Loud "Pop" in the front end

[Applejack]

This past weekend while exploring a canyon here in Oregon, I slid down into deep muddy rut. I turned my wheel to the left, not sharply, but just enough to try and climb out from the other side. Just about the time my front end had climbed out, I heard and felt a loud "pop" from the front end. My tires were not slipping nor was the front bouncing, just a nice slow climb. Every thing has been fine since but it has left me wondering what it was. Any ideas? I didn't like the sound of it. It was almost like something was binding up, but what?

 

[Ursidae69]

Was it already in 4 when you hit the rut? If you put it into 4 afterward, it may have popped while the axle engaged.

 

[Applejack]

Forgot to mention that. Yes I was in 4hi. :smiley_drive:

 

[98roamer]

I broke a sway bar link and it sounded like that but it continued to make noise, ever once in awhile.

 

[Applejack]

I thought that might be it, but I looked under there and they look okay. The pop sounded like it came from the driver side, the side that was stuffed while climbing out.

 

[nvprospector]

I have had a similar sound happen when fully articulated in a mild turn. All it turned out to be was one of the front coils shifting/spinning in the mount. Since you still have the front sway bar, I would look at the chassis brackes to see if one of them is bent, if not it was just probably the coil shifting.

 

[Applejack]

I hope that's all it is. I looked at all the swaybar brackets and links. All look good.

 

[Overland Hadley]

I have also had this happen, and I could not figure out what it was.

Applejack,
Sorry I forget, do you have OME up front? Did the pop come from the unweighted side?

 

[Applejack]

I don't have the OME yet, just spacers, and I'm told by my mechanic/suspension guru that the spring shifting/binding is more prevalent with this set up. Sounds like you get it too though.

 

[tjs0461]

I had this happen to me found out it was the front diff. The carrier cracked. To check lock the front end in 4 hi on a hard surface and do a figure 8 as tight as possible. I did it plowing snow. Had to replace the carrier and spider gears

 

[Applejack]

YIKES! I hope that's not the problem, but I'll check it out.

 

[Clark White]

I have an 00 Taco and have heard that sound more then my fair share of times. Each time it has been one of my CV joints going to a much hotter place. On my truck it is cause by the long travel suspension over extending the CV's.

Clark Edit: now that I think of it, my CV's actually make more of a crunching sound then a pop, but the last time it was a definite pop.

 

[Skim]

CV joint unloading or breaking ? Tire contacting the plastic fender inner (bending some of it and ou heard the release) ? Body mount flexing ?