Steering pop felt through steering wheel?

Broadh2o · February 15, 2017

Any info on this would be greatly appreciated! I have a 2014 Silverado 1500 that has a pop every once in a while on 90 degree turns, such as turning from one street to another. I have a short two mile commute. Today alone it has happened 4 times. It has been to the dealer three times in two weeks. The first time they said they didn't feel anything. The second time they said the dampeners that hold rack on where shifting, so they replaced them. The third time they said they definetly felt it and said that it was the intermediate shafts in the column and replaced them. I picked it up yesterday and felt a pop but didn't think to much into it. But then today it had its issues as normal. The dealer wants me to take it for a test drive with the technician. Though I don't think this will matter as you can only feel it and not really hear it. Does anyone have any ideas on what it could be?

Thanks

Sierra706 · February 15, 2017

Any info on this would be greatly appreciated! I have a 2014 Silverado 1500 that has a pop every once in a while on 90 degree turns, such as turning from one street to another. I have a short two mile commute. Today alone it has happened 4 times. It has been to the dealer three times in two weeks. The first time they said they didn't feel anything. The second time they said the dampeners that hold rack on where shifting, so they replaced them. The third time they said they definetly felt it and said that it was the intermediate shafts in the column and replaced them. I picked it up yesterday and felt a pop but didn't think to much into it. But then today it had its issues as normal. The dealer wants me to take it for a test drive with the technician. Though I don't think this will matter as you can only feel it and not really hear it. Does anyone have any ideas on what it could be?

Thanks

Balljoints?

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Broadh2o · February 15, 2017

Balljoints?

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No i can't imagine them being bad just yet! Just hit 19k miles.

Sierra706 · February 16, 2017

No i can't imagine them being bad just yet! Just hit 19k miles.

I had two bad ones at 12k

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Broadh2o · February 16, 2017

I had two bad ones at 12k

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I'll check tomorrow at work. That's crazy if there going that quick. Did you have a intermittent pop?

Sierra706 · February 16, 2017

I called it a creak but pop is a decent way of describing it.

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ridethedesert · March 4, 2017

I have this same issue as well. I can easily feel it in the steering wheel. I thought maybe it was in the steering column itself. I feel it usually while turning either left or right onto a different street. Sometimes I can get it to do it while applying the brakes and then letting go.

I thought maybe ball joints as well but they seem solid. I have a 2014 GMC Sierra SLE.

Let me know what you find out. Mine goes into an independent shop next week after the dealer told me they couldn't duplicate it and that there is nothing wrong with the steering wheel or column. If you grab my steering wheel on the left and right side and then move your arms back and forth, you can make the wheel click loudly like metal to metal sound. Almost as if the bearing inside is gone or the main nut isn't torqued properly.

Again my dealer told me that looseness is normal.

Edited March 4, 2017 by ridethedesert

cmysstailights · March 4, 2017

I have the same issues, only when turning left. Dealer says they dont feel it. Didnt feel lime arguing. When i go back in for service i will bring it up again.

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x219c · March 4, 2017

I had this in a Toyota in the past. It had hydraulic steering, so idk if it is the same... they replaced my steering rack to get rid of it. Never came back.

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corndog247 · March 4, 2017

Guys this may seem crazy but it may be your rear leaf springs. I spent hours figuring mine out. They actually have to be greased. I noticed the pop when backing out of a driveway and turning from a stop. Apparently there is a bulletin out there to grease the leafs. I was like do we fill the blinker fluid too. lol

2strokesmoke · March 4, 2017

Guys this may seem crazy but it may be your rear leaf springs. I spent hours figuring mine out. They actually have to be greased. I noticed the pop when backing out of a driveway and turning from a stop. Apparently there is a bulletin out there to grease the leafs. I was like do we fill the blinker fluid too. lol

Yup! Bingo!

What folks are experiencing is "axle wrap" and leaf spring stacking.

When you backup or turn at an angle one side of your box is under more stress then the other side. What happens is the box wants to twist and lean, but it can't (because of weld and stiffeners) so the stress is directed into the leaf spring and stacking occours. If your axle ubolts are not torqued off correctly or in a under torqued condition (common factory problem retorquing is required) the axle will wrap....(turn spin) inside your ubolts. Have your dealer confirm axle pinion angle, then leaf spring alignment, finally retorque to correct final values.

I bet you they are under torqued!

