All those who are psychic and can diagnose problems without seeing them may reply...
My '84 D100 (a recent purchase I'm trying not to regret ) has a popping noise coming from the front right wheel as the truck rolls. All the bolts are tight and the wheel is spinning true. It occurs at all speeds, while driving straight or turning. I suspect it's a shredded wheel bearing. I'll tear it apart this weekend and verify that. Anyone have any additional thoughts before I get started?

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My truck is a Frankenstein creation
Built from the dead carcasses of others
And brought BACK TO LIFE!

hubcap?

"DW"

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

No hubcap. Cheap aluminum wheels with a center cap, that, I've checked. Tires are old; but, no sign of bad belts, bulges, bubbles, etc.

_________________
My truck is a Frankenstein creation
Built from the dead carcasses of others
And brought BACK TO LIFE!

Could be suspension bushings going bad.

They're all bad; But, that's a future project. No, I think it's in the wheel, brakes or bearing. In a level parking lot, with the engine shut off, steering straight and the tranny in neutral, I pushed the truck and walked along side it. it made a continuous pop poppop pop noise as the wheel turned.

I'm pretty sure it's the bearing. I've just never seen one fail this way (myself) -- making the popping noise as the wheel spins without any of the other symptoms (squeeling, crunching, w sound, etc.) I was just hoping someone had a better suggestion (trying to get out of work... )

_________________
My truck is a Frankenstein creation
Built from the dead carcasses of others
And brought BACK TO LIFE!

...gee, I thought "hubcap" was a pretty good suggestion! Try as I might, my ESP just couldn't focus in enough to see if those were aluminum wheels or hubcaps installed

What does it do when you step on the brakes? Maybe a caliper or pad is loose. Check the stamped steel retaining "springs".

"DW"

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!

I haven't looked at the brakes yet... I'll take a close look when I pull the wheel. I'm a little afraid of what I'll find: I bought the truck a few months ago (my wife made me buy it from her brother ) and haven't checked everything yet. So far, the only good thing I can say about it, is that the engine only has 3,000 miles on it... Everything else is, well, worn out (I'm being polite)

For those who think you can't kill a slant six (in normal use), the reason the engine's been rebuilt is because my brother in-law managed to spin the crank bearings.

_________________
My truck is a Frankenstein creation
Built from the dead carcasses of others
And brought BACK TO LIFE!

...you can kill anything with enough abuse. Bet that truck will keep on ticking, popping noise and all until the end of time. It just may not look, sound or drive pretty.

"DW"

_________________

If it ain't broke, fix it!

Jack it up and spin the wheel in the air by hand that would eliminate any suspension etc.

I seriously doubt that it would be a wheel bearing, I can't ever remember
one popping when it went bad.... now a roaring sound that changed when you turn the steering wheel about as much as you would for a lane change, while driving...turn one way it gets quieter, the other way it gets louder, yeah. but not a popping noise. 3 things come to mind; a ball joint binding up, strut rod bushings, OR, the springs popping against the control arms. In this case just turn up the radio. I have had several 72-93 trucks and a B-van, and they ALL did it esp.on turns. These trucks don't use a rubber donut insulator between the spring and control arm, so as the susp. flexes the spring will move a little on the cont. arm, and being metal on metal, well, it pops. If this is the pop you hear, and I couldn't be sure w/o a test drive myself, but I'm betting that this is all it is. As I said, in that case, don't let it bother you. Just check and double check the rest of your front end parts to be sure that it CAN'T be anything else and enjoy the truck.

The popping noise was coming from the wheel. Apparently, the previous owners of the truck found some wheels, which weren't drilled correctly for an '84 Dodge; and, slotted the holes to fit the hub The lugs worked a little loose over the past two months (they were snug; but, not torqued to spec). The popping noise was the alloy rim shifting around against the hub as the wheel was spinning.

Now I have to find some new rims...

I'll admit, I should have checked it out when I bought the truck. Usually when I buy a new (used) car I replace the brakes, shocks, hoses, belts, etc., and give it a good tune-up -- generally give the car a good looking over. Considering who I bought it from (family and a certified mechanic) I didn't think I needed to...

_________________
My truck is a Frankenstein creation
Built from the dead carcasses of others
And brought BACK TO LIFE!

Hey, don't feel bad. Way back when I was a kid and bought my first real car, a '69 Road Runner, the left front wheel kept getting loose which would show up in funky shaking and squirreliness (luckily, the wheel never shot off the car). I would tighten it, and a few days later, it would be loose again. The car was shod with some bitchen' original Torq Thrusts (I still have them on a '65 Belvedere), and when I finally jacked things up to remove the wheel and find out WHM (What the Hell's the Matter), I could hardly get the mag lug nuts off. I must've struggled for an hour... It seems the previous moron had somehow managed to crossthread some r/h thread nuts onto the l/h thread studs .....

"DW"

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If it ain't broke, fix it!