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'99 Drive Shaft Knocking issue.....& slight hesitation (shuddering)


sierra77
04-13-2008, 08:32 PM
'99 Sierra Ext. Cab 4wd 5.3L (118k). I recently posted a thread asking about u-joints squealing. I have yet to get that problem fixed, but in the mean time, a couple other issues have surfaced. A very loud Knocking noice has developed in the driveshaft of all places. I had it up on stands today and put it in drive. As the wheels started turning, it started knocking. I rolled under the truck on a creeper and could hear it the loudest at about 1/2 to 2/3s of the way back on the rear drive shaft. I can't explain it. It sounds like a marble smacking the inside of the drive shaft. And it was loud enough that my dad could hear it over the phone. ANY IDEAS? I'm wondering if the sound is coming from one of the U-joints and it is resonating through the shaft because I really doubt that it is the shaft itself. Will a u-joint squeak eventually turn in to a sound like this? I'm at a loss at the moment.
Also, I've read threads on here about hesitations, and that alot of them tend to be the MAF sensor. My truck isn't nearly as bad as some of the posts on here. But when I take off from a stop light, she feels like she is hopping or shuddering slightly. Almost like a stick shift feels when you start it off in a higher gear. I believe it is hitting all of the gears though. Does this sound like a tranny issue, like it's wanting to start slipping? Or possibly an engine issue or plugged fuel filter and it's not getting enough fuel when starting off. I thought about changing the filter to see if that helped, since it clears after driving about 10 feet. It does idle fine however....I figured I'd toss this out there first and see if anyone had any better ideas. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

slredstorm62
04-13-2008, 08:56 PM
with the truck up in the air take either end of the drive shaft and try to move it up and down adjacent with the end caps. if you feel or see play in the u joint then thats your problem, however if not take the drive shaft out and put the truck in gear and see if its coming from the tranny.(also spin rear wheels to see if there is a noise without drive shaft in) if no noise shake drive shaft and listen. i dont know what would be in there but i know if you have a bad joint you can push it up and down and watch the end caps sliding up and down the cap shafts.

sierra77
04-14-2008, 08:01 AM
I did try to move the driveshaft yesterday to see if the u-joints had any play, and I couldn't move them at all. I'll have to take off the driveshaft and check it the other ways you mentioned.

Do you have any ideas on the shuddering that I mentioned in my first post?

Z15
04-14-2008, 11:28 AM
Front slip yoke going into the trans. Known corrosiion problems and binding.

sierra77
04-15-2008, 08:31 AM
The new Nickel Yoke seems to cover most of the symptoms that I'm experiencing. I have a question though.

Do any of you know anything about TSB #02-04-17-001? [I][Launch Shudder/Vibration on Acceleration (Replace Propeller Shaft and Install New Pinion Flange/Seal)
1999-2002 Chevrolet and GMC C1500 Series Extended Cab Pickup Models (Silverado, Sierra)
With 4L60-E Automatic Transmission (RPO M30)]
It lists C1500 (2WD), so i'm wondering, do the Two wheel drive models experience similar problems, only they have to replace the entire drive shaft instead of just a yoke? Because I was looking at the parts on gmpartsdirect.com, and the yoke is $150 something which i'm comfortable with, but the new driveshaft (propeller shaft) is $900+, plus the cost of the pinion flange.......so i'm wanting to rule out that this is JUST a 2WD problem, and is not a possibility on my truck......I know it mentions C1500 and not K1500, but the knocking noise that was coming from my drive shaft the other night when I was under there still has me wondering. Would the yoke sticking like that create a knocking noise that could resonate through the shaft? Also, sometimes it seems like the tranny is slipping, but with what i've read here, it seems like if the yoke stops in just the right position, when I start to go again, it is stuck and takes a certain amount of rpm to bust it loose, thus feeling like it is slipping....Almost like it feels when you are partially powerbraking it........if it is just the yoke, i'll be tickled.....

