Hi,
The loud pop could be a ball joint. If it is loose enough, it could cause issues.
Do this. Lift the left front wheel off the ground. Place your hands at 6 and 12 o'clock. Wiggle back and forth to see if there is any play.
Next, with the tire about 4" off the ground, place a pry bar under the tire and see if there is play up and down in the wheel. Also, inspect all rubber bushings.
Take a look through this link and see if anything mirrors what you hear:
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/popping-noise
I attached an exploded view of the front suspension components and highlighted bushings to check as well.
By any chance, are you in an area where the roads are treated for snow and ice? If you are, there were issues with the subframe rusting. That is the large steel frame under the engine. Check that to make sure nothing has rusted through or has come loose. See pic 2. I drew a red line around the subframe.
Let me know what you find.
Joe
Images (Click to make bigger)
SPONSORED LINKS
Saturday, November 19th, 2022 AT 6:50 PM