Popping sound, Passenger side Rear

[farris2003]

Hey All!

Reaching out for help/guidance. I have a 2021 Gladiator Willys Automatic with a 2" AEV Spacer Lift and 35" BFG's. Lift and tires were installed in the fall of 2021 shortly after I bought the truck. I have had zero issues with the vehicle until now. When I make a left hand turn only, at around 15 mph without hitting the brakes or gas, it will make a single pop sound that sounds like it is coming from underneath the vehicle. I believe I have identified the issue but I wanted to check and see if anyone else had any issue like this before. This morning it actually popped once as I was backing out of my driveway. My driveway has a downward slope as you exit if that means anything. The drivability of the truck is not affected. i will say that I do tow an 18" double axle utility trailer with a canam x3 (two door) from time to time but it is usually once every other month. I looked under the truck and checked my torque on all of the bolts that were involved with the lift, everything is perfect. The only thing that I found that was out of the sort was that my spring on the passenger side rear, the bottom rubber cover is now coming off. Would that be what is causing the pop from time to time? FWIW, I also checked all of my springs to make sure they were still seated correctly and they all are. let me know your thoughts and any guidance that you might have. Maybe what else I could check. If it is just that rubber cover on the spring, I can drop the axle this weekend and put it back on, it just seems like that wouldn't be it. BTW, the pop wasn't really that loud to begin with but it is getting progressively worse. I don't really take it off road at all besides the occasional trip onto my dads property that has some slopes and angles but it is all grass. Thank you for your input here!!

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[James H]

Possibly a loose sway bar end link? That was the culprit with my friend's JL recently.

 

[farris2003]

Possibly a loose sway bar end link? That was the culprit with my friend's JL recently.

I most certainly wish it was that! My jlu had that issue in the front end. I made sure to check that first on the jt. Thanks for the idea though! Keep em coming!

 

[Wolf Island Diver]

TL:DR - right rear-most cab body mount.

had a pop coming from the right rear. It sounded like it was outside somewhere aft of the rear seat and low, like under the truck. It would pop sometimes when backing up at the point where I apply brakes and stop and wait shifts. It would seem to reset and then next pop going forward or turning. That wasn’t always the case but it frequently was. The point is I couldn’t just replicate it at will doing the same action. It seems related to weight shifting or anything that causes the body is on the frame like turning. Just hitting bumps didn’t seem to do it.

I checked the torque of all the suspension bolts and they were fine. I checked things in the bed, the top, etc. I suspected it was a body mount. I asked my dealership to check the body bolts since they can snap when messing with them and I’d rather that be the dealerships fault. They didn’t check anything because they’re useless. I changed dealerships.

Fortunately I had just bought ARB sliders which are bolted to the body mounts. I decided to check it myself when I installed them. You should use an inductive heater to release the Locktite they’re supposed to be installed with. Sure enough my right rear most cab body mount was barely more than hand tight. Most of the mounts had no Locktite on them. Several had broken retainer clips. I installed the sliders and put anti-seize on the bolts before installing and torquing them. No problems since. Improperly torqued, installed or Locktited body bolts are a documented issue on this truck.

I would put a wrench on the bolts and see if they turn easily. You’re not trying to break them free, just see it they’re tight. Like I said several of mine were loose and I didn’t need a breaker bar or heat for that. a little pressure from a 1/2 drive ratchet. If they’re loose take it to the dealer. The problem with taking it in for an intermittent noise is that you’ll get the “unable to replicate” response. I would not recommend trying to re-torque them yourself. They need to see what’s wrong with them and you need to use heat to fully remove or fully install them.

Good luck either way.

 

[Wolf Island Diver]

BTW there are 6 cab body mounts aft of the front wheel.

 

[farris2003]

TL:DR - right rear-most cab body mount.

had a pop coming from the right rear. It sounded like it was outside somewhere aft of the rear seat and low, like under the truck. It would pop sometimes when backing up at the point where I apply brakes and stop and wait shifts. It would seem to reset and then next pop going forward or turning. That wasn’t always the case but it frequently was. The point is I couldn’t just replicate it at will doing the same action. It seems related to weight shifting or anything that causes the body is on the frame like turning. Just hitting bumps didn’t seem to do it.