You may be able to see the ubolt to axle wearing (shiny metal) on the axle under around ubolt fastening area!

If torque values are okay, the greasing of the leaf springs is to soften the stacking process (thunk sound) I do not recommend this greasing fix, as it holds sand and salt in there!

Hope this helps folks out.

Thxs

Edited March 4, 2017 by 2strokesmoke

ridethedesert · March 5, 2017

Guys this may seem crazy but it may be your rear leaf springs. I spent hours figuring mine out. They actually have to be greased. I noticed the pop when backing out of a driveway and turning from a stop. Apparently there is a bulletin out there to grease the leafs. I was like do we fill the blinker fluid too. lol

Ya I read up on the leaf springs in some other posts on here. I know when the leaf springs make the popping noise. I can hear that when pulling into a steep driveway and it will pop. Also can hear it when jacking up the rear of the truck to rotate the tires. This pop is distinctly in the steering column/steering wheel and can make it parked in my driveway, when making flat turns, etc. Maybe I should eliminate the leaf spring pop first just to be sure.

ridethedesert · March 5, 2017

Yup! Bingo!

What folks are experiencing is "axle wrap" and leaf spring stacking.

When you backup or turn at an angle one side of your box is under more stress then the other side. What happens is the box wants to twist and lean, but it can't (because of weld and stiffeners) so the stress is directed into the leaf spring and stacking occours. If your axle ubolts are not torqued off correctly or in a under torqued condition (common factory problem retorquing is required) the axle will wrap....(turn spin) inside your ubolts. Have your dealer confirm axle pinion angle, then leaf spring alignment, finally retorque to correct final values.

I bet you they are under torqued!

You may be able to see the ubolt to axle wearing (shiny metal) on the axle under around ubolt fastening area!

If torque values are okay, the greasing of the leaf springs is to soften the stacking process (thunk sound) I do not recommend this greasing fix, as it holds sand and salt in there!

Hope this helps folks out.

Thxs

I'll have to check out the leaf springs. I saw a post on here that showed guys installing some leaf spring clamps to hold them down. I'll also check if the axle has any shiny metal. Interestingly my pinion seal blew a couple thousand miles ago. Dealer replaced the seal. Then 7,000 miles later the rear end started to hum and the dealer had to again replace the pinion seal but then also the pinion bearings, pinion gear/drive gear and reinstall. I'm not sure if they set the backlash correctly the first time or if something else caused it to fail again. Maybe the leaf springs are causing issues with the pinion as you have mentioned. I guess my next step is to stop the leaf springs from making the noise and then see if the steering wheel stops popping.

2strokesmoke · March 5, 2017

I'll have to check out the leaf springs. I saw a post on here that showed guys installing some leaf spring clamps to hold them down. I'll also check if the axle has any shiny metal. Interestingly my pinion seal blew a couple thousand miles ago. Dealer replaced the seal. Then 7,000 miles later the rear end started to hum and the dealer had to again replace the pinion seal but then also the pinion bearings, pinion gear/drive gear and reinstall. I'm not sure if they set the backlash correctly the first time or if something else caused it to fail again. Maybe the leaf springs are causing issues with the pinion as you have mentioned. I guess my next step is to stop the leaf springs from making the noise and then see if the steering wheel stops popping.

Confirm your rearend ubolts are torqued properly!

99-ls1-ss · March 6, 2017

Ya I read up on the leaf springs in some other posts on here. I know when the leaf springs make the popping noise. I can hear that when pulling into a steep driveway and it will pop. Also can hear it when jacking up the rear of the truck to rotate the tires. This pop is distinctly in the steering column/steering wheel and can make it parked in my driveway, when making flat turns, etc. Maybe I should eliminate the leaf spring pop first just to be sure.

I'm having the same issue and it's definitely coming from the front end and not the rear. Mine pops randomly and I haven't been able to reproduce it on demand. I don't want to take it to the dealership only to have them not hear it and send me on my way. I heard it 2 times this morning. Once I was at a gas pump and it popped when I pulled away from the pump turning left. The other time it was at a stop sign and I was turning left again. Yesterday, it did something that I've never heard before. I missed a turn and had to make a U-turn. When I went full lock to the left, it popped about 8-10 times. I've tried to reproduce that too with no luck. While typing this and trying to figure out common elements when it happens and I just realized something. Each time it has happened, over the last two days, I have been on a slight downhill incline and I've turned left. I'll have to try that again and see if I can make it happen when I want.