Audible Pop From Rear End | 1st Gen

I own a 2000 2wd. Last week a new noise got my attention. It's an audible "pop" that happens only on the initial acceleration from a stop. It seems to be coming from the drivers side, but is most definitely coming from the rear of the vehicle. I recently replaced the rear shocks with Bilstein 5100's and added a 3 leaf AAL pack from Wheeler Offroad. That was about a month ago and the sound just started last week. My thoughts on potential culprits are the shock, the U-joint/drive shaft, or the springs. Any one else experience anything like this or know what it is? Could it be the wheel bearing or something else I'm not thinking of? Any ideas on how to eliminate potential causes?

 

Not sure! All I can tell u is from personal experience. When i had a pop sound under those conditions, I figured out it was my rear leaf springs moving. Mine are the originals, and arnt perfectly staked. So a way u can test and see if it's your leaf springs is by grabbing them (preferably in their weakest spot where there's the least amount of springs) and u rock pull back and forth so your whole truck rocks side to side. If u hear the pop then it's your springs and u should feel the pop too. If not then, idk!

 

You could also check the 4 bolts for the trans mount to crossmember. They like to come loose on the 2wd mounts.

 

Thank you! I'll do this today and see what I can come up with. Finally got some sunshine here.

 

Didn't think of that, thank you!

 

This happened to me and greasing the driveshaft fixed my problem. Would be an inexpensive place to start.

 

Good point. I was going to suggest checking the U-joints.

 

Same problem 2006 sr5 dc let us know what comes of it pls

 

Get a grease gun and hit every zerk underneath the truck associated with the driveline. As stated above, easiest and cheapest place to start and may just solve your issue.

 

Grease the driveshaft and let us know if that solves it.

 

*UPDATE*

So I finally found the time after work this afternoon to check some potential causes. After quickly shedding my business casual attire, I joyously waltzed to the garage, eager to find out what catastrophic failure I was going to be throwing money at this week. To my utter dismay, I discovered that my drivers side rear shock was basically floating in place and that I could grab it and move it back and forth with little effort. This was apparently an early Christmas present I had unintentionally gifted myself when lazily installing the shocks in my driveway during a rainstorm. I soon got over the disappointment that I missed a chance to lay on my back for 3 hours in the freezing garage and instead grabbed a wrench to tighten the nut at the top of the shock mount. After tightening it to the torque spec of exactly "feels about right", I hopped in the truck and took her for a spin. No noise, no pop. I really appreciate all of the suggestions and replies! As it is a 20 year old truck, it wont hurt to get some grease into each crusty crevasse of the driveshaft, so I will verbally commit to doing that soon, while I know darn well I'll procrastinate that as badly as I did the shock mount.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

 

A free-hanging shock mount was gonna be my next guess.

Glad that mystery is solved!