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
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.
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
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