I need help diagnosing an issue that I believe is suspension and/or steering related.

Details: 97 4x4 w/ 140K

Have had ball joints, shocks, and sway bar links/bushings replaced in last 10k. This issue was there before all the front end work was completed, but it seems more pronounced.

As best as I can describe this, what I am feeling is slight popping/tapping in the steering wheel when just coming to a stop and/or just accelerating. The rocking of the truck back and forth causes a momentary pop-pop-pop feeling in the wheel. There is no audible noise associated with the popping/thumping I am experiencing. Lastly, I don't feel it at any higher rate of speed because, from the best I can conclude, vibration from the car moving at higher rates of speed masks the issue.

The conclusion that I can come to at this point is that the popping/tapping is related to the torsion bars and how they rotate back and forth with the front control arms moving up and down. If it is related to the torsion bars, from what I can conclude, it's most noticeable on starts and stops because that's when it seems the most direct force is applied on the suspension.

Any other thoughts or similar experiences noticed? I haven't been able to track down much online, but that may be related to not using the right key words. If it is the torsion bars wearing, from what I can tell, there are no bushings in the torsion system, so this is metal-on-metal wear? Not sure if there is a fix besides an expensive one...

 

How old are the brakes and rotors?

 

New pads and rotors up front in the last 2k.

 

Are you sure this isn't a tire problem? A tire with a belt coming apart inside often only shows itself at very low speed. Try swapping the tires front to rear to see if the feeling you are getting leaves the steering wheel and moves to the seat of your pants. I don't know how else to explain that.

 

I guess my next though would be a dry CV joint. Are the boots okay, no tears or anything for the CV joints on the axles?

 

Tires are three years old and rotated last weekend. No change in the feeling I receive in the wheel. Good thinking though.

Alloro: CV boots look to be in excellent shape. No dry rot or tears present. If dry, what is involved with greasing/replacing them?

 

You would have to snip the metal band clamps holding the boot in place, slide the boot back, and then start packing grease into the joint. When done the boot would have to be put back in place and new clamps installed. All of that is assuming the existing grease is not dirty. If it is you would have to clean the joint out first, and then pack in the new grease.

 

I just stumbled on this old thread and wanted to suggest that if you haven't found the source yet to check your intermediate steering shaft. There's a telescoping portion down where it connects to the p/s box that can loosen up just a bit which will give a clunk/click feeling in the steering wheel. Hope this helps, good luck!