Popping sound from front wheel

[follow maggie]

I come seeking advice. I have a 2004 chevy 2500hd 4x4. When I’m turning left backing up, I get some loud metallic popping sounds, I think from the front passenger wheel area. It only happens when backing up, and is mainly when turning the steering wheel left. I’ve been working on this a couple days and have run out of the easy stuff. I greased the pins the brake calipers slide on, I replaced the idler arm & it’s bracket- it needed done anyway, so at least it wasn’t a waste.  I also cut off the steering damper, which got rid of the grinding noise I had.

I have he front on Jack stands. I held the front & rear of the tire & didn’t get any movement when I tried to wiggle it, same when I held the top & bottom.  I put a pry bar under the tire to raise it & don’t notice any play that way either.

I did notice a couple times when jacking it up under that control arm, it made what I think is the same metal popping sound when jacking it up.  It’s loud.

Money is tight right now & I can’t afford a mechanic or buy a bunch of expensive parts just to guess. I appreciate any advice or tips from you all.

Thanks.

[Woodchuck]

Idler arm and bracket. 

[follow maggie]

Those are new, I just replaced them yesterday. I filled both with grease & made all the bolts tight. Is there something else to installing those?

[jrebel]

Are they factory sized wheels and tires? 

Fist thought.....CV joint

Second thought....When the wheel is turned all the way right or left and you are driving slow, does it feel like the vehicle is in four wheel drive and mildly lurches as it turns?  If so then likely a ball joint.  I would think if this were the case and it was bad enough to sound like you describe....the wheel would have play when jacked up. 

[Duckslayer89]

I come seeking advice. I have a 2004 chevy 2500hd 4x4. When I’m turning left backing up, I get some loud metallic popping sounds, I think from the front passenger wheel area. It only happens when backing up, and is mainly when turning the steering wheel left. I’ve been working on this a couple days and have run out of the easy stuff. I greased the pins the brake calipers slide on, I replaced the idler arm & it’s bracket- it needed done anyway, so at least it wasn’t a waste.  I also cut off the steering damper, which got rid of the grinding noise I had.

I have he front on Jack stands. I held the front & rear of the tire & didn’t get any movement when I tried to wiggle it, same when I held the top & bottom.  I put a pry bar under the tire to raise it & don’t notice any play that way either.

I did notice a couple times when jacking it up under that control arm, it made what I think is the same metal popping sound when jacking it up.  It’s loud.

Money is tight right now & I can’t afford a mechanic or buy a bunch of expensive parts just to guess. I appreciate any advice or tips from you all.

Thanks.

I would just turn up the radio and call it good.... But in all seriousness I would keep driving it if money is tight. Probably just a CV joint. Mine popped and clanked for years in my Tacoma and I never took it easy on them. Just kept going. Then replaced when I had the money and some other work done. Probably didn’t even need to be done lol

Also mine only made noise in reverse.

[Woodchuck]

Those are new, I just replaced them yesterday. I filled both with grease & made all the bolts tight. Is there something else to installing those?

Other than alignment, no. I would be after inner and outer tie rod ends, maybe even a gearbox. Do you have someone that can rock the wheels back and forth while you look at parts?

[follow maggie]

It doesn’t lurch, but I can feel vibration in the steering wheel when it happens.  It feels kind of like a grinding sensation. Is here a way to check a cv joint?  I appreciate all the input.

[follow maggie]

Those are new, I just replaced them yesterday. I filled both with grease & made all the bolts tight. Is there something else to installing those?

Other than alignment, no. I would be after inner and outer tie rod ends, maybe even a gearbox. Do you have someone that can rock the wheels back and forth while you look at parts?

When my neighbor gets home this afternoon I can.

[gaddy]

My thoughts mirrored jrebel. CV first off but would normally pop going forward as well. Ball joints can be bad and not wobble around like a bearing but pop up and down in the socket. Might put it on stands and jack under the control arm and watch and feel the joint to see if any up or down slop. I've used  large channel locks when unloaded as well. Could it be a cross member popping? Seen that before as well. Had a customer some years back that it only popped backing out of his driveway.
Not an expert on that particular model but these are things I've seen in the past on different vehicles.

Good idea from Woodchuck about having some one jerk the steering wheel around while looking and feeling stuff.

[jrebel]

How do you test a CV joint?
Take a Test Drive
Put the car in reverse. Then turn the steering wheel all the way to one side and drive backward in a circle. Turn the steering wheel in the other direction and repeat the process.
If you hear a very pronounced clicking or snapping noise, there's a good chance an outer CV joint is worn out.
Feb 18, 2021

[wadu1]

You could also check sway bar links and shock mounts. If it's in the air it's not shock issues.

[Woodchuck]

Those are new, I just replaced them yesterday. I filled both with grease & made all the bolts tight. Is there something else to installing those?

Other than alignment, no. I would be after inner and outer tie rod ends, maybe even a gearbox. Do you have someone that can rock the wheels back and forth while you look at parts?

When my neighbor gets home this afternoon I can.

That would make finding it a ton easier. Certainly check axles as well.
Are you really in Fargo?

[wadu1]

Also check the pitman arm, normally a Ford issue.

[Duckslayer89]

How do you test a CV joint?
Take a Test Drive
Put the car in reverse. Then turn the steering wheel all the way to one side and drive backward in a circle. Turn the steering wheel in the other direction and repeat the process.
If you hear a very pronounced clicking or snapping noise, there's a good chance an outer CV joint is worn out.
Feb 18, 2021

  That’s what mine did and was CV. Good test

[follow maggie]

Thanks for the input, everyone. Seems like the cv axle is the best place to go next, so I’m going to replace that next week when I get paid. It’s a lot cheaper than I thought- $135 at napa for a new one.  Looking at it, it doesn’t seem too hard, maybe I can get it done in 3-4 hours. Famous last words!  I might do the ball joints also while I have it apart.