I drive a 2002 4x4 4.3l v6 crew cab S-10.
I have a popping noise up underneath the drivers side floorboard when I'm driving. I don't hear it all the time, most often when I'm going down a bumpy road. I also know it does it when the truck is parked on level ground and I stand on the rear tailgate or in the bed. Any ideas or suggestions on what might be causing this?

 

use a prybar, climb underneith the truck and see if you can pry your torsion bar cross member up and down, there is a set of bushings between the frame and the crossmember. check your sway bar bushings as well.

 

What exactly am I looking for?

 

no offence, but if you dont know what the ball joint is, then i would just take it to a shop to get it fixed.

 

I am new to working on my truck, but nowhere did you mention ball joint. There's a lotgoing onin the area that I've been looking at.

What exactly is causing the joint to pop? What signs of wear should I be looking for?

 

sorry. i got your post mixed up with another vehicle. follow your torsion bars from your control arm back along the frame, there will be a crossmember bolted to your frame with two bolts and then one going up throught he crossmember,

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cst/0124.asp

pry between the crossmember and the frame, if your crossmember moves up and down (seperates from your frame). then you will need to replace your bushings.

 

Everything seems to check out okay. All the bushings are okay. Any other suggestions? What do you think about the ball joint? How will I know when I need to replace the ball joint?

 

Both the upper and lower ball joints on both sides were shot. I can't believe I was driving on them the way they were. Had some help from a mechanic friend to diagnose the problem. Thanks for the help anyways.