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hop from front end when making sharp turns

uconn122

Full Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2014
Messages
20
Location
connecticut
Hi Everyone,

First off this forum has been super helpful in fixing a lot of problems with my truck.  But now a little stumped on this one.

Last morning i was turning out of my parking space going left.  Because the way i situated i had to cut the wheel pretty much all the way.  When i did that and started to move the front end kind of skipped--almost like the driverside tire was on ice (it wasn't on ice).  What does that sound like?  Bad control arm, bearing, tie rod, or sway bar link?  I'm also pretty sure the shocks are shot and i am changing them out as soon as i get a chance and it warms up outside.  Thanks for the help!!! I'm just trying to prevent a break down later down the line.
 
Is your AV 2wd or 4wd and was it activated? If you put info about your AV year, model and features in your signature it helps people trying to answer your question and helps you so you don't have to repeat yourself.
I would also wonder if your Stabilitrac activated your ABS thinking you were in a skid?
Did this problem happen in just that one turn or did it happen more than once?
 
its  a 4x4.  And i wasn't in four wheel drive.  Its happened a couple of times same kind of scenario. And the pavement was clean.  I don't think this is related but I'm not sure---it started or at least i noticed more when winter hit here in Connecticut.  And the other day when it did snow and i was in 4 wheel drive it hopped with less of a sharp turn---at the time i figured that it was just slippery out but now I'm not so sure that was the case because going straight there was no issue.
 
I see still no response on the year so we will have to try and wing it I guess. If turned all the way to steering stop then could be a jerky feel there as move over some uneven pavement. The feeling you had in 4 wheel drive is a normal feeling when the wheel is turned sharply and that is why you want to either not turn as sharp, unless you just have to, or if you do turn sharp then go as slow as can and try to straighten as soon as you can. The feeling you are having in 2wd can either be a binding cv joint from age, again the age of rig would help here, or maybe a problem with a steering/suspension part that maybe could be found when checked at a qualified shop.

Try putting you rig info in your signature like Vaeagleav said. It will help all of us. 
 
Ya may want to check the front brakes see how much are the pads worn.
 
I realize you said it currently wasn't in 4wd but sure sounds like crow hopping to me.
 
Thanks for the replys.  Today I pulled into a parking lot and made some tight turns and it consistently happened.  Turned off the traction control thinking maybe it's sensing slipping on the tight turn, and it did the same thing.  This weekend I plan on jacking up the front end and hand turning the wheels if they both turn when I just turn one--- I'm going to guess it's a problem with the front diff.  Any idea's on what that might run me to have fixed?

If it's not that I'll check  the tie rods and control arms.  I also have to still change out the struts, I'm still hopefully it's just bad struts.  Has any one had this issue with 20 in wheels?
 
so jacked the front end this afternoon ( just one side at a time).  driver side wheel moved freely with no issues. tried to shake the wheel at the 3 oclock and 9 oclock mark and nothing moved.  jacked up the passenger side with no issues there either.  Put the truck in 4 wheel drive and the wheels locked like they should.  So im ruling out the front diff being stuck, and bad wheel bearings.  Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

I ran out of sunlight so i could check the control arms or tie rods. but will do this tomorrow morning.
 
I have had the same thing before. I change my tires ( not because of this)  and it went away. It's been a while since I have driven mine much but I will try it again hopefully soon to see what happens. I think I have had it happen again since the tires have 40-50000 miles.
 
Are wheels, brakes or tires binding against the sway bar? Some vehicles if you have aftermarket wheels or wider than factory tires can rub against the sway bar and will cause this jumping while turning sharp turns at slow speeds.

Rodney
 
My Jeep did this, turned out to be a bad viscous coupling in the transfer case - changed it out, no more trouble....
 
so after several hours looking at the control arm's tie rods, u joints, tires, pretty much all of the front suspension, and ruling out the front diff.  I ran a couple of tests.  First i put a little more pressure on the front tires and ran them at 35 psi.  did a couple of tight turns and it seemed to ride better but still get hung up a little.  then i took off the traction control and did some tight turns no noticeable difference.  So then i called over my wife had her drive it while i watched from the outside.  Every time she hit a little bit of snow or slush---and i mean little bit you could see the tires slip casing the crow hop feel.  I think its time for more aggressive tires for my new england weather.  These are the same tires that were on there when i bought the truck used.  they have plenty of tread but they are a no name tire.

Sound like a legit reason to you guys?

Thanks for all of the feedback as well, it gave me someone to bounce ideas off of.
 
what kind of tires are you running and size?  When i got my truck the dealer put on some cheap Chinese brand tire--westlake.  I later found out that the tire company a couple of years back had a major recall because they decided not to put in safety features.
 
I'm running stock size (265/70/17) Firestone Winterforce tires in the winter on stock wheels (run Mastercraft tires in the winter previously as well on the stock wheels) and run 285/60/18 tires on aftermarket wheels in the summer.  I've currently got some Kumho all-season sport tires on those wheels - I've also run Bridgestone Dueler HPs and BFG g-Force KDWs, both summer high performance tires, on those wheels in the past.
 
I noticed this same issue this morning. Outside temps in the mid 20s. Truck wasn't warmed up. Did a 3 point turn, but did turn to full lock. I felt the hopping. Dry pavement and concrete with no snow or ice. It was as if 4wd was engaged but I confirmed that the 2wd light was lit. It did the hopping or what ever it is in both forward and reverse. I was just dropping my daughter off at school so it was a short trip. It seemed that once the truck was warmed up that it didn't do it. While going straight down the road I did engage 4H and then back to 2H, thinking maybe it was stuck in 4wd. No idea at this point. Have to go back out in a bit, so I will see if it happens again.
 
Same thing happened to me :E: now my z71 is 2wd and needs clutch pack for the truck to have 4x4. Check if your front driveshaft moves if it does you will need the clutches like me sooner or later. :8: this will make you lose all 4wd function.
 
muddyavalanche said:
Same thing happened to me :E: now my z71 is 2wd and needs clutch pack for the truck to have 4x4. Check if your front driveshaft moves if it does you will need the clutches like me sooner or later. :8: this will make you lose all 4wd function.
Clutches in the front diff?

 
Nope in the t case its a wet clutch system that they put in the truck I got the 246 with translates in to 2 being high and low 4 is how strong and 6 is a computer wet clutches here's the link for wiki http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Venture_Gear
 
Check to see if the tires are hitting the wheel wells at the end of side-to-side turn travel. This is a common issue. This is easy to spot because the wheel wells will have fresh rub marks.
 
Do you have any other symptoms?  Does it make any noise, pop or otherwise?  Do you feel it in the steering or drivetrain when it happens?  I just battled an issue with mine that turned out to be a very stripped upper control arm bolt.  Drove the tech nuts trying to track it down as none of the "standard" test yielded any result.  Mine would "pop" when at low speeds and I could feel it in the steering wheel and even in the floorboard.  I also stared feeling mine with moderate to heavy braking.  It would pull hard to the right and then when I let off the brakes, it would "release" so to speak and jump back to straight.
 
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