hi all, I've got a question in regards to my 97 4x4 sport dakota...

it has developed a distinct "pop" coming from the right front corner when backing up with the wheels turned to the left. Also (not sure if related, but might be!) it pulls really hard to the right when going down the road... like almost to the point of making it difficult to drive...

my first thought was a wheel bearing (truck has 180,000 miles, I could see that going out) - so I replaced it, and nothing changed... same problem...

has anyone else had an issue like this???

thanks in advance for any help!

 

sounds like ball joints.

 

yup that!

 

wheel bearings dont usualy make a pop they howl and growl when they go bad..sounds like you got some ball joint problems under there

 

ok, that's kinda what I been thinking now...

I'll have to buy some and get ot changing, then go get an alignment done...

is there any way of testing to find out exactly which ball joint might be an issue?

thanks so much for the help.

 

I have the same problem, check your a frame bushings

 

will do, thanks!!

 

ok, I have the truck on a jackstand in the garage, and took a pic of the problem side (front passenger side) - I circled a point of interest... I am wondering if this is supposed to be at an angle like that.... it looks like it should be straight level to me? and maybe this is why the right front tire leans in at the top so much?

symptom it has besides the nasty pop when backing up... is it pulls so hard to the right going down the road, that if you let go of the wheel, or would make a hard turn into the ditch immediately...

does this pic identify any potential problem, or is this supposed to look that way?

thanks in advance for any help...
Bill

 

Well, for one thing your alignment is so bad I can see it just by looking at the photo.

As far as the ball joint, it does look a little over extended. But it's still okay in that spot. A ball joint is exactly what it says, a ball and joint. It's meant to pivot.
I drew in what the ball joint does for you, so you can see.



To check the joints, put your tire back on, lower the truck and torque it down, then jack it back up with the tire on. jack it up by the lower control arm, so the ball joints are bearing the weight of the truck. Then grab the top and the bottom of the tire and try to move it. If it moves at all top to bottom, then the ball joints are bad. If you do the same, but from the sides, then the Tie rod end is bad.

 

Def needs aligned also what kind of camera are you using on my computer it looked like I was actually looking at it in person