Rear Suspension Clunk

[RyanbabZ71]

Ok back when my truck had like 5K miles I had the rear leaf springs replaced because of loud clunk squeak anytime I would hit a bump. I could replicate the noise by standing on the rear bumper and bouncing up and down.

 

At around 14K miles I added a front level kit and put on 3" rear blocks

 

Forward ahead 14K miles (almost 20K total now) I have a loud clunk in the rear suspension (sounds like it is in the drivers side leaf spring). The noise is not constant but only happens in the following conditions

 

1. making either a right hand or left hand turn and accelerating

 

2. from a stand still (like at a stop light) accelerating right as soon as the truck moves.

 

The noise is kind of like a snap noise, like something is under pressure and is letting go. It is a single pop noise. It happens about 1-2 times on my way to work or on the way home.

 

Any ideas? Could a bent leaf spring cause this? I thought it may be the U Bolts as I found then loose, well this weekend I replaced the drivers side and it didnt change.

[Stevens03]

I'd still suspect the leafs. GM sells rubber insulators that goes between the ends of the leafs and are easy to install. I'd recommend trying those, they helped my 03 when I had noisy springs. If it's not that, then I'd start looking at the exhaust and possible "issues". From that you describe, I still would lean towards noisy leaf springs.

 

This would drive me nuts... I hate noises like this. Nothing major, just annoying.

[RyanbabZ71]

no they dont. The insulators were discontinued many years ago. I found some about a year ago but they wanted like $75 a pc

 

What bothers me is it is like something is bound up and letting lose. I need to try and get a sound clip.

[RyanbabZ71]

wait wait I think I found some. Autozone has some for the older trucks.

 

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessori...ier=365532_0_0_

 

I dont believe the noise is coming from where they locate but it wouldnt hurt to try them.

 

Might have to bump up to some NHT springs? These seem to not be an issue. Steven how many "layers" are the NHT's

[RyanbabZ71]

well it went away for a few days and its back again. Another factor is that it is cold again today.

[alitterit]

Did you lay under the truck and see if you could find anything loose? Broken spring? Bad shock bushing? It could be a anything making that noise its hard to say without hearing it/looking at the truck.... good luck to you.

[RyanbabZ71]

Did you lay under the truck and see if you could find anything loose? Broken spring? Bad shock bushing? It could be a anything making that noise its hard to say without hearing it/looking at the truck.... good luck to you.

 

Yep multiple times. Actually just crawled out from underneath. Pretty much checked all bolts under the truck.

 

I can stand in the bed and jump up and down and no noise.

[Vortec-Z71]

Maybe try these?

 

http://www.merchant-automotive.com/rearspringinsulators.aspx

[hoorders]

I know the GMT800 trucks a slip yoke issue where it would clunk when you left off the line....the fix was either a new yoke for the front of the rear drive shaft or just lube up the splines on the slip yoke. Not sure if this is your problem but its pretty easy to pull the rear drive shaft and lube up the slip yoke to see if that helps.

[RyanbabZ71]

Thanks I might have to try that. I just don't like the snap/bindi g noise hope this is all it is

[hoorders]

Thanks I might have to try that. I just don't like the snap/bindi g noise hope this is all it is

These sorts of noises sometimes 'sound' like one thing and end up being something completely different.

[00Silverado4x4]

After ~90k miles of putting my truck through, well, everything sometimes I wonder how it's not squeaking/banking, let alone in one piece. However, after taking some time to turn down the kids' CDs I listened to my truck real close during accel, decel, speed bumps & I'm guessing my "new" truck (bought it brand new anyway) has finally shown to have some suspension wear. I'm hopefully going to be spending some quality TLC time with my truck in the upcoming months & get some things done. This includes lubing up this slip yoke thing? Someone have a good pic of what this is? I'm a mechanic but the equipiment I work on doesn't have drivelines like typical vehicles. I work on portable light carts, generators, bomblifts & we haul them around with vehicles that someone else takes care of so I'm little more than a glorified jiffy lube.

[hoorders]

After ~90k miles of putting my truck through, well, everything sometimes I wonder how it's not squeaking/banking, let alone in one piece. However, after taking some time to turn down the kids' CDs I listened to my truck real close during accel, decel, speed bumps & I'm guessing my "new" truck (bought it brand new anyway) has finally shown to have some suspension wear. I'm hopefully going to be spending some quality TLC time with my truck in the upcoming months & get some things done. This includes lubing up this slip yoke thing? Someone have a good pic of what this is? I'm a mechanic but the equipiment I work on doesn't have drivelines like typical vehicles. I work on portable light carts, generators, bomblifts & we haul them around with vehicles that someone else takes care of so I'm little more than a glorified jiffy lube.

Basically unbolt your rear driveshaft from rear diff....it will then slide off the back of the transfer case....where it slides off, thats the slip yoke....its the stubby shaft on the front of your rear driveshaft.

[RyanbabZ71]

I know the GMT800 trucks a slip yoke issue where it would clunk when you left off the line....the fix was either a new yoke for the front of the rear drive shaft or just lube up the splines on the slip yoke. Not sure if this is your problem but its pretty easy to pull the rear drive shaft and lube up the slip yoke to see if that helps.

 

I had the slip yoke issue in my gmt-800 and this is not the same feel/noise

[SeattlePirate]

Ok back when my truck had like 5K miles I had the rear leaf springs replaced because of loud clunk squeak anytime I would hit a bump. I could replicate the noise by standing on the rear bumper and bouncing up and down.

 

At around 14K miles I added a front level kit and put on 3" rear blocks

 

Forward ahead 14K miles (almost 20K total now) I have a loud clunk in the rear suspension (sounds like it is in the drivers side leaf spring). The noise is not constant but only happens in the following conditions

 

1. making either a right hand or left hand turn and accelerating

 

2. from a stand still (like at a stop light) accelerating right as soon as the truck moves.

 

The noise is kind of like a snap noise, like something is under pressure and is letting go. It is a single pop noise. It happens about 1-2 times on my way to work or on the way home.

 

Any ideas? Could a bent leaf spring cause this? I thought it may be the U Bolts as I found then loose, well this weekend I replaced the drivers side and it didnt change.

 

Ding ding ding, we have a winner. I have a brand new Silverado with 700 miles that does almost the same thing.

 

Left or right turns, down hill, rough right or left turn, stopping or starting. Its like a pop some time, and like a torsion expansion or contraction of metal.

 

AND it comes an goes. I had it in a body shop two days ago and they thought it was the 6 cab bolts which they tightened wiht an impact wrench. It may helped a tad bit, not sure.

 

It is intermittant. Im sure you have my problem. NowI know I should be going to the dealer for resolution.