[rideing247]

01 SIlverado Front Differential Noise in 2WD

History: I have a 2001 Silverado 1500 4x4 with 135k miles. i took the front drive shaft out a while ago because i need to replace the u joints. well, i finally got around to putting it back in (20k miles later).

Problem: once the drive shaft was placed back in ,with the new u-joints, i noticed a noise coming from the front diff. It sounds like a light metallic chaffing noise like there is marble or something Floating around inside the front Drive shaft (i know thats not the case)
-the noise occurs in 2wd from 20mph and gets more prominent the faster i go.
-the noise goes away while in 4wd
-the noise is gone when the front d-shaft is out.
-the noise is gone in 4wd and gone once put back into 2wd while holding a constant speed. but once i decelerate and accelerate it makes the noise again.

any Ideas???? I dont think its CV's or the left or right output shaft bearing on the front diff. I think it may be a spider gear or or clutch plates inside the front Difff.

Please help...

 

[silveradotrailblazer]

Welcome to the club. Back when you removed the front driveshaft did you "mark" it so you could install back in the position it was in when you removed it?

---------- Post added at 11:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 AM ----------

Also is it a manual transfer case or electric?

 

[rideing247]

Also I was thinking that since the yoke wasn't spinning for 20k miles that it wasn't slinging oil to all the nessary parts in side of the front diff

---------- Post added at 02:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:26 PM ----------

It is electric with the auto4x4 option.
I did not mark the shaft because it was extended to accommodate a lift kit that was installed on the truck. So it was balanced after the joint replacement and extension was done.
I didn't think the spline had to be matched up the way it was when taken out or bolted back up to the yoke the way it was when removed.

 

[2COR517]

Have you checked the fluid? While the driveshaft was out, the the side gears and spider gears were still spinning for lubrication. But if the fluid was too low, they may not have been able to get enough moving around.

 

[rideing247]

Yea I checked the oil then drained and refilled. It looked good. No excess metal.

 

[GiddieUp]

Did you ever find out what the problem was?I just put a lift on my 01 silverado and its making the same noise