Is there a way to check? I jacked up the wheels, grabbed them at the top and bottom, and tried to move them in and out and didn't feel any movement.

I'll have her check them for me tomorrow

I do have tie rod sleeves already, so I don't think that's it.

 

A shop checked mine one time by jacking the truck up and letting the wheels hang and then took a big pair of channel locks and saw if he could "squeeze/lift" the ball joint up into the socket, if that makes since.

 

That's how they will do it at the alignment shop.

If it moves, it has slop and that would be your issue.

Mine pops too when I back up sometimes. I was thinking the lower control arm bushing's or ball joint was bad.

 

I tried jacking the front end up like that but didn't have any play. I even tried wedging a pry bar in between the lower ball joint and spindle and couldn't get any movement that way either. I'm considering replacing them anyway, but at $70 per side I hate to drop that money when I don't know if it will solve the problem. Napa sells "loaded" lower control arms for $214 ea, that already have bushings and ball joints installed...or I can replace both bushings and ball joint on my own for about $110 per side. Just sucks right now, we are trying to save money to move back to Phoenix, and having this truck fixed right now isn't critical. Might just keep driving it til the problem becomes obvious.

 

Jack it up and put the pry bar between the ground and bottom of tire

 

How about the CV joint or torsion bar crossmember mounts.?

 

I'll check all of that stuff next time I have a chance to mess with it. Supposed to snow off and on this whole next week, yippee.