2004 Silverado rear end noise

[SSRUNU2]

I have  2004 Silverado Z71.

    For about the last month, I have had a rotational noise coming from my rear end.

     It is only heard from 15-25 mph accelerating or decelerating, in drive or coasting (neutral).

 Doesn’t get better or worse when applying brakes.

   It sounds like a U joint. Kind of a swishing metallic sound.

   If you drive the truck for an extended time you will get a pop, that sounds like it is coming from under the bed.

    It will pop every hundred yards or so.

    The popping and the swishing noise will come and go.

    There is no vibration.

   I have replaced the u joints.

  I have removed the diff cover and inspected the carrier.  No metal flakes.

  I changed the diff oil.

When it makes the noise, hard rights make it stop, straight and hard lefts make it continue.

  Any thoughts?

[SSRUNU2]

Also the “popping” can be heard at higher speeds.

[BlancoSilverado]

Now im not an expert and have not seen the truck myself. But going off of you inquiry i would say that the RR bearing might/already be going out. You can lift the rear end off the ground and check for play on the wheels.

To do this,

Lift and put the axle on jack stands to take out any movement from the suspension (you might get false readings if you put jack stands on the frame)

Push and pull. there is a little bit of play it might be a C-clip inside the diff.

Up/down, left/right pushing might tell you that it is a bearing at the hub.

I would start with this first.

 

Did you check the carrier bearings for play while you were in there?

I am assuming the noise was the same after you changed the fluid?

[SSRUNU2]

I ended up finding one of my e brake pads had come off and was riding in the rotor.

    So far this has seemed to fix the issue.

[davester]

thanks for posting the fix for your problem.