4x4 howling noise

[brianf40]

My sierra 2500 3000 miles on it seems to get a loud howling noise when in 4x4 going down the road. Is the howling noise normal?

[SouthernSilveradoGuy85]

Please tell me you're not driving on pavement in 4hi......

[DBTravelers]

My 2015 3500HD DRW 4X4 also makes a little more noise in 4X4 Hi than it normally does in 2x but nothing I would call loud. Just a different sound. Now if you are in 4X4 Lo then it makes more noise, but you should not be at highway speed in that gear anyway. It is really just for the "grunt" work at low speeds.

[brianf40]

No dirt road.

[SouthernSilveradoGuy85]

No dirt road.

 

If it's packed down you still don't need 4x4 too be honest. I've gone down plenty of dirt roads and sometimes at a decent speed which were probably faster than I should have and never needed 4x4. TC and Stabilitrak helps enough on a packed dirt road. So that could be the issue that the dirt is packed enough to where the transfer case acted like you were on pavement. Just a guess though. The times I've put it in 4hi when it snowed I didn't hear anything, but I also have a 1500 so it's not the same transfer case. I know my old '98 when I had it is 4lo there were some whining, but not in 4hi.

[brianf40]

Mine is a manual 4x4 shift not electronic if that makes a difference. I put it in 4 hi so that i can test the 4x4 to make sure it is functioning properly so if it is not i can get it looked at under warranty.

[Colossus]

The noise is normal.

[crankman]

Colossus is correct I went that same deal last year going from 1500 to 2500. The 1500 are pretty quiet in 4 hi but and the 2500 has a bit of a whine,howl whatever you like to call it. Its fine been using mine for over a year every weekend no problem you will forget or get used to it in a while. Something to do with the transfer case being HD is what we were told caused that sound.

[Silverado4x4]

My sierra 2500 3000 miles on it seems to get a loud howling noise when in 4x4 going down the road. Is the howling noise normal?

 

My had a loud howling in mine that was more then normal. Get under the truck and check the transfer case fluid level mine was low when I got it new, I had to add almost a quart till it started running out the hole, took it for a drive on a straight road put it in 4wd and almost all the noise was gone now you will hear noise from those HD transfer cases I just knew it was more then normal after owning 4wd trucks all my life, since I was 16 years old and now iam 52.

 

I will put mine in 4wd on a straight road for about 1/4 mile every month or so just to move things around.

[newdude]

The gearset in the HD transfer case is prone to making noise. Normal. The gear design (for strength and durability) has a side effect of some noise.