zraffz
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- Nov 5, 2017
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I thought I'd share this past week's experience with the wife's new daily driver while I rebuild her 2002 Tahoe.
Recently, I purchased her a 2005 Trailblazer to drive. The body had some minor dings and scratches and I almost told the seller I wasn't interested in it until I stuck my head under the truck. The frame has 99% of the factory paint and has been immaculately maintained.
So, around 100 miles after I bought it I started to hear a hollow knocking sound directly in the area of the driver's side hub, similar sound to a tire rubbing an inner fender but rythmatic like a flat spot in a tire. This would happen during hard left turns (such as zig-zagging back and forth in the road or swerving to avoid an animal).
I was a little annoyed because I assumed the previous owner was aware of this issue and that would explain why he recently did CV shafts and hub assemblies. I was busy so I had a friend working on it.
For those not familiar with these trucks, they have the differential bolted to the driver's side of the oil pan, an intermediate shaft runs THROUGH the oil pan and the passenger side of the oil pan has the actuator housing bolted to it. I assumed the front differential was toast because the differential and intermediate shaft must always be spinning in 2WD due to the design.
He reversed the hub assemblies and tires to see if the noise would transfer to the passenger side. It didn't change.
He then unbolted the driver's side caliper and clamped the brake line to eliminate the possibility of the caliper twisting and banging into the rotor. Nothing changed.
He removed the sway bar links and that did nothing.
I was certain when he pulled the driver's side CV shaft that the noise would stop (since the differential would no longer be spinning). Much to my surprise, nothing changed!
He stuck his head under the truck and noticed the wheel weights, on the brand new tires, had the smallest scratches in them. When I say small, I mean like the paint was peeled off but the metal wasn't grooved. He removed the weights and the sound went away. Apparently, they would rub on the steering knuckle during a hard left turn... I have no explanation as to why it would only do it on a hard turn but that was the case.
This noise was as loud as a rod knock.
Has anybody seen anything like this? His attention to detail was phenomenal to catch this problem.
Recently, I purchased her a 2005 Trailblazer to drive. The body had some minor dings and scratches and I almost told the seller I wasn't interested in it until I stuck my head under the truck. The frame has 99% of the factory paint and has been immaculately maintained.
So, around 100 miles after I bought it I started to hear a hollow knocking sound directly in the area of the driver's side hub, similar sound to a tire rubbing an inner fender but rythmatic like a flat spot in a tire. This would happen during hard left turns (such as zig-zagging back and forth in the road or swerving to avoid an animal).
I was a little annoyed because I assumed the previous owner was aware of this issue and that would explain why he recently did CV shafts and hub assemblies. I was busy so I had a friend working on it.
For those not familiar with these trucks, they have the differential bolted to the driver's side of the oil pan, an intermediate shaft runs THROUGH the oil pan and the passenger side of the oil pan has the actuator housing bolted to it. I assumed the front differential was toast because the differential and intermediate shaft must always be spinning in 2WD due to the design.
He reversed the hub assemblies and tires to see if the noise would transfer to the passenger side. It didn't change.
He then unbolted the driver's side caliper and clamped the brake line to eliminate the possibility of the caliper twisting and banging into the rotor. Nothing changed.
He removed the sway bar links and that did nothing.
I was certain when he pulled the driver's side CV shaft that the noise would stop (since the differential would no longer be spinning). Much to my surprise, nothing changed!
He stuck his head under the truck and noticed the wheel weights, on the brand new tires, had the smallest scratches in them. When I say small, I mean like the paint was peeled off but the metal wasn't grooved. He removed the weights and the sound went away. Apparently, they would rub on the steering knuckle during a hard left turn... I have no explanation as to why it would only do it on a hard turn but that was the case.
This noise was as loud as a rod knock.
Has anybody seen anything like this? His attention to detail was phenomenal to catch this problem.
