Clicking Noise?? Insight??

[Explore]

Ok since I have been gone for a couple weeks, my wife has been running the JK...
So two days before I return home she tells me that there is a clicking sound when she turns the wheel, I have "googled" as much as I can from my phone but figured I would ask here and see what pops up...
I had her look for any breakage, but since she cant buy "that" at Bannana Republic or the Mall shes lost...
Is there anything in particular I should look for?
U joint>
Steering>
etc...

What it has:
2008 AEV JK
AEV 3.5 prem lift
AEV highsteer kit
OME steering shock

 

[YukonRob]

The guys on the radio would ask, is it a "click", a "clunk", or a "knock" ?
Does she feel it in the wheel, or just hear it?
Clunk:
http://www.jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2645
Knock:
http://www.wranglerforum.com/f33/jk-steering-knock-51884.html

 

[m(a)ce]

Is it the turn signal?

Kidding aside- any more info where the noise is from?

Could definitely be the clunk mentioned ^ above ^

What size tires are you running? Stock wheels? Spacers?

 

[Ryanc]

Axle u joint is shot.

 

[Explore]

@ Yukon: thanks for the ideas and links, just got done reading I dont know how many pages on my phone... Im hopeing its that easy of a fix, got all those tools in the garage.

@ m(a)ce : Running 3 week old BFG KM2, 35x12.5x17, AEV Wheels no spacers

@Ryan: That was my first thought, but I gotta get back to see for myself..

Thanks for the input, I am thankful for the help!

 

[bob91yj]

Where in SoCal? I work at a dealership in Escondido (not Jeep, but used to be) willing to saftey check it for you no charge if you're close enough to bring it to me.

 

[bldeagle10]

I would say U-joint as well, it also helps if she can track it down to at least what side it is coming from. my wheels "clicked" when turning, then eventually when under braking, then eventually all the time when in motion, easy way for you yourself to check is to jack up the front end, get both wheels where they are able to turn, grab one wheel and kind of rotate it back and forth, forward and back and listen and feel for anything loose, if it is the U-joint you can crawl under and move the wheel and actually check visually if it is shot. also, while it is jecked you can pull the wheel in and out as if you were trying to pull it off the hub, if it has play your hub/wheel bearing could be bad but i doubt that on a newer vehicle. mine lasted on my XJ to the 300,000 mile mark... those are just a few things, easier to check in person though. good luck! let us know what happens.

 

[pator1971]

The plastic bushing at the end of the column where it comes threw the firewall. A very know problem on the JK. Mine has been doing it so long I only notice it on the days it doesn't make noise....

 

[Explore]

just got done looking at it, looks like it was the steering stabilizer bolt that came lose.. Right where the "fat" portion of the shock is bolted to the axle bracket. had to break out the 15/16 wrenches (first time for these)..
will take it offroad this weekend and see if it holds or if I need to replace the setup... Any reason to head out and wheel!
thanks again for all the info!