Audible Groaning From Front Left. Help!

hawkeyeflyboy · January 28, 2010

Ok, my ride is an '04 Z71 Silverado Crew Cab, Auto, 92k miles. I've recently been hearing an intermittent audible groan/grind coming from the front left wheel area. It seems to happen more often when I turn to the right but it also has happened when going straight and narrow, and from high speeds to low speeds. It is very sporadic and it's driving me nuts. I have auto 4WD but I've kept it in 2HI the whole time. Also, when I turn the wheel when at full stop it only makes it 3/4 of a turn then gets stiff.

My cousin, a shop mechanic, has looked it over and said it is likely the power steering pump. He also said the ps fluid smelled burnt. So, I went and purchased a new pump and we installed it the same day. I started driving home and heard the same groaning/grinding noise, so the new pump didn't seem to help. I can steer better at a stop but it still is a little stiff but not near as bad as it was.

Now just today when I was leaving work I took off and heard loud popping noises coming from the left front wheel-well. It sounds like something is catching and snapping/popping free. It has me at my wits end and I need help!!! Any advice would be appreciated.

Nytemare · January 28, 2010

Ok, my ride is an '04 Z71 Silverado Crew Cab, Auto, 92k miles. I've recently been hearing an intermittent audible groan/grind coming from the front left wheel area. It seems to happen more often when I turn to the right but it also has happened when going straight and narrow, and from high speeds to low speeds. It is very sporadic and it's driving me nuts. I have auto 4WD but I've kept it in 2HI the whole time. Also, when I turn the wheel when at full stop it only makes it 3/4 of a turn then gets stiff.

My cousin, a shop mechanic, has looked it over and said it is likely the power steering pump. He also said the ps fluid smelled burnt. So, I went and purchased a new pump and we installed it the same day. I started driving home and heard the same groaning/grinding noise, so the new pump didn't seem to help. I can steer better at a stop but it still is a little stiff but not near as bad as it was.

Now just today when I was leaving work I took off and heard loud popping noises coming from the left front wheel-well. It sounds like something is catching and snapping/popping free. It has me at my wits end and I need help!!! Any advice would be appreciated.

Axle

alwcurlz · January 30, 2010

Ok, my ride is an '04 Z71 Silverado Crew Cab, Auto, 92k miles. I've recently been hearing an intermittent audible groan/grind coming from the front left wheel area. It seems to happen more often when I turn to the right but it also has happened when going straight and narrow, and from high speeds to low speeds. It is very sporadic and it's driving me nuts. I have auto 4WD but I've kept it in 2HI the whole time. Also, when I turn the wheel when at full stop it only makes it 3/4 of a turn then gets stiff.

My cousin, a shop mechanic, has looked it over and said it is likely the power steering pump. He also said the ps fluid smelled burnt. So, I went and purchased a new pump and we installed it the same day. I started driving home and heard the same groaning/grinding noise, so the new pump didn't seem to help. I can steer better at a stop but it still is a little stiff but not near as bad as it was.

Now just today when I was leaving work I took off and heard loud popping noises coming from the left front wheel-well. It sounds like something is catching and snapping/popping free. It has me at my wits end and I need help!!! Any advice would be appreciated.

I'd check your camber bolts. Likely they're loose.

4x4sapper · January 30, 2010

Jack up that wheel and see if it wobbles. If it has ANY wobble it could very well be your wheel bearing. I got an 06 and mine went out on the interstate and fast at around 32k. My buddy has the same truck as you and his wheel almost completely fell of on the highway. $308 at NAPA for the bearing. It's pretty easy to fix on your own if you have the tools and the right manual. Also when mine finally went my DIC went nuts, ABS light came on and trouble code C0035 popped up since the splines on the axel ground off the speed sensor tip.

alwcurlz · January 30, 2010

Jack up that wheel and see if it wobbles. If it has ANY wobble it could very well be your wheel bearing. I got an 06 and mine went out on the interstate and fast at around 32k. My buddy has the same truck as you and his wheel almost completely fell of on the highway. $308 at NAPA for the bearing. It's pretty easy to fix on your own if you have the tools and the right manual. Also when mine finally went my DIC went nuts, ABS light came on and trouble code C0035 popped up since the splines on the axel ground off the speed sensor tip.

Wow, you must have had big swamper/mud tires on that thing.

MitchFromPEI · January 31, 2010

I had a car do that exact same thing. It was the CV joint. Wheel bearing is more of a grinding loud hum. And like the other guy said, you can jack the wheel up and check for play. My money is on the axle/CV join. When you turn the wheel and get that pop, do you feel it in the steering wheel too?

hawkeyeflyboy · February 2, 2010

I had a car do that exact same thing. It was the CV joint. Wheel bearing is more of a grinding loud hum. And like the other guy said, you can jack the wheel up and check for play. My money is on the axle/CV join. When you turn the wheel and get that pop, do you feel it in the steering wheel too?

No, I don't notice it so much in the steering wheel. That's not to say it's not there, I just may not be noticing it. What baffles me is how it is so intermittent. The popping sound usually happens at slow speeds while the grinding/groaning noise happens at both slow and fast speeds but also very intermittent. I'm going to tear into it on Wed and hopefully find something obvious. I'll let you guys know what I come up with. But thanks for everyone's input.

4x4sapper · February 2, 2010

Jack up that wheel and see if it wobbles. If it has ANY wobble it could very well be your wheel bearing. I got an 06 and mine went out on the interstate and fast at around 32k. My buddy has the same truck as you and his wheel almost completely fell of on the highway. $308 at NAPA for the bearing. It's pretty easy to fix on your own if you have the tools and the right manual. Also when mine finally went my DIC went nuts, ABS light came on and trouble code C0035 popped up since the splines on the axel ground off the speed sensor tip.

Wow, you must have had big swamper/mud tires on that thing.

Nope went to 285/70 17 BFG AT,s from 265/70 17 factory tires at around 25k miles. Overall, 1" wider and taller. But i did get some air time once or twice on the front end while off roading

hawkeyeflyboy · February 10, 2010

I had a car do that exact same thing. It was the CV joint. Wheel bearing is more of a grinding loud hum. And like the other guy said, you can jack the wheel up and check for play. My money is on the axle/CV join. When you turn the wheel and get that pop, do you feel it in the steering wheel too?

No, I don't notice it so much in the steering wheel. That's not to say it's not there, I just may not be noticing it. What baffles me is how it is so intermittent. The popping sound usually happens at slow speeds while the grinding/groaning noise happens at both slow and fast speeds but also very intermittent. I'm going to tear into it on Wed and hopefully find something obvious. I'll let you guys know what I come up with. But thanks for everyone's input.

It was the wheel bearing on the left front. I'm replacing both fronts tomorrow...