Popping noise when turning
 

Hello everyone:

I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
this be a bad U-Joint? I also have another problem where the steering
wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
one on the left. Any suggestions?

Mike

Re: Popping noise when turning
 

97tjMike wrote:
> Hello everyone:
>
> I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
> ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
> like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
> this be a bad U-Joint? I also have another problem where the steering
> wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
> check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
> one on the left. Any suggestions?
>
> Mike
>

The mechanic was right....

You can jack it up and cut the steering tot he side, then hand spin the
tire to check for binding or slop or rust stains at the caps.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile...
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: Popping noise when turning
 

97tjMike wrote:
> Hello everyone:
>
> I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
> ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
> like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
> this be a bad U-Joint? I also have another problem where the steering
> wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
> check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
> one on the left. Any suggestions?
>
> Mike
>

The mechanic was right....

You can jack it up and cut the steering tot he side, then hand spin the
tire to check for binding or slop or rust stains at the caps.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile...
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: Popping noise when turning
 

97tjMike wrote:
> Hello everyone:
>
> I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
> ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
> like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
> this be a bad U-Joint? I also have another problem where the steering
> wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
> check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
> one on the left. Any suggestions?
>
> Mike
>

The mechanic was right....

You can jack it up and cut the steering tot he side, then hand spin the
tire to check for binding or slop or rust stains at the caps.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile...
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: Popping noise when turning
 

97tjMike wrote:
> Hello everyone:
>
> I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
> ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
> like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
> this be a bad U-Joint? I also have another problem where the steering
> wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
> check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
> one on the left. Any suggestions?
>
> Mike
>

The mechanic was right....

You can jack it up and cut the steering tot he side, then hand spin the
tire to check for binding or slop or rust stains at the caps.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile...
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: Popping noise when turning
 

On Jul 26, 12:43 pm, 97tjMike <MichaelJun...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello everyone:
>
> I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
> ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
> like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
> this be a bad U-Joint?

Yes, it could be a bad axle joint, but if we're not talking about full-
lock turns or something close to it, I'd have to make sure you torqued
the axle nut properly.

> I also have another problem where the steering
> wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
> check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
> one on the left. Any suggestions?

Not likely on the TJ unless you've put on aftermarket hub locks, as
binding axle joint (as your mechanic was thinking) only does that when
it's not spinning. A binding joint will shake your wheel -- In your
case, 19/20 times it's traced to binding in ball joints/steering
linkage or bad alignment. Alternatively, if someone's been in your
steering box lately, it might have been "adjusted" too tight.

Jon

Re: Popping noise when turning
 

On Jul 26, 12:43 pm, 97tjMike <MichaelJun...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello everyone:
>
> I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
> ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
> like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
> this be a bad U-Joint?

Yes, it could be a bad axle joint, but if we're not talking about full-
lock turns or something close to it, I'd have to make sure you torqued
the axle nut properly.

> I also have another problem where the steering
> wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
> check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
> one on the left. Any suggestions?

Not likely on the TJ unless you've put on aftermarket hub locks, as
binding axle joint (as your mechanic was thinking) only does that when
it's not spinning. A binding joint will shake your wheel -- In your
case, 19/20 times it's traced to binding in ball joints/steering
linkage or bad alignment. Alternatively, if someone's been in your
steering box lately, it might have been "adjusted" too tight.

Jon

Re: Popping noise when turning
 

On Jul 26, 12:43 pm, 97tjMike <MichaelJun...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello everyone:
>
> I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
> ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
> like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
> this be a bad U-Joint?

Yes, it could be a bad axle joint, but if we're not talking about full-
lock turns or something close to it, I'd have to make sure you torqued
the axle nut properly.

> I also have another problem where the steering
> wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
> check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
> one on the left. Any suggestions?

Not likely on the TJ unless you've put on aftermarket hub locks, as
binding axle joint (as your mechanic was thinking) only does that when
it's not spinning. A binding joint will shake your wheel -- In your
case, 19/20 times it's traced to binding in ball joints/steering
linkage or bad alignment. Alternatively, if someone's been in your
steering box lately, it might have been "adjusted" too tight.

Jon

Re: Popping noise when turning
 

On Jul 26, 12:43 pm, 97tjMike <MichaelJun...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello everyone:
>
> I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
> ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
> like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
> this be a bad U-Joint?

Yes, it could be a bad axle joint, but if we're not talking about full-
lock turns or something close to it, I'd have to make sure you torqued
the axle nut properly.

> I also have another problem where the steering
> wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
> check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
> one on the left. Any suggestions?

Not likely on the TJ unless you've put on aftermarket hub locks, as
binding axle joint (as your mechanic was thinking) only does that when
it's not spinning. A binding joint will shake your wheel -- In your
case, 19/20 times it's traced to binding in ball joints/steering
linkage or bad alignment. Alternatively, if someone's been in your
steering box lately, it might have been "adjusted" too tight.

Jon

Re: Popping noise when turning
 

IF the steering wheel returned to center before you took the hub off, then
you have a serious problem that you need to address before you drive this
vehicle again. In tandem, the new noise and the new behavior raise a huge
red flag that tells me that the vehicle is unsafe to drive.

It is possible that the UJoints are bad (either one or both of them), but
they would not cause steering problems where the wheel does not come back to
center. If the hub was not installed correctly, then there could be popping
noises and the steering may not respond properly.

I could be wrong, but my guess is that the front tire is about to fall off.






"97tjMike" <MichaelJunior@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1185479015.286488.93950@q75g2000hsh.googlegro ups.com...
> Hello everyone:
>
> I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday, and everything was
> ok right after, but now I am noticing a popping noise (multiple times,
> like pop pop pop pop) when turning or swerving at low speeds. Could
> this be a bad U-Joint? I also have another problem where the steering
> wheel doesn't go back to center after turning. A mechanic suggested I
> check the U-Joints. The one on the right is fine, but idk about the
> one on the left. Any suggestions?
>
> Mike
>