AirGlide popping noise

This is an easy way to check for worn parts in the AG 100 and AG 200 KW suspension.

Chock both front tires, both front and rear of tire, so the truck won't roll either direction. Release the brakes and put the truck in neutral.

Stand between the tandems and place a hand on one tire on the front and rear axle. Push away as if you are trying to roll each axle away from the other. Then pull each tire toward the other. It is easier if you have someone help with this. Any movement will usually mean worn lower bushings where the lower bar attaches to the tower (or lower trunion). This is very common with the KW. Check where the lower bar attaches to the axle for wear or looseness. You may need someone to move the truck forward and rearward while you look at this.

Many times replacement of the lower bar is necessary if it's worn too much. If the bushings are allowed to wear completely out the main tower may have to be replaced.

Check the torque bars. There are two on each axle, one front to rear, the other side to side. You may be able to check for looseness in the ball joint with a pry bar, but you may have to stand and watch while someone eases out on the clutch in both forward and reverse gears while the brakes are applied.

Next lock down all brakes, chock wheels, and get undeer the truck and check the center tower (some call it the trunion) for any cracks, loose bolts, and worn or sloopy connections to the lower bar and at the frame attachment areas.

These four places is where all the wear on the KW suspension happens. 300-450k miles is about the life of the lower bar bushings.

I hope this helps.

 

Worked for a company that had T-800s in oilfield service, lots of problems with the center frame brackets, aka trunions, (as Stranger said,). These were on the earlier models, up to around 1994, as you didn't mention your trucks year model, it may be in that group. KW began replacing the steel with the forged alum. brackets, and that all but eliminated our problems. Sometimes we had to crawl under truck, between axles to see the cracks/breakage. You can also check by looking between the axles, at the oppisite side, i.e. kneel on the drivers side, looking at the passenger side brackets in the lower area around the "wishbone" bushings.