I checked the torque of all the suspension bolts and they were fine. I checked things in the bed, the top, etc. I suspected it was a body mount. I asked my dealership to check the body bolts since they can snap when messing with them and I’d rather that be the dealerships fault. They didn’t check anything because they’re useless. I changed dealerships.

Fortunately I had just bought ARB sliders which are bolted to the body mounts. I decided to check it myself when I installed them. You should use an inductive heater to release the Locktite they’re supposed to be installed with. Sure enough my right rear most cab body mount was barely more than hand tight. Most of the mounts had no Locktite on them. Several had broken retainer clips. I installed the sliders and put anti-seize on the bolts before installing and torquing them. No problems since. Improperly torqued, installed or Locktited body bolts are a documented issue on this truck.

I would put a wrench on the bolts and see if they turn easily. You’re not trying to break them free, just see it they’re tight. Like I said several of mine were loose and I didn’t need a breaker bar or heat for that. a little pressure from a 1/2 drive ratchet. If they’re loose take it to the dealer. The problem with taking it in for an intermittent noise is that you’ll get the “unable to replicate” response. I would not recommend trying to re-torque them yourself. They need to see what’s wrong with them and you need to use heat to fully remove or fully install them.

Good luck either way.

Thank you for this! I'll definitely take a look in the morning! Appreciate your time here. It's just so strange and I can't replicate it like you said. It just happens whenever it wants lol. I'm hoping that's it. At least then I'll know what it is.

 

[farris2003]

BTW there are 6 cab body mounts aft of the front wheel.

After checking all that out, everything was luckily tight and in place. Truck is currently at the dealership, dropped it off this morning because it has gotten progressively worse. There is a TSB on the right axle shaft so the tech said. I am thinking it is specifically in the rear end now. It could be something to do with the anti-slip because the tires were chirping when I went around a curve at a slow speed in a parking lot the other day and the popping is almost in time with the way the tires rotate. They did change the fluid on my last oil change and said that there were metal shavings in the axle so I am hoping it will be covered under warranty as it is only two years old and has 21000 miles (I WFH and when I travel I fly usually). I think I mentioned it previously but everything I tow is under the maximum capacity for the truck. Hoping for a resolution within a few days. Will keep everyone posted here in case it happens to anyone else!!

 

[farris2003]

After checking all that out, everything was luckily tight and in place. Truck is currently at the dealership, dropped it off this morning because it has gotten progressively worse. There is a TSB on the right axle shaft so the tech said. I am thinking it is specifically in the rear end now. It could be something to do with the anti-slip because the tires were chirping when I went around a curve at a slow speed in a parking lot the other day and the popping is almost in time with the way the tires rotate. They did change the fluid on my last oil change and said that there were metal shavings in the axle so I am hoping it will be covered under warranty as it is only two years old and has 21000 miles (I WFH and when I travel I fly usually). I think I mentioned it previously but everything I tow is under the maximum capacity for the truck. Hoping for a resolution within a few days. Will keep everyone posted here in case it happens to anyone else!!

Following up on this again, tech called me last Friday and stated the rear axle assembly will need to be replaced after review by an engineer from Jeep. This will all be covered under my warranty but now I am considering getting rid of the vehicle after this is fixed as I see this as foreshadowing/things to come in the future once I get more miles on the truck. I had a JLU Sport S before this and put twice as many miles on it with zero issues. I am wondering if they were still going through early issues with the truck the first two years of production and this is one of them. The TSB was looked at and there were no issues with that as it cleared inspection. That was for a leaking seal. No ETA on the parts to fix the truck. Currently driving a White Rubi Gladiatior. BTW, after driving the fully loaded Rubi, there's no way I could justify the price tag considering I don't really off-road that much. +$10k more than what I paid for mine seems wild, but to each their own of course. I've never driven anywhere my Willys Gladiator or JLU Sport S couldn't get out of with ease. Lessons learned here, I guess the older I get, the more I fall into the Sahara or Overland category ?. I'll keep you all posted, for whoever is following along that is LOL.

