Popping sound after new ball joints

last weekend I installed new upper and lower OEM ball joints. Now I'm noticing a popping sound from what sounds like the drivers side wheel area.

In addition I also installed new inner and outter tie rods and OME 881/nitrochargers. An alignment has been done too.

Any ideas?

 

Bad Ball joint out of the box?

 

Perhaps? To be more specific I hear it as you first start into a left turn such as taking off from s stop sign. I hear it on flat ground as much as I hear it pulling into a drive or turning as you go over a speed bump at low speed.

 

Jack up the front and leave the key turned and move the wheels back and forth. Only way to be sure.

 

I'll do that in a few hours when I get home. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

*jack up the front by jacking up under the lower control arm!

this will relieve all tension from the spring and allow you to easily move the wheel/knuckle to see if there is any play in the balljoints, upper control arm bushings or any other part that can potentially allow play.

youll need to keep an eye on the lower control arm bushings to see if there's any play at the chassis while your lifting the truck. youll also want to lift the truck by the frame when inspecting the lower control arm bushings.

 

Did you loosen anything else?
The lower control arm cam bolts? If you had an alignment done they may not have tightened them up enough. I've been through that before. And it's my best guess.
Also how about the sway bar? Check the nuts and the rubber mounts to the frame.

 

I would sorta expect it to be something with the new coils and nitros vrs the LBJ's...idk though???

 

Low control arm cam bolts. Torque them down. I bet it fixes it

 

Pudge is right. I have read about that a couple of times atleast. Them suckers need to be torqued more than a guy thinks and since shops rarely use a torque wrench there is a good chance they are loose enough to cause that pop you're getting...

 

Thanks for the suggestion guys. Dumb question, are those the bolts on the front of the vehicle with the markings? Or are they the long bolts that secure the control arm to the vehicle? This won't tamper with the alighnment I'm assuming.

 

I'd start with re-torquing everything just to make sure nothing is loose. Then focus on the sway bar, and the coils. Something is probably touching somewhere. I had the same issue and re-torquing and getting rid of the sway bar fixed it. (just don't know which was the issue)

 

>>
*jack up the front by jacking up under the lower control arm!

this will relieve all tension from the spring and allow you to easily move the wheel/knuckle to see if there is any play in the balljoints, upper control arm bushings or any other part that can potentially allow play.<<

1. I can't visualize it right now, but I would think that since the bottom of the spring presses against the top of the LCA, and the top of the spring presses against the frame, that raising the truck by jacking up the LCA does not relieve any tension caused by the spring. The force is transmitted from the jack to the LCA to the spring and then to the frame.

2. I agree with checking the sway bar mount bushings. I had a very soft "bump" at low speeds when I made left turns in my truck. It was fixed by putting grease on the rubber bushings. (I later replaced them.)

 

Yes the bolts with the cams with the markings. 100 ft lbs I believe

 

I got the front end up on jacks. No play at 6 and 12 but noticeable play at 9 and 3. I shook the tire while laying and looking underneath. It appears my rack has 1/8-1/4" movement left to right when I shake the tire. Is that normal for the rack to move a little?

 

see video for visualization. this vehicle has torsion bars, but none the less, the force is still on the lower control arm just the same.

 

That makes perfect sense once you see it

 

So I'm going to check the torque on the cam bolts. Which below am I tightening to 100ft/lbs?

 

Your problem is the rack bushings. Their cheap and fairly easy to replace. Replace them with poly bushings

 

I'll order a set of those bushing and hope that cures my pop