad it's fixed.