 

[Wolf Island Diver]

This will all be covered under my warranty but now I am considering getting rid of the vehicle after this is fixed as I see this as foreshadowing/things to come in the future once I get more miles on the truck

Honestly, I don’t think this logic tracks. If this was a component who’s failure was tied to some larger more fundamental problem, then sure, it might make sense to move on. For example, my 2013 JK had multiple oil and water pumps fail, along with the heater core. These components and their replacements don’t fail like this normally. Technicians and I thought this was related to a rare but documented issue with improperly removed casting sand from the manufacturing of the engine. Jeep has no remediation for it other than replacing parts when they fail. I didn’t want to deal with that.

Dana-Spicer axles are pretty well established as reliable but they can sometimes have issues like anything else. The rear seal on my TJs transfer case leaked and was replaced under warranty. Driveline sealing issues happen. I never had issues with that vehicle again. The D44 on these trucks is a new design but so far it’s proven reliable. Jim from Dynatrac does a good breakdown on the changes and despite most of them being designed to save fuel, it’s still a tough axle as he admits. But again, that component and it’s failure rate isn’t tied to really anything else on the truck.

This Gladiator is the most complex Jeep I’ve ever owned in terms of both electronics and emissions control (diesel) and so far it’s been more reliable. Most of the documented issues, like most modern vehicles concern emissions and electronics. The issues I’ve had have been minor and not all that uncommon on other makes, like garbage OEM batteries. So far there’s not been any major issue with these trucks fleet-wide beyond the steering box issue. I dodged that myself because of the diesel having a cast-iron steering box.

The thing is, you are unlikely to avoid issues with other makes if you switch. I remember visiting my sister who worked at one of the largest Toyota dealerships in the US and seeing mountains of Tacoma frames sitting behind the service building. Having to replace the frame is huge. The Bronco rollout has been a series disasters, recalls and issues. Both the hard and soft tops are garbage. You couldn’t give me a Bronco at this point. I’ve had major issues with my Ford products. I had issues with our Toyotas. With the exception of an M6, every BMW someone in my family has owned has been an abject disaster. My fathers Silverado had to get a new engine. The roof on every RAV4 a family member has had, leaked. Our Mazdas have been reliable unless you count the RX-7 with a bad apex seals and a dead engine which is just all part of RX-7 ownership. The diesel fuel pump issue the gladiators are having with affects around 3% of the ecodiesel fleet also is happening to other makes and models and it’s going to be hard to avoid Bosch components in any car.

The other thing is that forums are bad sampling for demonstrating the propensity for issues. They’re sometimes great for understanding a problem you’re experiencing if it’s happening to others or tracking the status of a known problem, but self-selection bias means that they don’t reflect the overall fleet reliability. If you’re weighing the likelihood of additional problems down the road on this truck, this may not be the best place to collect data. I’m not sure places like CR are either since it has some of the same bias issues and often “reliability” issues which affect ratings are frequently related to electronics and poor or confusing UI/UX design. You’re really going to have to dig into the data to find a good sense of the likelihood and severity of problems. Your axle issue is the first I’ve heard it but it’s obviously not unknown since there’s a TSB. One good thing Jeep has going for it is a huge community.

I wouldn’t drop this truck for the axle issue unless you’re having lots of other issues. But even then, there aren’t cursed vehicles that will just have repeated unrelated issues of all sorts.

 

[farris2003]

Honestly, I don’t think this logic tracks. If this was a component who’s failure was tied to some larger more fundamental problem, then sure, it might make sense to move on. For example, my 2013 JK had multiple oil and water pumps fail, along with the heater core. These components and their replacements don’t fail like this normally. Technicians and I thought this was related to a rare but documented issue with improperly removed casting sand from the manufacturing of the engine. Jeep has no remediation for it other than replacing parts when they fail. I didn’t want to deal with that.

