Having just completed a full rebuild of the front suspension on my 1976 D100, it is with great dismay that I discovered a very loud popping or banging noise when I turn the steering wheel with the weight of the truck on the suspension and the engine running. This is one of the problems I was hoping to cure with the rebuild. The only original steering and suspension related compenents left on the truck are the steering column, the power steering gearbox, the power steering pump, and the pitman arm.

Is it possible for the power steering gearbox to be worn out and cause a very loud banging when the wheel is turned? Everything else is new and lubed.

I had a longer reply but it deleted before I could post it. inspect the steering column coupler. If it is full of water it will cause neat issues when it starts to bind/seize.

Ah, thanks, McNoople. I haven't gotten into the steering coupler yet. I know these trucks were known for cracking the frame around the steering gearbox, but I have inspected there and haven't found signs of cracking. Maybe there is a crack or other frame flex somewhere else. In the meantime I will inspect the steering coupler closely.

I wouldn't expect the frame to make a noise when cracked. I once found a steering box to frame area on a g3500 ish chevy box truck that made no noise and was on the verge of failing completely. I would add a brace to that area either a homemade or one of the reasonable priced repops of the factory part from the 92-92 trucks.

The reason the steering coupler will make the noises is that flat side discs have to move vertically up the coupler during rotation. The disc will have a slip/stick situation as they pass the point of binding/rust. Popping couplers became in style with a lot of car companies (honda,gm,toyota,etc) in this century. I have had to grease so many of the under dash sliding spline u-joint style couplers on newish cars.

Some companies have also had neat issues caused by sliding splines in driveshafts causing a jerk right at the moment of stopping, so joints that allow length change during rotation can be finicky.

Good info, thanks. I went out an turned the steering wheel lock-to-lock and the noise seems to happen most frequently right before I reach full right-turn lock. The noise also seems to be coming form the steering gear area. I have an aftermarket reproduction of the factory steering gear brace that I will install. Guess I am pulling the gearbox, inspecting, and installing the brace sooner rather than later.

My guess caster change through the steering arc making the springs click/ pop.

My truck and van does this and I do not worry about it.

Get some motor oil in a squirt can and spray some small amount of oil in the bottom of the coil spring pockets on the lower comtrol arms. It went away when I did that.

Best of luck!

Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Greg stole my thunder! Certainly worth checking and a squirt of oil or two won't hurt a thing!

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

I can always use a squirt of oil in my pockets...
Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Interesting. The springs are new and I installed new coil spring isolators on top of both front coil springs. I will investigate further.

My van did this with new springs. No Isolators on the bottom for me.
Worth a try and it did not hurt anything.

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The thing is, the steering did the banging noise before the front end rebuild with the old springs and no isolators. That is why I am thinking about frame or gearbox issues.

Back when I worked at sears and most GMs were still rear wheel drive I replaced a lot of coil springs. We put cargo coils on everything that needed springs that they were made for. The few that they didn't have them for we used the moog constant rate springs like OE were. And t remember something about where the ends of the coils pointed. I think it was in rears they had to be where the bottom rails were pointing at each other. Basically parallel to the rear end. On the fronts that had the pressed in spring pockets basically we just didn't bury the bottom tail in the end of the pressed in curly q in the control arm usual about 1" back. Seems like every one that got oriented different came back for popping. Rotate the spring to those locations usually took care of it.

Interesting idea. I am hoping to not have to get that deep back into the suspension, but I will bear spring orientation in mind.