This is for a 2wd 1999 4Runner. Occasionally, when I turn left at slow speeds coming out of my neighborhood, I hear a fairly loud POP. It only happens when I'm already coasting, i.e. I'm travelling straight at 15-20mph and turn the wheel left for a 90* turn in my neighborhood. Except for this occasional noise I have no other symptoms, so I'm thinking it is not a wheel bearing. Turning left from a stop does not reproduce it, and it's only on tighter left turns. Where should I start looking for this?

 

Balljoints

 

+1 on the balljoints (lower that is).

It would also be a good time to check your sway bar links and bushings.....

 

That's what I suspected. What should I be looking for when I inspect them? Just general play?

 

Check out your sway bar bushings/endlinks while you're down there too

 

BJoint - grease leaking from a torn boot. But some have failed without visible symptoms. If you are replacing one, replace both and then get an alignment if one has not been performed in the last 5000 miles. And nothing but OEM please......

For the sway bar, look for torn or dried out rubber. My bet is that the audible culprit is the lower BJ....

 

Don't worry, non-OEM is not even an option when it comes to something that keeps the wheels from falling off

Had an alignment not very long ago, they didn't say anything about the BJs, but it wasn't popping then either. I'm wondering if this could be contributing to my pull to the left while braking?

 

I'm thinking ball joints too. Keep us posted

 

So no pop when you are turning to the right? Then check both the upper as well as the lower and the tie rod end. It sounds as if the pistion in the caliper may be sticking but my $$$ is still on the ball joint.

Take it back to the tire shop and have them check the alignment again for free if it has been 3 months or less. Tell them your predicament and see what they may visually find with the 4 runner on the rack....

 

Yeah, the pop only occurs when turning left, and it doesn't happen every time. In fact it's rather rare. There is one turn where it seems to happen the most: after a speed bump I usually just coast along at 15-20 and crank the wheel left without braking, making a pretty sharp turn. That's when I typically hear it.

I'll have to take it back in in a couple of weeks. First I've got to make the 700 mile drive to Lubbock and back though