Dana-Spicer axles are pretty well established as reliable but they can sometimes have issues like anything else. The rear seal on my TJs transfer case leaked and was replaced under warranty. Driveline sealing issues happen. I never had issues with that vehicle again. The D44 on these trucks is a new design but so far it’s proven reliable. Jim from Dynatrac does a good breakdown on the changes and despite most of them being designed to save fuel, it’s still a tough axle as he admits. But again, that component and it’s failure rate isn’t tied to really anything else on the truck.

This Gladiator is the most complex Jeep I’ve ever owned in terms of both electronics and emissions control (diesel) and so far it’s been more reliable. Most of the documented issues, like most modern vehicles concern emissions and electronics. The issues I’ve had have been minor and not all that uncommon on other makes, like garbage OEM batteries. So far there’s not been any major issue with these trucks fleet-wide beyond the steering box issue. I dodged that myself because of the diesel having a cast-iron steering box.

The thing is, you are unlikely to avoid issues with other makes if you switch. I remember visiting my sister who worked at one of the largest Toyota dealerships in the US and seeing mountains of Tacoma frames sitting behind the service building. Having to replace the frame is huge. The Bronco rollout has been a series disasters, recalls and issues. Both the hard and soft tops are garbage. You couldn’t give me a Bronco at this point. I’ve had major issues with my Ford products. I had issues with our Toyotas. With the exception of an M6, every BMW someone in my family has owned has been an abject disaster. My fathers Silverado had to get a new engine. The roof on every RAV4 a family member has had, leaked. Our Mazdas have been reliable unless you count the RX-7 with a bad apex seals and a dead engine which is just all part of RX-7 ownership. The diesel fuel pump issue the gladiators are having with affects around 3% of the ecodiesel fleet also is happening to other makes and models and it’s going to be hard to avoid Bosch components in any car.

The other thing is that forums are bad sampling for demonstrating the propensity for issues. They’re sometimes great for understanding a problem you’re experiencing if it’s happening to others or tracking the status of a known problem, but self-selection bias means that they don’t reflect the overall fleet reliability. If you’re weighing the likelihood of additional problems down the road on this truck, this may not be the best place to collect data. I’m not sure places like CR are either since it has some of the same bias issues and often “reliability” issues which affect ratings are frequently related to electronics and poor or confusing UI/UX design. You’re really going to have to dig into the data to find a good sense of the likelihood and severity of problems. Your axle issue is the first I’ve heard it but it’s obviously not unknown since there’s a TSB. One good thing Jeep has going for it is a huge community.

I wouldn’t drop this truck for the axle issue unless you’re having lots of other issues. But even then, there aren’t cursed vehicles that will just have repeated unrelated issues of all sorts.

Thanks for providing all this and for the quick reply!

Whenever things like this happen, everyone has a knee jerk reaction and tend to blow it a bit out of proportion. I appreciate your insight here. I know that Dana has been around for a long time and I've owned a TJ, JKU, JLU and now the Gladiator. This is the first time I've ever had an axle issue and I used to bury the TJ in mud and water up to the bottom of the doors. It has to just be an outlier at this point, I am wondering if anyone else has had this happen that we don't know of, but it could have just been one bad one out of 50,000, which is probably within their spec. The truck has been reliable otherwise. It is a bit underpowered but I do have 35" tires, my fault completely. I WFH so it basically sits in my driveway most of the time gathering at most, 50-75 miles a week. I'll always be a Jeep guy regardless of whether or not I trade it in.

With axles, the thing I worry the most about is, I had a 2000 Ram 1500 when I was in high school and of course I drove it hard and put it away wet. The axle shaft ended up coming out of the end of the axle and left me stranded in the middle of the country (where I grew up in Southern Illinois) for four hours. I don't blame anyone other than myself for that because I was definitely brake torqueing it and not servicing the rear end like I should. I just get anxiety now anytime I have an axle problem because of my previous ignorance. I am definitely over all of the drag racing and hardcore mud bogging, this Gladiator has been babied to say the least LOL.

