Loud popping

[Sal-XK]

Ok 2007 4.7L QT2 54k miles. I was four wheeling a gain today and decided to mess around on the sand dunes. I was in 4LO and got my self really dug in good. I was spinning all four tires trying to muscle my way up the hill when all of a sudden I heard two loud Pops from the right front tire. I have never heard this before and I didn't here it again after I backed it down and went a different route. Any thoughts on what this was a couple of guys out there thought I was about to snap my half shaft and said if I didn't stop I probably would of broke something. I was pretty loud I fully expected to get out and see my half shaft or something hanging there. Anyway what you guys think?

[07JeepXK]

I've had the same thing happen to me a few times while off roading in similar situations as yours. Im still not exactly sure what it was but I know for sure it came from the front end. The last time it happened was at Rausch Creek on a hill climb while spinning the tires in 4 Low. I'll probablly never figure out what it was until it does it again and something breaks.

[Sal-XK]

I'll probablly never figure out what it was until it does it again and something breaks.

I guess thats one way to go. At first I thought it was the traction control but I discounted that because the pop was real loud. Some that were there though it was my half shaft slipping or what ever and were convinced it was going to break if I stayed on the throttle. I'm not sure man I like to know what going on because things never break conveniently in your garage when you have a spare hundo or two laying around to fix them. they always break when your on a trail hours from home.

[07JeepXK]

I hear you. I've looked over the front of the Commander each time it has happened but haven't found anything that could have made the noise. My cv's are still in great shape with over 62,000 miles on them. Do you think the noise could have came from the front differential??

[Sal-XK]

I'm not sure but it sounded like the something slipped good. Whether or not it was at the tire end of the shaft or in the diff not sure but it diffidently came from the right side of the XK. I PM Robby to see what his thoughts about it were because I hate posting questions on the other place like this all you get is guys who never wheel or even work on there XK yelling traction control or spamming your thread with Links that don't help you know who I'm talking about LOL

[Doc in AZ]

have you ever heard an older front wheel drive car making a sharp turn in the parking lot and it starts clicking and sounds like the wheel of fortune?

it's the bearing binding in the CV joint... this happens when they have exceeded their maximum angle. stock joints are only good for (and this is a random number as i'm not familiar with the commander specs) say 30* off center. compount the axle droop, torque & the turning radius and you can easily exceed this number. it's the ball bearings inside the center section popping in and out.

keep in mind that a lift kit also adds some additional angle to the CV. it's a common practice to have to drop the front diff a little to correct the CV angle with larger lift kits to prevent the self destruction of the CV from normal, everyday driving due to the excessive angle.

crappy picture but you get the idea.... center splined section goes on the axle. then you see the "cage" and then the outter section that bolts to the stub shaft. in the middle of all that you see the bearings and take note of the grooves the bearings ride in. and if you look closely you notice the thickness of the entire assembly... it doesn't take much to get the bearings to the edges of it where it will bind and then snap back into place.

https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2010/07/102_2663-2.jpg

[cico7]

what was the terrain like? any small gravel? some gravel will pop when it gets really hot. A longshot, but a thought.

gear popping? trying very hard to imagine what would pop.

[Sal-XK]

it was all sand and I was digging in really hard trying to climb a hill. I talked to Robby about this as well, and since I am not the only one this has happen to under theses type conditions I think were going to call it the TCS maybe. I get what Doc has said and makes tons of sense but my tires were pretty level almost at normal drive angles and I have never heard anything remotely to this sound before even with all the off roading I have been doing but I have not ever sat there and spun my tires in this way either. So considering I'm in 4LO and might have been in second gear as well spinning the tires. This is what robby offered up.

At that moment, all free play within the differental is taken up, everything from the outer c/v of the slipping wheel, through the differental, and all the way to the outer c/v of the wheel with traction.
In theory, this shock load would ring the driveshafts and transfer case too......sounds like it was a mechanically violent moment.
Since I'm in WAG mode, if you had the wheels spinning fast enouph, and you did not have the trans in manual one position, it may have been in second and dropped back to first at that moment as well.....speculating on my part, but a possible scenario.

This made a lot of sense to me and is what I think happen considering it's not just me this has happen to in this scenario.

[07JeepXK]

Looks like you will just have to wait for it to happen again and try to pin point exactly where its comming from. I wasnt to worried about it because I off road all the time and it has only happend a few times.

[Tymac]

Mine has done it more times than I can count. Usually when I'm playing in a lot of water or wash the under side of my Jeep. It's shortly accompanied by my Christmas tree dash light Service 4wheel drive/esp/abs/brake lights. Each of the last 2 times I went out a different DTC code came with it. First time was U1417 Left Speed Sensor then the next time was U1418 Right Speed Sensor.

I have a video from November Jeepskool that shows me getting sideways down a muddy trail. The faulty speed sensor was causing my esp to override and control my ABS. Which in turn was pulsing 1 front brake and 1 rear brake trying to straighten the truck out. Each time the abs released it caused a loud pop noise. It's coming from the abs pump itself.

Tonight I just replaced the rear rotors and pads. (yesterday I did the fronts) While I was under the Jeep I dropped my spare down and hosed the year or so of caked mud from under it. I must have used 100 gallons of water. Went to take the Jeep for a ride to cut in the pads and guess what came on? You guessed it. Abs was popping like a drive by in Compton and again it was code U1417!! Just because the connector got wet. Blew it out with my compressor and problem was gone.

Wish we could get a shut off switch like the JK's have. I blame that system for getting me stuck that time.

[Sal-XK]

It might be time to wire in a kill switch of the ABS system I think.

[Doc in AZ]

on the JK's we bypass the traction control and ABS system with a simple toggle switch on a wire, especailly with the superchargers installed.

[07JeepXK]

I did the same thing to bypass the traction control on the XK. I have a toggle under the dash hooked to the ABS pump fuse under the hood and when I flip the switch It totally disables the Traction Control. I dont use it very often but I think once I get a locker in the rear ill use it more.

[Sal-XK]

I haven't look at how to do this is there only one fuse I take it. I know I can figure this out but maybe a pic or two will help to see what you guys have done.

[07JeepXK]

Here are a few pictures I took when I installed the switch.

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2010/07/FuseBox-2.jpg

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2010/07/HoleLocation-2.jpg

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2010/07/ToggleSwitch-2.jpg

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2010/07/WiresRan-2.jpg

[Arrie]

The loud bang you here as far as I can fathom, it's the front diff that locked and if one wheel gets to much power the diff lock slips and that is the loud bang you here. The Quadra drive II system does not allow more than 25% power to one wheel and if it gets more than that, the diff lock let's go and slips. And that makes the loud "clack, clack!!!!" noise. That is how we understand it. At the end of this video clip when I reverse out of the water hole you will here the front diff lock let's go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSk3dtKCX2E

[07JeepXK]

Correct me if im wrong, but I think both of us have Quadra Trac II. Not Quadra Drive II. No diff locks here!

[WanderingTs]

For any of you who have experienced this - Did you have any of the TCS systems turned off with the factory installed option or was this with them on? I run almost exclusively with them turned off by the factory switch and have never experienced this.

[07JeepXK]

It has happened to me several times while in 4 low with TCS off by pressing and holding the TCS button for several seconds.