Ok so I think I know the answer to this already but I'm throwing up this post to poll others who have experienced this themselves.

Due to all the snow I have been using the diff lock quite a bit over the past several weeks. At random times when I have the wheels turned all the way moving a low speed <5mph like backing out of the driveway - the drivers side cv gives me a pop pop pop. It only happens with the diff locked, and then only on occasion.

Is this my cv on the way out, or just another feature I can ignore? Had everything apart less than a year ago and the cv was tight, no visible wear on the ***** or sockets.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

Do you have oil in the swivel ball?

My 1996 would pop like that when it would run out of oil. That probably means it was damaged already, but since it got quite when I'd fill it up with oil I didn't worry too much.

 

2x on checking the swivel oil ( or "00" grease)

 

do not use diff lock on dry pavement, if it is popping there is too much traction to use diff lock and damage will occur