Wierd noise.

[Stratosman]

Here's one for all you.

I have a noise from my 04 sivlerado's back end somewhere, it's like a clicking or creaking sound that I can't isolate, it happens when I accelerate, or brake suddenly or hit a large bump. It's rather loud too. I checked everything that I can think of, took off the tires, checked the shaft, ect. But what in the world could be causing this? If I let off the gas while accelerating the sounds goes away as well. I thought maybe exhaust, but put it in nuetral and gave it gas and nothing happened.... so....

anyone have any ideas of what to check next?

Thanks!

[Jeremy airjer W]

Is it one click/creak or is it rotational (click, click, click, click) and proportion to speed?

My first thought was u-joints. Doesn't take to long to pull the shaft and see if they are moving freely.

[crothmeier]

i was going to guess u-joints as well. when mine were back i think i described the sound in almost the exact words.

[dabaer]

i would have to agree with the u joints. just had to change mine, did them in my school parking lot!!!

[Stratosman]

That was my thought as well, just never heard the sound before, it seems to be rotational...it is somewhat proportional to speed as well, the rate of the clicking that is. But it also goes away or if I accelerate slowly, doesn't appear at all...

The more I think about it the more likely it seems that it would be the U joints..

[goose89]

I say U-joints as well. I also just had mine replaced and sounds like similar discription. (2000 Silverado / 115K). Hope that's what it is. Easy fix, not too expensive.

[Black_Bay]

You could always take my friends advise and drive it until it breaks then you know what was wrong.

Seriously though it does sound like a u joint issue. Get them changed before you make the drive shaft into a pole vault.

[crothmeier]

did anyone mentino u-joints? i'd check the u-joints maybe.

[Stratosman]

How much am I looking at for this fix, roughly, never had a truck that needed new joints....?

Thanks

[Jeremy airjer W]

ruffly around a couple hundred bucks

[morefishplease]

I also agree its the u-joints, probably the needle bearings in the u-joint making that noise

[dabaer]

stratosman,

when i did mine by myself, i just did the two on the rear shaft and it only cost me 20 bucks for each joint.

[Stratosman]

Cool thanks.

How tough are they to do? I have heard easy from some and a PITA from others. Mechanically speaking I am a rook.

[morefishplease]

I'm not a mechanic but if your a rook and not very familiar you might want to bring it in to get done, I believe the u-joints are either Outer snap-ring type or Injected plastic (inner snap-ring) type. The injected plastic type need to be pressed out or heated (melting the plastic retaining material) before pressing the u-joint apart. The mechanics on this site will better explain.

[Stratosman]

That's what I heard as well. I was told that mine were more than likely the plastic type. My dad is pretty mechanically inclined, but I don't beleive that he has ever done any u-joints....so we'll see.

thanks alot

[Jeremy airjer W]

after they are assembled from the factory they inject urethane into grooves in the yokes that lock the u-joint into place. If you have this style then you'll have to heat them up and let the urethane expand out of the holes used to inject it. It looks a lot like the snake fireworks we had as kids when it comes out. After the urethane is removed they press in and out like normal.