I have read all the posts about a popping sound in the steering.
Mine is getting very loud and I can see the steering wheel vibrate sometimes so it is pretty bad. It doesn't allways do it and I don't realy notice it when I'm turning but when I stop it will pop real hard and when I take off, feels like it is all in the steering wheel or shaft. It will do it sometimes if I give it some gas and then let off the gas but only at low speeds, doesn't seem to do it once I get past a certain speed say about 40 MPH. I had it checked and the best front end and allignment guy in town said all he saw wrong was upper ball joints but the pop is still there. Any ideas? If I take the shaft off, how can I tell if it is bad? Doesn't look hard to take it off or if anyone knows a way to test to see what might be the problem, I'm open for suggestions. It feels like something is realy loose or very sloppy or something but I have looked at everything and can't seem to pinpoint the problem.

Thanks, rhutson in NC

 

Upper balljoints are known for going out on these trucks, go to the dealership and have them replaced, should be under a recall warrenty.

Also it could be that the "best" alignment man in your town didnt torque down your control arm bolts, look at your upper control arms and see if you can see fresh shinney metal, like the bolts are sliding back and forth, this will cause a VERY loud poping noise, more like a clunk, balljoints also do it, just not as loud, also if you paid for your alignment you got screwed, because if the balljoints are shot, you CAN NOT adjust the front end correctly, as soon as you turn the wheels everything will be thrown off again. Replace the balljoints and then get an alignment, and wheel balance and make sure they torque the damn control arms down correctly otherwise you might have to end up buying new ones.. and that not good!

 

Thanks for the help, I'll check the control Arm bolts. The guy did replace the upper ball joints and then did an alignment, the truck does drive nice and straight now and before it didn't and wore the tires uneven so I had new tires then the ball joints and alignment done.

rhutson