Help me diagnose the *click click click* sound

[TURNz]

2004 Suburban Z71:
When making a slow left hand U-turn, *click click click* from under the truck. No sound when making the same turn to the right. No sounds when going straight. Though my wife has heard a single POP while going straight on two different occasions recently. But not multiples. So I'm not sure if that would be related.

I assumed CV Axle. I got underneath and the boots are in perfect condition. No tears, no grease leaking out. That was as far as I was able to go with troubleshooting last night. I'm hoping to jack each side up tonight and give them a spin. Though I don't know if it'll make any noise without the vehicle weight on it.

The axle boots look fairly new on both sides. I'm wondering if they were replaced by the previous owner.

How can I make sure that the CV Axle truely is the issue before I spend the money to change it? Also, if it is the Axle, would it be the right or left causing the problem, considering the LEFT u-turn is when the noise occurs.

 

[wjburken]

2004 Suburban Z71:
When making a slow left hand U-turn, *click click click* from under the truck. No sound when making the same turn to the right. No sounds when going straight. Though my wife has heard a single POP while going straight on two different occasions recently. But not multiples. So I'm not sure if that would be related.

I assumed CV Axle. I got underneath and the boots are in perfect condition. No tears, no grease leaking out. That was as far as I was able to go with troubleshooting last night. I'm hoping to jack each side up tonight and give them a spin. Though I don't know if it'll make any noise without the vehicle weight on it.

The axle boots look fairly new on both sides. I'm wondering if they were replaced by the previous owner.

How can I make sure that the CV Axle truely is the issue before I spend the money to change it? Also, if it is the Axle, would it be the right or left causing the problem, considering the LEFT u-turn is when the noise occurs.

If you can get your vehicle up so both front tires are off the ground, you should be able to rotate the wheels at full lock to the left and to the right and see if you can feel/hear any clicking in your CV axle. Might focus on your left one a little closer. When turning left, the left wheel is flexing the CV more as it needs to take a shorter path around the corner as it's the inside wheel compared to the right wheel which is on the outside.

 

[Dommmo33]

2004 Suburban Z71:
When making a slow left hand U-turn, *click click click* from under the truck. No sound when making the same turn to the right. No sounds when going straight. Though my wife has heard a single POP while going straight on two different occasions recently. But not multiples. So I'm not sure if that would be related.

I assumed CV Axle. I got underneath and the boots are in perfect condition. No tears, no grease leaking out. That was as far as I was able to go with troubleshooting last night. I'm hoping to jack each side up tonight and give them a spin. Though I don't know if it'll make any noise without the vehicle weight on it.

The axle boots look fairly new on both sides. I'm wondering if they were replaced by the previous owner.

How can I make sure that the CV Axle truely is the issue before I spend the money to change it? Also, if it is the Axle, would it be the right or left causing the problem, considering the LEFT u-turn is when the noise occurs.

I had same issue on my 2000 Yukon xl with 370,000 miles. Turn out to be broken transmission mount. No more popping sounds under drivers floorboard.

 

[OR VietVet]

Does the noise come front under the front or middle or rear? You did not say. Could be mounts or even a wheel bearing. Left turn would load the right front bearing and may be source of noise. If you do lift the front check for play in the wheel bearing. Use the 12 and 6 and the 3 and 9 grip and see if you get play. Could also be loose brake components.

Plus, do you just hear it or can you feel it in the steering wheel, under your butt or echoing at the rear?

 

[TURNz]

UPDATE. My wife took it to our mechanic and took him for a ride. He said it could be wheel bearing or might be the dust cover rubbing at full lock. But he couldn't get it in right away. The truck sat for a few days, and she drove it a couple short distances (like 2 miles at a time). It didn't make a sound unless at full lock going LEFT. Then suddenly it made more of a groaning/ grinding noise anytime the wheel was turned left to any degree. We took it to a different mechanic that had an appointment open. I drove it 10 miles. Going straight, no sound. Turning RIGHT, no sound. Even turning LEFT for a slight curve in the road, the sound was awful and I could feel it in the floor and the steering wheel. I even went a block beyond the garage so I could make only right turns to pull it in.

He replaced the right front bearing and hub.

No more sounds.

 

[OR VietVet]

UPDATE. My wife took it to our mechanic and took him for a ride. He said it could be wheel bearing or might be the dust cover rubbing at full lock. But he couldn't get it in right away. The truck sat for a few days, and she drove it a couple short distances (like 2 miles at a time). It didn't make a sound unless at full lock going LEFT. Then suddenly it made more of a groaning/ grinding noise anytime the wheel was turned left to any degree. We took it to a different mechanic that had an appointment open. I drove it 10 miles. Going straight, no sound. Turning RIGHT, no sound. Even turning LEFT for a slight curve in the road, the sound was awful and I could feel it in the floor and the steering wheel. I even went a block beyond the garage so I could make only right turns to pull it in.

He replaced the right front bearing and hub.

No more sounds.

So, in the future, like I was saying, if you turn left you will load the right front wheel bearing and turn right and you load the left front wheel bearing. Not saying the only thing it can be but this loading of wheel bearings is always done this way. IMO, if a cv joint, even with boots that are not torn and slinging grease, it is under pressure with either a left or a right turn but may still only make a noise with either a left or right turn. The click noise is likely, again IMO, not from a dust cover as I feel that is a rubbing and maybe even a metal on metal squealing noise. It also makes a big difference as to where and if you feel it or just hear it.