Z15
04-15-2008, 09:40 AM
I am not knowledgeable on 2wd trucks but I seem to recall a discussion somewhere about the 2wd ext cab models having a 2pc driveshaft whereas the 4x4 models only have a 1 pc. and problems associated with the 2 pc shaft. What exactly they are I never paid much attention to, sorry!

I do know of yoke problems with 4x4's but weather its related to 2wd, I cannot be certain.

sierra77
04-17-2008, 07:50 AM
Update:
I pulled the driveshaft off the Sierra last night to inspect the slip yoke and was happy to see that the front u-joint is shot. There was no play or slop in it, and it moved fine one way, but moving it the other way takes all the force I can muster by hand. And when it does move, it makes the clicking/knocking sound that I heard in the driveshaft that I mentioned in my first post. I'm fairly confident that this is the culprit of all of the symptoms, including the shuddering, as it takes a good amount of force to get the joint to turn, making the truck shudder slightly. I don't think the slip yoke is the problem this time. I will repost if new u-joints don't take care of the problem.

PeteA216
04-17-2008, 09:54 AM
I know it's a little late to post, but I was gonna say in my K2500 it has the same symtoms but only when it was in four wheel drive. Turns out the from U-jont has lost the bearing grease and rusted up, causing the exact same thing that happened to yours. New U-joint: problem solved!

sierra77
04-22-2008, 08:15 AM
Two new u-joints and this truck drives like a dream! Very quiet and even seemed to take care of the chirping problem that i thought at one time was a leaf spring squeak. Feels like a new truck.....
Thanks to everyone that posted replies. I appreciate everyone's input.

Chevy-SS
05-05-2008, 07:30 AM
Sierra77, my 98 Sily K1500 4WD 5.7 has a slight shuddering at takeoff. It's a light vibration that only occurs just as I'm accelerating, then goes away. It just started doing this and it is very noticeable.

Does this sound similar to your problem?

Thanks :smokin:

Dave in RI

sierra77
05-06-2008, 08:20 AM
Chevy-SS.....Yes. that sounds very familiar. Mine actually started a while back with the chirp in the rear end that Briant_K mentions in his post on the main Sierra page about "'99 GMC Sierra Z71 Ex. Cab Rear End Noises".
I always thought it was from the new shocks I put on it. But then about 2 months ago, it started with the familiar "u-joint going bad" squeak that we all know and love. And then the shuddering that you were describing. Mine got really bad to the point that if it stopped in the right spot, it felt like I had to really stomp on it to get it to bust loose.....it was almost like I had my foot on the brake...and at Highway speed, it sounded like I was driving a grain truck....I wasn't able to tell that the u-joint was bad until I got the drive shaft off the truck. It wasn't loose, it was horribly tight. So there was no play in it like some that go bad. It was the front joint on my truck, it would turn one way, but not the other. So every time the T.case tried to turn the slip yoke, the knuckle bound up every half turn, creating the sort of "jumping" that you feel. I bought two new u-joints at a parts store for around $20/ea. I was remodeling my garage at the moment, so my vice wasn't mounted, so I took it to a shop and had them press them in for me, cost me an hours worth of labor, around $70, and I had the shaft back in 20 minutes later, and she drove like she was on butter. I did put a thin layer of high temp grease on the slip yoke before putting it back in just as a precaution....the annoying chirp in the rear end disappeared too. So, If I were you, before I did anything else, I'd just pull the yoke straps off the back u-joint, and pop the shaft off the truck and see if one of the joints is binding, more than likely that is probably your problem considering your description. Good Luck!

Chevy-SS
05-06-2008, 10:27 AM
Sierra, many thanks for the reply. :smile: I pulled my rear driveshaft. The rear u-joint is less than a year old and was fine. The front u-joint has a teeny amount of wear. One end of the joint had some small wear ridges, so I replaced it. The yoke looks new, but I greased the splines prior to re-assembly.

Re-installed the driveshaft, but problem not fixed. I still get the vibration between 1,000 and 1,500 rpm, then it goes away. I feel the vibration mostly in the gas pedal with my right foot. It's extremely annoying for stop-and-go driving, which is mostly what I am doing. :mad:

If anyone has any suggestions, please post.

Thanks.

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