Bad front end snapping/popping on 2wd

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

For quite some time there has been a popping/snapping sensation emanating through the steering under some conditions and it has gotten much worse over the last few months. It mainly does it when accelerating, the moment I let out the clutch to take off, and it does it when turning slowly on uneven surfaces such as pulling into a parking lot. Also, I occasionally hear a sharp "crack!" sound originating around the cowl or under the back side of the dash. The odd thing is, some days I barely feel any of this and the next day it will be really bad. Steering otherwise is perfect, linear, smooth and tracks straight.



The last few days I've heard really bad grating, grinding noises coming from the back side of the dash. Also driving with the window down I heard a grating sqeak accompanying the pop felt through the steering wheel.



I jacked up the front end and torqued on the tires in all directions and everything is tight as can be, no evidence of balljoint problems or with the steering linkage.



Next plan is to remove the fender on the driver's side and look for broken welds. I heard of this in a post several months ago. While I have a 2wd truck I have off-roaded with it pretty hard quite a few times in the mountains and taken several axle-busting, bonejarring roads.



Any suggestions or ideas shoot 'em at me. Anyone know how much work is involved in a fender removal??



Vaughn

 

[KRoaden]

When you jacked up the front end did you support the front with jackstands at the frame rails? If you don't take the pressure off of the front end componets it'll be hard to find anything loose while shaking the tries.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

KRoaden, yes I supported it with jackstands and the wheels were off the ground.

 

[KRoaden]

I know it may sound like a weird one, but have your rear brakes been adjusted lately?

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Yeah, I adjusted them probably 5,000 miles ago. I have 64,800 miles on my truck. When this started getting annoying it was about 20,000 miles ago although I started getting occasional pops & snaps through my steering, though mild, starting at 5000 miles. Today is one of those days where it is not very bad. Yesterday it was really bad. I don't think the back or the front brakes have anything to do with it.

 

[shendren]

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MINE WAS DOING... . REPLACE YOUR INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED. GOOD LUCK. SCOTT.

 

[LSMITH]

Originally posted by shendren

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MINE WAS DOING... . REPLACE YOUR INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED. GOOD LUCK. SCOTT.

The steering shaft is likely a good part of it. Mine makes a pop in the steering shaft too. I have also found pops in my wheel well liners in the front, as the truck torques up from power or a turn the plastic rivets pop pretty loud. I have also had more of a thunk kind of noise come from the output shaft of the steering gear (that the pitman arm hooks on) when the shaft hit the side of the box. The steering gear was trashed and had to be replaced. There is a definate lack of support for the steering gear output shaft. That is all I know of that would transfer to a 2wd. If you had a 4wd I could help more, it seems like every thing possible has made pops on the front of mine LOL.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I got some help from my brother and we went over my truck thoroughly and found a combination of sources/possibilities:



--A little of the noise/sensation is coming from the input shaft of the steering box. The bearing/bushing is worn and you can rattle it up and down.



--The wheelwell liner on the passenger side was out of position and snapping that back in position seemed to help.



--The Pitman arm is well worn already (only 65k)



--There is another noise, a cracking sound, coming from the cowl just under the windshield toward the fender. I don't believe it is related to the steering portion. I may remove the fender and also the plastic shield under the wiper posts at the base of the windshield to see if I can find anything. Two winters ago I hit a pile of snow that did not yield and launched the front end of my truck at least a foot in the air and knocked it out of alignment. I hit it on the driver's side.



Vaughn