I am happy that the dealership said they will be covering all of the costs so that may keep me in the truck for years to come. I love it and wanted one ever since they started talking about them coming out years ago. I am hoping for an update from the dealer soon and I will definitely drop a line once I hear something. Thanks for your sage advice!

 

[gabriela1179]

Thanks for providing all this and for the quick reply!

Whenever things like this happen, everyone has a knee jerk reaction and tend to blow it a bit out of proportion. I appreciate your insight here. I know that Dana has been around for a long time and I've owned a TJ, JKU, JLU and now the Gladiator. This is the first time I've ever had an axle issue and I used to bury the TJ in mud and water up to the bottom of the doors. It has to just be an outlier at this point, I am wondering if anyone else has had this happen that we don't know of, but it could have just been one bad one out of 50,000, which is probably within their spec. The truck has been reliable otherwise. It is a bit underpowered but I do have 35" tires, my fault completely. I WFH so it basically sits in my driveway most of the time gathering at most, 50-75 miles a week. I'll always be a Jeep guy regardless of whether or not I trade it in.

With axles, the thing I worry the most about is, I had a 2000 Ram 1500 when I was in high school and of course I drove it hard and put it away wet. The axle shaft ended up coming out of the end of the axle and left me stranded in the middle of the country (where I grew up in Southern Illinois) for four hours. I don't blame anyone other than myself for that because I was definitely brake torqueing it and not servicing the rear end like I should. I just get anxiety now anytime I have an axle problem because of my previous ignorance. I am definitely over all of the drag racing and hardcore mud bogging, this Gladiator has been babied to say the least LOL.

I am happy that the dealership said they will be covering all of the costs so that may keep me in the truck for years to come. I love it and wanted one ever since they started talking about them coming out years ago. I am hoping for an update from the dealer soon and I will definitely drop a line once I hear something. Thanks for your sage advice!

Did they fixed the issue? I have a 2023 Gladiator Willys and im dealing with the same clunk/ clang noise when backing and it happens when i first move it in the morning. It only happens whenever it wants to happen so when i tell people about this they look at me like im crazy. I got if anything about 6,000 miles on it..i just got it in September

 

[farris2003]

Did they fixed the issue? I have a 2023 Gladiator Willys and im dealing with the same clunk/ clang noise when backing and it happens when i first move it in the morning. It only happens whenever it wants to happen so when i tell people about this they look at me like im crazy. I got if anything about 6,000 miles on it..i just got it in September

Yeah my dealership actually found out that it was the rear end and replaced the whole thing under warranty thankfully. I have since traded her in for a Volvo XC90 unfortunately because I was scared of things to come with that truck. Ask away if you have any other questions!! Good luck!!

 

[gabriela1179]

Yeah my dealership actually found out that it was the rear end and replaced the whole thing under warranty thankfully. I have since traded her in for a Volvo XC90 unfortunately because I was scared of things to come with that truck. Ask away if you have any other questions!! Good luck!!

Thank you for your quick response! i will take it to the dealership to see what they say

 

[farris2003]

Thank you for your quick response! i will take it to the dealership to see what they say

No problem buddy! I hate it too whenever I have an issue that I can't figure out on my own. The truck was great but really didn't tow enough (I have a side by side and a quad). I don't know if towing that contributed to the issue or not, but they covered it under warranty. If you were more local I would steer you to my dealership as they are great. I hope it is an easy fix for you, friend!

 

[Saltymedic]

I had a popping sound coming from my front passenger side area that I randomly heard at slower speeds. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason. It ended up being the top bolt to the shock absorber. It wasn't loose, it was just slightly less tightened.

The point of this is to say, check any nut/bolt associated to make sure it's torqued down well, especially the ones that require more.

As for the spring isolator thingy, that's an easy fix. I mean it could be the problem but probably not.

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