New noise - help me brainstorm

So the truck started making a new noise that is driving me nuts. I have been searching for it for a while, but haven't found it yet. It only occurs at very slow speeds (say less than 10 mph). It doesn't happen all the time, but it seems to be occurring more frequently lately. It is a slight repeating/rhythmic popping noise that seems to be coming from the passenger side front. Like I said, I can only hear it at very slow speeds - it happens whether I am turning or going straight. Flat road or bumpy road. Here is what I have looked at so far:

-I done a couple of once-overs and nothing appears to be loose.
-I pulled the wheels off and spun the front axles by hand, and I don't hear anything while I am spinning them.
-I have had other people drive it while I am walking next to it outside to see if I can hear it and I cannot hear anything.
-I have flexed the suspension myself to see if the UCAs were making noise - they seem quiet.
-My skid plate bolts are tight (I have Bud skids).
-Shock bolts seem tight.
-Center cap retaining clips on my wheels were all in place and snug.
-My seat belts are all retained and not banging on the pillars

A couple of things I have noticed:

- When I stand outside of the truck and flex the suspension myself, I can hear a groaning noise coming from the fender (I lift the hood and grab on top of the fender to pull the suspension down). It sort of sounds like it is coming from one of the mounting screws for the fender. It doesn't sound like the popping I am hearing inside the cab. Plus, I don't know why it would make noise while I am just slowly rolling down the road.

- The inner plastic liner on my passenger side fender is fairly loose. Those retaining clips pretty much suck. I did my best to stick those into place with some adhesive goo during a recent test drive, but maybe some other plastic somewhere is flopping around?

- My lower ball joints have been weeping for a while now. They don't feel like they are bad, though - I don't notice any excessive motion when I pry up on the wheel.

I don't own a GoPro, so I can't try to capture things in process - plus, like I said, I can't hear crap standing outside of the truck.

Any other ideas?

Thanks.

 

FYI....those fender liner retaining "grommets" can be purchased pretty cheap at your dealers' parts department. I think you need around 12. Once they break.....they are done.

 

Does it only do it when you first go fowards?

 

No. Does it in reverse also. Not only when I first start out, but also when I come to a stop or slow to very slow speeds.

 

Also, I have never noticed it happening yet when it is cold (i.e. when I first pull out of the drive in the morning).

 

Maybe a brake pad slightly moving in the caliper? Does breaking make it stop?

 

No, braking doesn't seem to change it. My brakes looked ok when I had the wheels off last night. About due for a replacement, but I didn't notice anything odd.

 

Alright, this is driving me nuts. I went out this weekend and torqued everything on the front end. I didn't find anything super loose, but the lca bolts weren't quite at the 207 ftlbs. I checked the lower ball joints again, and I don't see any excessive movement. The inner fender thing may be the case, but I don't understand why it would be making noise when I am just creeping foward straight on a smooth road. I saw someone who replaced those grommets with insert/screw setups like what you have on your license plate. I might try that.

All u-joints seemed solid. Diff bolts secured and tight. I had my son slightly move the steering wheel back and forth and watched the steering rack to see if the bushings looked bad. They seemed fine. There was no looseness in the tie rod ends.

I hate hunting crap like this down.

 

None of them are broke. They are just loose. Crappy design that makes it easy to assemble, but doesn't hold worth beans in the long run.

 

Easy to replace. New ones will fit tight.

 

I think I finally found it!!!! It seemed to get louder today. I went out to lean on the side of the truck again to cycle the suspension and it sounded like it was coming from the fender/inner fender panel. I looked underneath and saw that my reservoir for my shock had displaced slightly in the retaining clamps and was rubbing on the inner fender. Was making a "popping" noise every time I moved the body. I loosened the clamps and put the reservoir back in position and took it for a spin and couldn't hear anything. Also couldn't hear anything when I was manually cycling the suspension.

AHHHH...…...That's nice.