Last winter I replaced most of the front end parts of my '99 S'Cab 4wd. Inner and outter tie-rod ends, upper and lower ball joints on both sides. Lately (for about the last month or so) I have a popping sound coming from the left front somewhere when I put in and out of my driveway and garage. I've checked ball joints and tie rod ends and they all look and feel good. Now when I drive slowly (like under 35) I can actually feel a clicking in the steering wheel and hear it come from the left side. Is this a wheel bearing? I just had it in for tires today and they did an alignment and they confirmed ball joints and ends were good (which they almost always say are bad...)

I thought the popping might be from a loose bolt on the front left shock but it's tight too, plus I don't know how that would make the clicking....


Any ideas?

 

Hello dnale,

I have a 2000 4x4, at about 75K miles I started having a similar problem it, it was one of the front axle's binding. I could reproduce it by coming to a complete stop tuning the steering wheel all the way form left to right then pulling forward very slowly maybe 1/2 foot to a foot and one front axle would pop, you could put your hand on the hub cap and feel it push out during the pop sound. I had the axle replaced with a re-manufactured one and the problem was solved.

 

I had the same noise coming from mine. turned out it was the lug nuts had come loose just enough for them to rattle.

 

I've got about 175,000 on it, and it hasn't been an easy life for it, but I have no thoughts of stopping to drive it.

I am sure it's not a lugnut loose. I've pulled that wheel several times and it always comes back. I used a torque wrench set at 100ftlb's and its still there.

An entire front axle? Just 1/2? or the entire assembly?

 

Just the half shaft on one side.

 

Does it take any more than just the 1/2 shaft? New bearings? CV joint?

 

I took it to a shop and had it done, so I am not sure of the details of the install but everything costs about $225.

 

Does anyone else know whats involved in this? How do I check to see if the half-shaft is shot?

What if it is and I keep driving? What are the downsides?

 

I thought I had this noise figured out. I replaced the lower shock mount bolt and nut with ones that I could get wrenched on and it was gone for a day... Or at least I didn't notice it for a day. I haven't had the chance to see if the new bolt is loose but it didn't "look" loose and I couldn't remember what the torque spec was on it. I replaced it with 1/2" Grade 8 hardware so it shouldn't be a strength problem.