i wouldnt remove that axel for too long maby a trip around the block or two

 

Well, chock this up to experience. It was not the CV joint, it was the rear emergency brake shoe. There were a couple of reasons I was so far off and it all makes sense looking back. I heard the noise from inside, but really needed someone outside to pinpoint where it was coming from. And it was probably just coincidence that this happened at the same time that I had the front end bearing problem.

I put the front end up on jack stands as suggested (Thanks Ukrkoz!) and couldn't get it to make any noise. So then I had my daughter listen to the truck in the driveway as I tried to reproduce the sound. It wasn't easy, I had to have the truck moving at a good clip before the sound came back. And it was from the rear! So much for hearing clearly from inside.

When I took it apart I found that the upper clip that holds the shoe in place was gone. This allowed the shoe to tip on corners. But only if it was moving fast enough. And only taking a left hand turn. The sound was just like a CV joint sound, clicking with road speed. But it was only when I was going fast enough for the shoe to tip over. It wasn't a grinding noise, just a clicking. There must have been a couple of high spots on the drum that would make the noise.

The key to solving this was having my daughter listen from outside the truck, and also putting the truck up on jack stands so I could try and reproduce the sound. Both of these tests proved the front end was Ok and got me looking at the back end.

Of course, this then introduced a whole new set of problems. The bolt that holds the clip in place had 167,000 miles under it's belt and didn't like being turned. It broke off, of course. Which meant drilling out and retapping. The problem with this is that the flange on the axle is in the way. The simple solution, tap one of the wheel studs out of the flange and you have a clear shot. Live and learn.

The trucks all back together and I'm a happier camper. A new set of tires and shocks all around and she'll be good to go.

Thanks for the help.

Dave Cover, 2000 Silverado, 4x4 Extended cab

 

what kind of noise was this??? a growling noise?

 

It was making a clicking or ticking noise. The sound would match road speed. It would click a couple of times per revolution. I would have thought a brake shoe would make a grinding or scraping noise, but it didn't.

If you haven't seen one before, the emergency brake shoe on this truck is like a large C shape that's almost completely closed. The opening is at the bottom and that's where the cable expands the shoe to set the brake. When going around a turn, momentum tipped the top of the shoe outwards and it would hit the drum/disc and cause the noise. I had to replace the clip at the top that holds the shoe in place.

One more thing I learned from doing a few axles. You have to recheck the nut on the end of the axle after driving for a week or so. I had torqued it when I replaced the axle, but it was loose enough that it needed retightening. I checked the other side that I had done the a year agao, and it needed tightening too. Both were new lock nuts. Not enough to cause a problem, but they weren't tight.

By the way, while I was in there I noticed my shocks are all rusting out. Does anyonje have a recommendation for good all around shocks? Something better than stock that might with a little lift. I'm not looking for extreme performance, just good truck shocks. I carry an occasional load of firewood and trailer a couple times a year.

Thanks again for the help,

Dave Cover, on to my next 167,000 miles.

 

good news if you have alloy wheels they make snaping and popping sound when you turn, #1 could be they are not torqued tight enough or #2 they have a bunch of funk between the rim and hub. you almost always hear the pops and snaps when you have larger tires also the wheel is floating on the hub and has been for a while it sounds like. clean it,torque n drive it fella. its really not that big of a deal. there are alot of guys doing the my buddy fixes and keeps you chasein your tail. keep it simple. take care

 

dave did you ever figure out what the problem was im having the exact same issue as you

 

Yeah, and it wasn't what I expected. The retainer for the emergency brake shoe had failed and the shoe would tip when I went around a corner.

DAC

 

For anyone who has tried the solutions up to now and hasn't found a solution, I read one very simple thing (on a GM truck site) to check before spending any money that worked for several people (and it's free!).
A commenter mentioned tightening the bolts on the upper control arm (if I could remember the site I'd post a link); they can be loose for some reason (one possibility is after having an alignment done, because those bolts need to REALLY tight, like 150 psi tight... mechanics who don't know that could easily tighten them until it "feels right," but it's still not tight enough and causes the clicking). Just passing this on FYI.