Just in case, be sure to check the fluid in your transfer case. I've rebuilt I don't know how many 01' ish to 06' ish transfer cases for friends & family. Yours being an 04' I'd definitely keep an eye on it. You will lose your transfer case before you ever see a leak with the common pump rub issue.

Also, you could be losing a ujoint. If the issue stopped its unlikely, but possible. My uncle just lost is front yoke joint in his 2007 HD Duramax Dually and it shredded the bell houseing and darn near ripped the transfer case out of the truck. We got'em back on the road though.

 

Thanks for the response. I was thinking the same and had the dealer in FL change both the transfer case and front and rear differential fluid. They didn't note anything out of the ordinary (contamination or metal) so I guess that is a good sign.

Aside from the transmission line coming loose and leaving us stranded at 3 am on the way back, the truck performed flawlessly on the return from FL. The transmission is still under warranty from the rebuild, so I am taking it in to make sure no damage occurred when I lost the fluid.


Update: Took the truck to the transmission shop and found absolutely no damage done to the tranny after the hose caper. The truck has performed flawlessly, never repeating the noise I heard on the way down to Florida. I guess I'll chock this one up to Gremlins.

 

Stoopid gremlins.....they never tease me with noises...........they just break ****..

 

[QUOTE=sfergson727;289714]Hi everyone,

We're on vacation with our 2004 Chevy Suburban, 1500 LT, 4wd. I drove it from Indiana to Florida virtually non-stop yesterday. Somewhere in Tennessee, when I stopped for fuel, I had something weird happen....

I was coming off the interstate and while slowing, around 20 mph, the car heaved just a bit and we heard a noise as if we had driven through a major pothole. (loud thunk) and felt the car shake from it.

After I refueled, as I was backing out of a tight parking spot, with the wheel hard over to the right, I felt the suspension heave just a little, and the resistance cause the truck to almost come to a stop. I gave it a touch of throttle to keep it moving, and then when I put it in forward gear, had the same very loud thump and felt it again in the cabin. (shook the truck)

Later in the trip, it happened again when I backed out of a parking spot and engaged drive, only this time, there was a noticeable, rhythmic thump as I accelerated which you could hear as well as feel. I had a semi bearing down on me, or I would have stopped to investigate. The vibration eventually disappeared.

I had no warning lights or indications of anything wrong. I'm going to change the trans-axel fluid

 

Hey Scott.
was you by chance hauling a trailer or a heavy load.
When my son goes on vacation he was having the same issue but only if the trailer is attached. We rebuilt his transmission with a heavy duty transfer case and hasn't had an issue since. Try going up a step hill slow and see if you can get it to do it again if not and there's no lights ...I wouldn't worry about it. I superstitious so maybe you wasn't meant to be somewhere on a highway at a certain time.

 

I had this loud pop. I’m pretty sure I narrowed down the culprit.. started with the rusty 4x4 encoder ground wire by the left tire, which ruined my 4x4 switch, I just stuck it in auto 4 wheel, and if it kicked on I’d reverse out of it. Low battery from stop and go runs in the winter use to love to switch it into 4low. 4 low or 4 high really I wouldn’t notice it was on in a dry parking lot and boom it would torque up like a wheel was locked. Bind right up. Now to your issue... 4x4 issue felt like it slightly crep to a 2 wheel drive turn... that loud POP was most likely a sway bar link snapping. Now if you drove like that a long time it probably moved to your wheel bearings. If it’s your sway bar it should feel kinda kinda rocky and stops a little weird, my first that was dang I need to brakes and shocks. Started with a dirty ground, graduated with a bad battery. Easy fix though... like $20 for 2 sway bar links and 5 mins. Hope this helps someone with the same problem.