[Tank92]

This noise pop clunk(one time) when i turn backing up or sharp turns going forward in the front end has been worring me for a while now so i decissed to take it up on the lift at work. I found that my pivot bracket was only hand tight:shocked so I got all new hardware with lock tight and washers (Grade 8) checked all bushing down under there everything was tight, (Pivot bushings are a little beat.)

SO I figure everything should be good and fine now and I won't get this pop clunk sound when i turn backing up or sharp turns going forward. so I go to back it out of the shop and what happens!? It DOES IT AGAIN! what ever it is I figured having the brackets loose caused it so I bring it onto the alingment lift with the turn plates on it and have someone get inside and turn the wheel. it seems as if the whole drivers side wheel shifts back when turned and the Axle shifts up making the pop clunk sound where the drive shaft and the pinion meet. I looked at it for a good long whie and couldn't figure out what would make it shift like that ball joints are tight Rad arms are good. so what could it be? sometinhg in the diff!? the U joint? axle pivot bushing? I'm not sure.


I'm not sure if what i stated above can be understood so I'm going to rewrite it.

When the wheel is turned backing up/going forward to almost full lock it seems as if the steering knuckle shift back cuasing the axle to shift up making the drive shaft were it meets the pinion pop clunk.

I can take video if needed.

Info:
1992 Bronco Xlt 302 E40D 6in lift drop rad arms

 

[waltman]

I'd like to see a video.
You say the pop sound is coming from the pinion? That sounds strange.
As far as the wheel appearing to move back, go check to see that your radius arms are secure and bolts are tight.

 

[tigertrack]

Mine makes a popping sound too. But my mine is probably not the same case as yours. Mine has some loose rivets in the crossmember. I just havn't ground them off yet and replaced them with bolts. Wouldnt hurt to check yours just incase. Another thing. My drop brackets had some play in them were the axle pivot bushings are. This was making a popping sound too when I put it in reverse. It would pop over the threads on the bolt. The bolt has a flat side. Kind of cut lengthwise. I forget why. Havn't been down there in a while. I turned the bolt so the threads wouldnt catch and the popping was gone.

 

[tigertrack]

Axle pivot bushings could be worn too. If the rubber inside is giving up the ghost then you will have all kinds of play in there and that could be the cause of the popping too.

 

[tigertrack]

Oh yeah!! I get a POP every time I put it in reverse. 20 years of slack in the drive train gets taken up when I shift it!!

 

[Foghorn]

Check the bolts that hold the radius arms to the axle at the front... I had the same problem on my old 89 after the lift. Either I did'nt torque it down right or it worked loose after a few weeks...... That's what fixed mine.


Take care--fog

 

[Tank92]

I'm going to check the rad arm bolts saturday night/suday at work then, I had checked everything else and it seemed tight. Also going to change the pivot bushings couldn't hurt! hopefully I can fix this problem. I still haven't been able to get around to fixing my engine with all these little problems.

P.S

It's not the pinion popping it's were the pinion meets the drive shafts, (U joint area) kinda shifts up and makes the pop sound there. didn't find any play in the U joint but I might aswell change them too. (I love having the hook up on parts.) just changed my o2 sensor whil e i was down there for 20 bucks and I got my motorcraft IAC for 15.

 

[78brownbronco]

same thing happens on my pathfinder, dont know what the part is called for sure, but the bolts are just a tad lose. it may be the radious arms, im not sure. i just know its part that goes up and down with the suspension travel with the IFS, nissanpathfinders.com has a link in the FAQ about this stuff, u should be able to find it and it will tell u what it is, unless its a different problem, i just know pathfinders are notourius for it. idk about broncos though, mines a straight axle.

 

[BigNorm]

It sounds like radius arm bushings are bad.

 

[Tank92]

no it's not the Rad ram bushings they're pretty neew and with no play. I'm going to take another look at see tonight once my boss leaves the shop(He's a D#ck About you working on your own car) and if i don't get a chance tonight I'll check some more tommorrow when he doesn't come in

 

[BigNorm]

Get a friend and let him go slowly forward then back while you are lying to the side with a bright light, then do it from the front to see if anything is moving.

Jack up the front and grab the tire by the top and push and pull on it. Ball joints will pop sometimes.

 

[Tank92]

Looks like the first rivet Right behind the gear box is broken, But I don't see any logical way of replacing it with a bolt without removing a bunch of stuff. Could I just weld the that area to the frame? or would it still flex cuasing the popping sound? I'm going to probly weld it later today after mounting the winch.

 

[BigNorm]

Well you could weld it. It definately wouldn't hurt it any. Have you checked the ball joints to see that they are OK?