Hey,

I've got a serious problem with my truck. When I turn left a "clicking" noise appears, it's rhythmic and I figured it was the CV joint at the drivers side going bad. Bought a new one and installed it. Clicking seemed to get away for maybe 5-7 days. Then it occurred again. Because the package in which the cv joint arrived was very roughed up I thought maybe it took damage during delivery and bought a new one. Installed and guess what? Took a drive after that, NOTHING and now it's clicking again. It's so loud you can hear it when you drive behind my truck and I'm turning. Doesn't seem to make a difference if I brake or not.

Any help is appreciated.

 

Are you sure it's not coming from the rear end?

In a parking lot, if you put it in reverse (be safe) and cut the wheel and make a circle or 2 left and right do you get the noise?

 

Try turning in neutral?

From the service manual...

AXLE SHAFT NOISE
Axle shaft noise is similar to gear noise and pinion bearing whine. Axle shaft bearing noise will normally
distinguish itself from gear noise by occurring in all driving modes. Noise will persist with transmission in
neutral while vehicle is moving at problem speed.
If vehicle displays this noise condition, remove suspect axle shafts and replace axle bearings. Re-evaluate
vehicle for noise before removing any internal components.

 

Here is more....

GENERAL INFORMATION
Drive Axle Noise Diagnosis
UNRELATED NOISES
Some driveline trouble symptoms are also common to the engine, transmission, wheel bearings, tires and other
parts of the vehicle. Make sure that cause of trouble actually is in the drive axle before adjusting, repairing, or
replacing any parts.
NON-DRIVE AXLE NOISES
A few conditions can sound just like drive axle noise and have to be considered in pre-diagnosis. The 4 most
common noises are exhaust, tires, CV/universal joints and trim moldings.
In certain conditions, the pitch of exhaust gases may sound like gear whine. At other times, it may be mistaken
for a wheel bearing rumble.
Tires, especially radial and snow tires, can have a high-pitched tread whine or roar, similar to gear noise. Also,
some non-standard tires with an unusual tread construction may emit a roar or whine.
Defective CV/universal joints may cause clicking noises or excessive driveline play that can be improperly
diagnosed as drive axle problems.
Trim and moldings can also cause a whistling or whining noise. Ensure that none of these components are
causing the noise before disassembling the drive axle.
GEAR NOISE
A "howling" or "whining" noise from the ring and pinion gear can be caused by an improper gear pattern, gear
damage, or improper bearing preload. It can occur at various speeds and driving conditions, or it can be
continuous.
Before disassembling axle to diagnose and correct gear noise, make sure that tires, exhaust, and vehicle trim
have been checked as possible causes.
CHUCKLE
This is a particular rattling noise that sounds like a stick against the spokes of a spinning bicycle wheel. It
occurs while decelerating from 40 MPH and usually can be heard until vehicle comes to a complete stop. The
frequency varies with the speed of the vehicle.
A chuckle that occurs on the driving phase is usually caused by excessive clearance due to differential gear
wear, or by a damaged tooth on the coast side of the pinion or ring gear. Even a very small tooth nick or a ridge
on the edge of a gear tooth is enough to cause the noise.
This condition can be corrected simply by cleaning the gear tooth nick or ridge with a small grinding wheel. If
either gear is damaged or scored badly, the gear set must be replaced. If metal has broken loose, the carrier and
housing must be cleaned to remove particles that could cause damage.
KNOCK
This is very similar to a chuckle, though it may be louder, and occur on acceleration of deceleration. Knock can
be caused by a gear tooth that is damaged on the drive side of the ring and pinion gears. Ring gear bolts that are
hitting the carrier casting can cause knock. Knock can also be due to excessive end play in the axle shafts.
CLUNK
Clunk is a metallic noise heard when an automatic transmission is engaged in Reverse or Drive, or when throttle
is applied or released. It is caused by backlash somewhere in the driveline, but not necessarily in the axle. To
determine whether driveline clunk is caused by the axle, check the total axle backlash as follows:
1. Raise vehicle on a frame or twinpost hoist so that drive wheels are free. Clamp a bar between axle
companion flange and a part of the frame or body so that flange cannot move.
2. On conventional drive axles, lock the left wheel to keep it from turning. On all models, turn the right
wheel slowly until it is felt to be in drive condition. Hold a chalk marker on side of tire about 12" from
center of wheel. Turn wheel in the opposite direction until it is again felt to be in drive condition.
3. Measure the length of the chalk mark, which is the total axle backlash. If backlash is one inch or less,
clunk will not be eliminated by overhauling drive axle.
BEARING WHINE
Bearing whine is a high-pitched sound similar to a whistle. It is usually caused by malfunctioning pinion
bearings. Pinion bearings operate at driveshaft speed. Roller wheel bearings may whine in a similar manner if
they run completely dry of lubricant. Bearing noise will occur at all driving speeds. This distinguishes it from
gear whine, which usually comes and goes as speed changes.
BEARING RUMBLE
Bearing rumble sounds like marbles being tumbled. It is usually caused by a malfunctioning wheel bearing. The
lower pitch is because the wheel bearing turns at only about 1/3 of driveshaft speed.
CHATTER ON TURNS
This is a condition where the whole front or rear vibrates when vehicle is moving. The vibration is easily felt
and heard. Extra differential thrust washers installed during axle repair can cause a condition of partial lock-up
that creates the chatter.
AXLE SHAFT NOISE
Axle shaft noise is similar to gear noise and pinion bearing whine. Axle shaft bearing noise will normally
distinguish itself from gear noise by occurring in all driving modes. Noise will persist with transmission in
neutral while vehicle is moving at problem speed.
If vehicle displays this noise condition, remove suspect axle shafts and replace axle bearings. Re-evaluate
vehicle for noise before removing any internal components.
VIBRATION
Vibration is a high-frequency trembling, shaking or grinding condition (felt or heard) that may be constant or
variable in level and con occur during the total operating speed range of the vehicle.
The types of vibrations that can be felt in the vehicle can be divided into 3 main groups:
Vibrations of various unbalanced rotating parts of the vehicle.
Resonance vibrations of the body and frame structures caused by rotating of unbalance parts.
Tip-in moans of resonance vibrations from stressed engine or exhaust system mounts or driveline flexing
modes.

