Tracking down a loud popping

[Kyle_W]

Trying to track down what is creating a loud popping noise every time I brake and come to a halt. It's never when I take off from a stop, it's only when I am about to come to a complete stop. Sounds as if something is shifting, but not necessarily as if something is breaking.

Grabbed and shaked everything underneath my Jeep (has a 2" lift, XJ tie rod, JKS adjustable track bar, but no other modifications). But nothing is loose or obviously out of place:

• Control arms (the bushings are dry rotted, but there isn't any play in them)
• Drive shafts
• Track bar
• Drag link
• Tie rod
• Sway bar
• Sway bar links
• Looked at my springs and didn't see obvious "popping in and out of spring perches"

Has anyone heard of or had any experience with this issue?

 

[Chris]

Did you check the torque on all of the control arm bolts?

 

[Kyle_W]

Did you check the torque on all of the control arm bolts?

I'm going to check that when I get a chance.

Besides checking that, I don't know what else would cause such a loud clunk when braking? It's easy to argue that it's something shifting when the momentum of the Jeep changes. I'd imagine it'd be in my suspension somewhere. But nothing is really lose?

 

[Chris]

I'm going to check that when I get a chance.

Besides checking that, I don't know what else would cause such a loud clunk when braking? It's easy to argue that it's something shifting when the momentum of the Jeep changes. I'd imagine it'd be in my suspension somewhere. But nothing is really lose?

I'm not entirely sure. Things like this hard hard to diagnose as all we can do is guess. I had an obnoxious noise whenever I went over a bump that drove me insane. I thought it was the suspension or something was loose, but it turned out to be one of the plastic boots on my rear Rancho shocks. Under compression, the boots were hitting the fuel tank skid, causing this obnoxious noise.

Still, you have no idea how nuts that drove me trying to figure out. I suspect your issue is going to be a very, very simple solution. Ockham's Razor almost always wins.

 

[ranger101]

I have a very similar situation with mine right now. Control arms seem tight and don’t move by hand, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t loose. I don’t have noise on initial braking but after an aggressive stop it will clunk/pop when accelerating. So far I’ve checked all steering components(recently replaced) and I’ll be torquing all 4 of the front control arms/track bar to make sure nothing has come loose. If that doesn’t solve anything I’ll be checking the transmission mount next to ensure everything’s good to go there and work my out to the U-joints if necessary.

 

[ErikOffroad]

I scooped a big rock and it was sitting on top of my skid plate for months before I figured it out. Good luck!

 

[The Real Lxxtsy]

check the axle u joints

 

[Pcleaners2]

Yeah I hear a clunk coming from underneath toward the rear I can’t figure out when I downshift to slow down at times. Like downshifting from a high speed instead of using brakes

 

[Schwifty Rich]

Not quite a popping sound, but check the bolts on the exhaust/catalytic converters. One of mine were loose and it made a knocking sound when I was decelerating.

 

[dbbd1]

Have you checked your rear brakes?