Needle bearing going bad?

Hey all So like the title says, I think I might be having some needle bearing issues in my front diff. I was just curious if a bad or worn needle bearing can lead to a popping/clunking sound coming from the front end. I have checked the CVs and they are solid. But there's is a bit of movement on the inside CV coming out of the diff. Just wondering if a bad needle bearing could be the culprit? Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

Popping/clunking sounds more like a CV joint than a needle bearing. When do you notice the noise; turns, straight driving, backing, or ??

 

It pops most when I reverse from park. Then it will pop with any sudden suspension movement up. Like going over a speed bump in a parking lot. I took it to a shop and they said the CVs looked good.

 

What about your U joints...

 

This seems like a bit of a smoking gun here. Get it up on jack stands and start working the front suspension. There are LOTS of threads on diagnosing the needle bearing, and I would recommend going through a few of those so that you can see if there are any similarities to your situation, but with this new information, sounds more like a stab link, or other front-end suspension issue.

 

Check the lower control arm bolts.
Mine popped when going in reverse.
Those bolts are supposed to torque to about 100 ft/lb.

I don’t think a lot of the alignment guys torque them.
They just crank down on them and call them good.
If they are not tight, they will “pop”/“clank”.

 

Sorry. But what is a stab link?

 

I can definitely check to see if those are torqued. Thanks for the advice.

 

In and out movement of the CV is normal

your LBJ’s are probably bad at this mileage and not easily checked with pliers/pry bar

if they have not been replaced it is safe to assume they should be as a starting point

might as well refresh entire UCA and LCA’s

 

I have checked the LBJs with a pry bar like you were saying and there was no play. But it does make sense that I can't put the force needed to move them like if the wieght of the truck was in them. The shop I took it to said the LBJs looked good along with the CVs but that doesn't mean they aren't going out. They quoted me a price to have the needle bearing replaced, which seems a bit steep to me. 1200$.

 

Run. Run fast and don’t look back.
That’s outrageous.

 

BTW. The needle bearing usually causes a vibration.
The way it’s typically diagnosed is by driving in 4WD and see if the vibration goes away.
Nothing you have described points to it being the needle bearing.

 

His mileage wasn't stated, nor if he still running stock CAs. You continually give expensive advice and act like you know everything and by some of your posts it is obvious you don't. Consider only giving advice on things you're positive or an expert on. Their are plenty of experts on TW to fill this role.

 

OP profile states vehicle is over 10yo

age wears vehicles
as does the typical 10k a year

LBJ’s are like 30 bucks and known to cause clunking from the front

lol

 

Like @TnShooter said, run. If you can remove/reinstall a cv you can do it yourself for cheap. Not that you need to if you don't have vibes.

I had a similar pop because my body mount bolt was loose. Something else to check. I could feel it in the floorboard when it popped.

 

He went to a shop to get a quote to replace a needle bearing. Therefore likely he would pay for labor of LBJ replacement. So, labor costs, and there are so many sources of clunks/pops/noises. Might not be LBJ. Ah, forget it. Nevermind.

 

up to OP to determine that based on mileage
If it has over 130k mi on stock LBJ’s, then it at least needs new ones

needle bearing should be upgraded to ECGS if you plan on any lift
Probably a $70ish job if you DIY

pry bar test and the naked eye doesn’t work to diagnose these style of LBJ
clunk during speed bumps is exactly what happens when they wear

 

Ok, thanks for all the advice guys. I'll definitely be looking into a lot of the stuff you have recommended. I'll start with the cheapest option first by making sure all the bolts are torqued to spec. My truck does have a 2.5" lift on it. So I will definitely be looking into the ECGS bushing. There is some vibration in the steering wheel, but I wouldn't know if it was from the needle bearing or my toyo MTs. With the mileage on my truck (130k) I will also look into getting the LBJs replaced as well. Any recommendations on those? Again thanks for the info.

 

front wheel bearings likely starting to wear at that mileage but not necessarily symptomatic
vibration if braking = brakes, usually warped rotors
constant vibration at certain speeds is usually tires out of balance. Truck tires go out of balance faster than car tires, and need periodic re-balancing more frequently. Verify tires pass within spec of static and roadforce balance

 

Update!

So just a quick update on the popping/clunking noise. Like some of you suggested, I double checked that the cam bolts and other bolts were torqued to spec and I found that the LCA cam bolts were loose AS F***! So I torqued those to 100ftlb but I also removed my front sway bar. I could see that both lower sway bar end links balls joints had a lot of play and slight tears in both the boots. After torqueing down all the bolts and removing the sway bar (will look into getting a relocation kit), the popping/clunking noise has stopped! (so far). I will drive it around more just to be sure. But just wanted to say thanks for all advice fellas!