Suspension pop?

[HoosierJeeper]

I had a pop that would occur after a bump or backing out of a parking spot. Went away and then has turned into an awful creaky squeak noise. Lower ball joint on the driver's side. Worth a look.

The sway bar bushings to me sounded off when both wheels would drop.

HJ, so the squeaking in your videos from your old thread did end up being a lower ball joint? Or is it a different noise that you're referring to?
Been curious if you've found that problem yet

Nope not the lower ball joint. Caved in and took it to the shop and the guy there figured it out in 10 mins. The rubber bushing in the driver's side shock mount/top plate thing is bad. He could see it moving around within the coil a bit when I bounced the Jeep.

From my research it seemed like aftermarket ones were a crapshoot at best so I ordered a Mopar one. We shall see!

 

[krisP]

Nope not the lower ball joint. Caved in and took it to the shop and the guy there figured it out in 10 mins. The rubber bushing in the driver's side shock mount/top plate thing is bad. He could see it moving around within the coil a bit when I bounced the Jeep.

From my research it seemed like aftermarket ones were a crapshoot at best so I ordered a Mopar one. We shall see!

this was the cause of my original suspension pop that lead to everything i have now.....was looking for a spring isolator and what it took to install it, came apon this site and ended up with a full spring lift, clevis lift, top plates, JBA control arms, bigger tires, new wheels.....hahaha glad you found the cause !!

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Nope not the lower ball joint. Caved in and took it to the shop and the guy there figured it out in 10 mins. The rubber bushing in the driver's side shock mount/top plate thing is bad. He could see it moving around within the coil a bit when I bounced the Jeep.

From my research it seemed like aftermarket ones were a crapshoot at best so I ordered a Mopar one. We shall see!

Well at least you finally can live without that noise!!

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Yeah for real, I'm just hoping the shock didn't suffer too bad from it.

 

[JDa]

Think I may have found the problem. On the lower control arm the nuts do not appear to have been torqued down to 120 ft-lbs. You don't have to touch them for changing the cv axle or axle seal (the work Midas did) so I didn't think to check them until I noticed it looked different than driver side.

Question on bolt placement, on driver side I see on head side of bolt a washer that seems to be held in place by stubs on either side. On threaded side I can feel the hole is larger than bolt but nut seems to be holding bolt essentially right in the middle (or at least covering the hole entirely) on the passenger side the nut is all the way down and left and I can see a portion of the hole. I can see some scraped paint (circular) near the top of hole. I don't know if that is where it was to start with or if the clunk was caused by the movement in the hole which then in turn caused paint scrape.

Where should it be? I am tempted to put it so it matches driver's side but don't know if it really matters? Follow on question would be what do I need to do? I am assuming easiest way is take tire off, loosen nut move into position, tighten.
Will this have any affect on alignment?

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Will this have any affect on alignment?

Yes.

 

[JDa]

So it is fixed now. Lower control arm nuts were loose. Midas tried to say they did not do it but agreed to give me a free alignment + other stuff to compensate. Took 5 tries to get the alignment right. Needless to say I will not be back, even for the free stuff...

 

[profdlp]

Glad you got it fixed, though sorry for all the trouble you had.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I think I have this issue too...looks like the lower control arm bolt has shifted. Should I tighten it and then take it for an alignment or would it get retightened during an alignment anyway?

 

[jeeplib05]

Every time I stood there and watched them align mine all they mess with is the tie rods, never touch the LCA or anything else
Obviously they adjust the steering wheel if it's crooked but that's all I've seen

 

[GunnerSchenck]

Could just take it in for an alignment check and mention youre getting it checked because of that.. might do it for cheaper than an alignment if that's all it needs. Depends on the shop

 

[profdlp]

I took mine in for an alignment after I got the new tires a few weeks ago and asked them to check. They said they couldn't look at other people's work and I could make an appointment if I liked...

I have an alignment plan, so the shop probably views me as a nuisance. Hope your luck is better.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I think I'll check the torque on them, if they don't take anything then I know not even to say anything during the alignment.

 

[profdlp]

Sounds like what I'll be doing, too. In my case, I think it may be bushing time, though.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

What's yours doing?

Mine does the pop like once or twice a day. Does it after some turns. Doesn't do it over bumps at all. And it's always after the turn is over, like 10 ft after you've started going straight.

 

[profdlp]

Mine never does it other than a bang when I go over a high speed bump. Naturally, I have three high speed bumps on the way in and out of my apartment parking lot. :Insane:

 

[tommudd]

Mine never does it other than a bang when I go over a high speed bump. Naturally, I have three high speed bumps on the way in and out of my apartment parking lot. :Insane:

Control arm/ spring contact?

 

[tommudd]

Every time I stood there and watched them align mine all they mess with is the tie rods, never touch the LCA or anything else
Obviously they adjust the steering wheel if it's crooked but that's all I've seen

Not getting a full alignment then unless everything is right on

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Mine never does it other than a bang when I go over a high speed bump. Naturally, I have three high speed bumps on the way in and out of my apartment parking lot. :Insane:

Mine I don't think would do it there. The parking lot at the local ski hill is a hard packed ice rutted out battle field pretty much and it's as tight as the Cherokee through that stuff.

Control arm/ spring contact?

That sounds possible for sure.

Prof, go like 5-10 mph and slam on the brakes. If you hear a pop then, that's your LCA bushings. The LR3 needs them and that's what it does. I'll deal with that though once it has an alternator:happy175: