I am hoping for some help here, as I am not yet quite sure what is happening.
While driving at various speeds , 5 mph - 35 mph, everything is quiet, until you here a loud metal scraping sound. As you slow down, trying to identify the problem, ( reaching approx. 5-7 mph) you here a "pop" retracting sound,
(feels like it comes from directly under the center of the truck) and the noise goes away. It happened only occasionally at first, (once every 2 weeks), then the other day it happened over and over at different speeds, and since, hasn't happened again. The noise doesn't feel or sound like it is in the drive train, as it doesn't have that terrible metal sound that makes you think your tearing something up, more like a brake shoe dragging, but that doesn't explain the retracting solenoid sound that always happens as you slow down to approx. 5mph. I took it in a month or so ago, and had a service tech do a ride along, and of course it wouldn't duplicate the problem. I don't notice any fresh metal on the rotors, but my nearest guess , is that a brake caliper is hanging up, or a brake shield is coming into contact with the rotor? but it happens regardless of whether you used the brakes, and or emergency brake. I try to roll the window down, and identify exactly where the noise is coming from, but the snapping sound makes me think of something like a solenoid retracting and thus the noise stops, (like something under or around the transfer case) . Totally confused as to what the problem is, and I want to take it in, but they will keep it all day or more, and then tell me they could find nothing, and my truck makes me money. Hoping someone out there has had a similar problem, or has and idea, as to what might be the problem. Truck has 10K, and has been doing this for the last 4-5K intermittently.

Any help? Aloha Jack :

 

Wow, Not good. I'm thinking post this again with transfer case in the title. I don't think it's in the brakes, more like a wheel engageing... You might do a search for Transfer case noise.
Do let us know what happens, this sound very lousy.
Chris

 

I thought I read a post a while back about one wheel hub engaging at random times.

I was also thinking that maybe your starter was sticking to the flywheel some how....

I am not really sure... I hope I didn't waste too much e-space...

MK

 

Thanks for thinking about it. It is hard to pin point, as I am pretty mechanical, but by the time you turn down the radio, roll the window down and slow to get out of traffic, it retracts, and the sound goes away. The sound stops when you slow, but because something mechanical is retracting, and or spring loaded, and at the slower speed, you can hear it snap back into place, and the sound stops.
So, when I think about it, it wouldn't make sense that a caliper or brake shoe is causing it , as there is nothing spring loaded/ or activated by solenoid that would make it snap back, ....... but if the transfer case had some kind of solenoid that activated the hubs, that might explain why I feel like it is coming from the front left wheel (noise) not the snap back solenoid sound. But, I don't use the 4WD much, and regardless, the noise appears, and disappears, but it could be a hub trying to engage, and if so, and inspection would surely show some damage , as it has happened several times, might have to ask a service tech? what the odds of that would be.? Thanks,

 

I would think the ABS light on the dash would go on if it was a brake issue. I think Chris A may be on the right track with the T-case doing something weird. Just my penny worth of feedback. Get on that service manager. That sound can't be good. Nothing on TSB's.

 

I *believe* the "default" or "normal" setting for the Hubs is LOCKED. And it takes a "command" to unlock them...
That is so when you have a problem with the 4wd, it will automatically lock, and not leave you stranded someplace...

BUT I COULD BE WRONG....

MK

 

I just had the the whole driver side rear brake rotor and e brake assembly replaced by the dealer on my 04 screw that just hit 10k miles it would drag intermittently it didnt matter if I used the e brake or not I, this created a similiar noise, this also created wicked vibe that had a previous dealer scratching their heads for two days, turns out everything was cooked and blued on the inside of the e brake, everything was coverd under warranty by a second dealer.
Good Luck

 

Thanks SRQ,
The weekend is here, and if it ever stops raining here, I will pull the rear wheel, and have a look, and aslo crawl underneath the center of the truck, T-Case, and have a look around. If I can identify the problem, it sure helps them to fix it in a timely manner (LOL), as opposed to telling them I hear a noise, and trying to describe it. Thanks for the input, I will be able to figure it out now, either the hubs trying to engage, or, the E-brake assembly, sounds like one or the other.
Aloha, Jack