 

Hey,

thank you for the detailed information!
I get the noise as soon as I turn my steering wheel left and drive in forward (no particular gear) and also in reverse.
As this is the second new cv joint I bought within a month I think that can't be it. I haven't tried neutral yet but I had people standing beside my truck while I was slowly turning and everyone sad it seems to becoming of the drivers side wheel. When I installed the cv joints I noticed that the hub is hard to turn at a specific spot but the brake caliper is sitting fine, maybe my hub has gone bad?

Greets, J

 

Check out the front wheels for loseness in the bearing packs.
See if there is a rotation roughnees or sound.
Jack up each side and check the wheel for movement in the vertcal plane by in and out rocking top and bottom.
If you see the rotor move while the brake caliper stays fixed, the bearing pack is bad.
The packs are an assembly bolted in from the back side of the spindle.
Good luck.

 

Hey,

haven't had the time to jack it up and test the bearing packs, but yesterday while driving to and from work I noticed something.

The clicking isn't there or only minimal when the vehicle sat for a while. After a driving it a few miles it's extremly loud and when only parked for about an hour it's still there right when I drive away. Any ideas?

 

You might check to make sure the spindles backing plate isn't rusted, bent and contacting any moving parts. Sometimes they get bent from people working in the area (like ball joint changing) or debris can hit them while driving. Turning corners can sometimes load up slightly worn rotating parts and touch the backing plates.

 

My money is on the unit bearing going out. I'd get it in the air and check for looseness sooner than later....

 

I had this same exact thing happen to me. Replaced brakes and then went for a test drive. Only when I turned left I would get this horrible clicking noise from the front left. It sounded just like a spline slipping or simular.

When I took the wheel off, somehow I had bent the backing plate. Bent it back and no more noise. At first I thought I had done some real damage.

 

Okay I'm gonna put my truck on a lift next week and look for the things you guys suggested. I really hope it's only the backing plate, but today things got worse. I fired up the truck and it was already there and later I noticed that it occurs now while turning left OR right and partly during breaking. It handles normal and I need my truck because I've got work to do.

 

If the bearings are bad, the backing plate may be hit intermittently by the rotor from slop in the bearing/wheel assembly causes it. It's probably ruined your front brakes to.

 

As my truck currently has 176k miles I might just buy a new hub and install it on the noisy side the job would be easier than to just replace the bearing wouldn't it? A new hub assembly isn't as pricey as I thought. I took a look under the truck today and couldn't see anything touching the inner side of the rim.

 

You don't want to try replacing the bearings in the hub housing.
The whole thing is mounted in from the back side with 4 bolts.
Good luck.

 

you should be able to lift the A frame with a jack so the tire is 2-3 inches off the ground. Put a 4 ft 2 x 4 under the tire and pry up and down. You can see slop in the ball joint or the wheel bearing when doing this. also just grab the tire top and bottom and push- pull. Spin the tire and see how it sounds.