NEED HELP Popping.

[SnowBlazer]

Hey guys. Yesterday morning I noticed a very loud pop coming from what sounds like the passenger side or the middle of the truck. It doesn't always pop but seams more prevalent when I hit bumps on the left side.

Could it be a wheel bearing or a ball joint? I checked the ball joints when doing the UCA'S and the left one had some play. Not sure if that's enough to make it pop.

 

[Sparky]

Play in the ball joint is bad and yes that could be your popping noise.

 

[FearlessAZ]

Could be any number of parts. Most of them not good. I had a popping sound on mine for a couple months until I finally got it on a lift to rebuild the tranny. Turns out the bushing on my upper control arm on the passenger side was blown out and there was a good amount of play in the arm. I was lucky it never got worse than that.

Best advice is to get that thing up on some jack stands or a lift and start looking around and trying to move stuff with your hands. Or get it into a shop. It is more than likely a suspension part.

 

[SnowBlazer]

Ok guys, I got my passenger ball joint in and that isn't it, sadly. If it isn't the wheel hubs, that would lead me to think it's the tie rod ends. I greased everything up that had zirks and still had OEM tie rods. Worst case scenario, it goes into a shop while in basic because it needs to be in top notch condition just in case I decide to sell.

 

[mrrsm]

This is a Rare Bird for sure...(Hopefully... I'm not sending you on a Wild Goose Chase) But...if you get the chance... check out the Fastener(s) on your Anti-Sway Bar Mounts. On occasion...the nut(s) for the ASB mount(s) will loosen and depending upon the direction you rotate the steering and the Angular Momentum that will tend to make the body of the truck sway and move in the direction of the turn... it will also make the vehicle "want to tip over" enough and impart enough of a twist to the truck frame to dislodge the loosened Anti-Sway Bar contact areas of the mount(s) and hence... it will make it "POP" out of place... and then settle back down when the vehicle is running on the straight and level road.

Running down the road over an object that forces the suspension to suddenly adjust can also cause the ASB mounts to "Jar Loose" and make the same kind of "Popping" sounds. As another consequence... diagnosing this problem is well nigh impossible when the vehicle is static and parked on a level surface and/or up on Jack Stands because the Forces of Motion that make it happen... simply cannot be duplicated. I'll be very curious to know what you discover. Good Luck!