Maddening Rattle on my 2002 S-10 ZR-2

graphixman · December 15, 2005

Hello and good evening GM Techs,

I have a 2002 S-10 with the ZR-2 RPO package, Extended cab with 45,000 miles on it. I live up in the Northeast and since the cold has arrived, I've developed a maddening rattle / creak in the truck.

Difficult to locate, though it appears to be coming from the drivers side. It is an intermittent noise, ie: won't normally do it first off, mostly after the truck has warmed up, and then after it is going over even the smallest road bump, or starting from a full stop.

If I was to describe the noise, it sounds like metal to metal, like a heat shield, or loose brake pad or something else loose? Though crawling on my back in the snowy driveway, and shaking everything there is nothing noticeable loose, or broken.

P.S. even though it is an offroad truckk I really do baby it, so it's not beat on or anything. I got the aggressive ZR-2 package so I can get through the deep snow here in Maine.

Any ideas please?

Thanks in advance.

GM-Tech · December 15, 2005

Noises can be difficult to track down and fix. Sometimes the noise can be right there in front of us and we can't find it. Trying to guess what this could be by a description of the sound over the internet is impossible.

graphixman · December 15, 2005

So you suggest going into the shop then? d**n...ok well hopefully there is someone who has had this before.

Thanx.

GM-Tech · December 15, 2005

Yeah, you might need to take it in. We've had some trouble with noises from the front springs on S10's, but it could never be desribed as a rattle. Definitely a creak/squeak/squawk.

graphixman · December 16, 2005

Actually being a ZR-2 there are no front springs, just tortion bars. However.... I took it to the shop today, and it was the lower ball joint on the driver's side.

The joint was DRY with no grease in it. I guess sometime the seal just barfed up all it's lube. Oh well.... It's all ready for another winter storm tomorrow.

Thanks for the help. See you on the board.