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Bad hub?

Wraenking

By Wraenking
in Ask A GM Technician

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Wraenking Enthusiast

Wraenking

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Hey guys. Have a bad humming noise almost like when tires are bad but tires are new. I am assuming it's a bad hub on drivers side as the passenger side was already replaced. I jacked it up but the play doesn't seem bad. Any other way to check it?? Thanks

 

 

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gmtech4 Senior Enthusiast

gmtech4

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road test and turn back and forth ,if a hub has failed(or"bad"as you guys call it ) the noise will get worst one way and almost go away the other way

Doug_Scott Senior Enthusiast

Doug_Scott

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+1

 

And to just add more information, a bad wheel bearing (the part that is actually making the noise) does not have to be worn enough to allow for movement before it makes a noise. Generally the opposite happens. The noise is usually from pitted or worn bearing parts. The longer you go with it being noisy, the more play it will develop.

 

You used to be able to tell which bearing was causing the noise using the method govtech4 mentioned. If turning the wheel to the right made more noise than turning it to the left, used to mean the left side was the source of the noise. That is not so anymore. The hubs have the inner and outer bearings too close together when compared to the system where there was up to 6 or 7 inches between the inner and outer bearings, along with the older system using big difference in size between inner and outer bearings.

Wraenking Enthusiast

Wraenking

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I will test more when my wife gets home. I think the noise is worse when I get on the gas and goes away when I let off the gas. Hope it's not a carrier bearing. What do you think?

 

 

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gmtech4 Senior Enthusiast

gmtech4

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I will test more when my wife gets home. I think the noise is worse when I get on the gas and goes away when I let off the gas. Hope it's not a carrier bearing. What do you think?

 

 

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what is your idea of a carrier bearing ?,in the diff?

 

noises you just said with acceleration and coasting indicate your need to see a garage to diag before the $$$$$$$$$$ mount up

 

no mention on wtf you're driving

 

what does the diff oils look like?

Wraenking Enthusiast

Wraenking

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Sorry. So used to tahoe boards. 2007 tahoe. My neighbor is going to drive in it tonight with me. I can handle doing the hub but never did the attire if that's what it is. Just trying to narrow it down. He is a mechanic so I'm hoping he can at least pin point it.

 

 

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newdude Senior Enthusiast

newdude

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Sorry. So used to tahoe boards. 2007 tahoe. My neighbor is going to drive in it tonight with me. I can handle doing the hub but never did the attire if that's what it is. Just trying to narrow it down. He is a mechanic so I'm hoping he can at least pin point it.

 

 

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Have them listen in on the front axle and rear axles if the noise comes and goes on accel/decel. I have seen lots of these front axles come apart due to failed side bearing adjusters. Bad lock ring and then the diff loses the bearing preload and starts making noise.

 

If your Tahoe is 2x4 or 4x4, no carrier bearing will be found. Should be a one piece driveshaft.

Wraenking Enthusiast

Wraenking

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Will do. I have an 86 k5 that I can tear apart and rebuild all day. Never did too much to this one so it's a bit Berber racking. Thanks

 

 

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Wraenking Enthusiast

Wraenking

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Not sure if going crazy but I just went out to school parking lot and did some figure 8's. Not sure if I'm losing my mind but I don't think I heard a damn thing this time. It's been going on for about a week. I drive around 120 miles a day to work.

 

The only think I did was jack each tire up to feel for play. And then I switched from auto 4x4 to 2. When I didn't hear anything I went back to auto and it didn't come back. Can't see it just going away by itself. Now I'm really stumped

 

 

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gmtech4 Senior Enthusiast

gmtech4

Posted
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Sorry. So used to tahoe boards. 2007 tahoe. My neighbor is going to drive in it tonight with me. I can handle doing the hub but never did the attire if that's what it is. Just trying to narrow it down. He is a mechanic so I'm hoping he can at least pin point it.

 

 

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please do this and stop trying diag this yourself ,,,,you are going crazy because you have no experience doin this kinda thing

Wraenking Enthusiast

Wraenking

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Well I drove him home last night and the noise is definitely gone. Could lifting both sides shaken something out? Who knows. Gone now and I'll listen for it more this week.

 

 

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Doug_Scott Senior Enthusiast

Doug_Scott

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It would appear that your first post got most people not looking in the right area. Differential noises tend to occur at different times depending on what part is causing the noise.

 

Ring and pinion noise tends to occur at zero load on the ring and pinion. Zero load means not slowing down, not speeding up, more like "floating". Noise usually shows up at about 40mph, and higher.

 

Trying to diagnose differential bearing noises while driving is difficult even for professionals. Bearing noises don't tend to go away in their own. If it was noisy today, it will be noisy tomorrow if not changes were made.

 

If your truck is 4x4, is it possible that the day it was noisy you were in 4x4 mode? And now it is not in 4x4 mode?

 

Since we are starting over here, might as well get all the info this time.

 

  1. When you say humming noise, is this a sound you hear, or a vibration you can feel as well as a noise?
  2. What manoeuvers would make the noise/vibration change?
  3. What is history on drive shafts, for example, how old are u-joints?
  4. What speed does it start humming? Does speeding up make it stop?
  5. What tires (size/brand/type) are you using, and how old?
  6. Does road type make any difference(by type I mean topcoat of road, asphalt, concrete, tar and stone, etc..)
Wraenking Enthusiast

Wraenking

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1. When you say humming noise, is this a sound you hear, or a vibration you can feel as well as a noise? Humming

2. What manoeuvers would make the noise/vibration change? None that I could really tell.

3. What is history on drive shafts, for example, how old are u-joints? I am assuming u joints are still original only because I never changed them. I bought the 2007 tahoe in 2011.

4. What speed does it start humming? Does speeding up make it stop? I always heard it just got louder as I went faster

5. What tires (size/brand/type) are you using, and how old? Goodyear tires. Less than a year ild. Standard size per chevy

6. Does road type make any difference(by type I mean topcoat of road, asphalt, concrete, tar and stone, etc..). None that I could tell

 

 

The noise is still gone. I am at a lost for words. It was definitely there for at least a week. I got a new hub in that i ordered. A moog 515096. I am going to install it in the drivers side as the passenger side went bad less than a year ago and I have 165,000 miles on the truck. Thanks for your input. If something changes I will post back

 

 

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