2003 qc 4x4 4.7. 115k.

I replaced the ball joints ,tie rod ends, and all sway bar bushings a few months back. Now I am getting a popping noise from what seems to be the left front. It doesnt make any noise unless I am turning. I couldnt find any slop in the cv joints but I did find what seemed to be some slop at the axle splines at the diff .
would just replacing the axle shaft fix this or do I need to go farther into the diff.
Thanks.

 

It's extremely rare for those splines to wear very much, and it probably wouldn't cause a popping noise anyway. Does it happen when you go around turns, or when you're going straight? Under acceleration or coasting?

 

I haven't worked on a ton of these, but I have seen it twice. The axle shaft is a harder metal than the CV part that fits over it and it won't wear very quickly but they can get chewed up a bit. I just changed the CV axle assemblies on my 2002 Dakota and I actually had to cut the CV assembly off of the axle shaft. I had pried on it so hard that the left axle shaft came out of the differential. I could see that the axle shaft had gotten hot, so I wanted to replace it. The left side axle shaft was $135 through my local Dodge dealer. The bearing and seal were about $40 more.

 

Interesting. I have worked on a bunch of these and I've never seen it. I guess ya never know...

 

I think that it's just my bad luck.