Man is it aggravating too. It is a rolling knock. It sounds like it is coming more from the ouside area on the drviers side. I have been under this thing 20 times looking and shaking stuff.

Anyone else had this problem? Is it a U-joint?

I am not thinking brakes, beacuse there is no vibration or anything when using the brakes. Could it be something in the Diff, but it is making it sound like it is out in the hub area because the sound is traveling down the axle shaft?

Truck has 75,000 miles on it. i seen a lot of people replacing u-joints, but is that on the drive shafts or on the axle shafts?

That is what I think it is, and since I live in an apartment complex, i cna;t tear into her myself unless I drive 400 miles to GA to my dads and do it there, which I really am not up to that drive this week.

If you have any insite on this please reply.

 

Go in a parking lot put it in 4x4, do a couple of circles in both directions. See what kind if noises you get then. When my front axle u-joints were gone the only time I heard them was when it was in 4x4 and turning. Also, look for little streaks of rust comming out of the cups on the u joint.

 

I have the noise regardless if it is in 4-wheel drive or not. I already tried that just to see if it would worsen it.

Our axles turn regardless if they are in 4x4 or not. There is grease all around the caps on the universal like it has leaked out. I just hate to throw a UV joint at it, and hope that fixes it, and it be something else, but I guess you have to start some where.

One note to add......Yesterday I pulled into a 4x4 shop and we took the tire off to see if we maybe could see something that might be causing the noiose, and nothing. Well, when we put the tire back on, and tightened it down with a pull handle, the noise was a lot quiter for a while. I actually couldn't hear it at all. After about 5 miles of driving though, it was back.

So by tightening up the lugs real tight, do yall think it might have pulled some slack out of a used UV joint, but once things settled back into their places, the noise come back???

 

HappyGa,
A thought also, It could very well be your front hub bearings. Mine crapped out around 42k. Wasn't under drivetrain warenty, cost me $1300.00. Mine wasn't knocking like you described but was vibrating between 60-70mph.
Good luck assesing the prob.
Chip

 

Well, there really is no vibration. I took the truck into a local ront end shop today, and we both think it is the UV joint. I hate not KNOWING what it is, but you have to start somewhere. He should be able to find exactly what it is on tear down.

I had to buy the UV joint at the Dodge ***********. $85 after taxes. AutoZOne couldn't get it, and advance couldn't get it. I had to do something as it was almost 5:30 and I needed my truck fixed, so I went ahead and got one from there. I will update after I get it fixed on what it was and to help anyone that comes along after me.

 

Is the noise speed related. That is, does it vary with the speed or is the same no matter what speed you are going?


Pete

 

speed related. Faster you go, faster it gets. Can't really hear it till around 15mph or so.

 

Sounds like the outboard U-Joint, at the hub. Replaced my front pair at ~90k miles when the driver's side started up. Let me rephrase that, I had a shop replace them for me. I got stuck trying to get the hub off.

 

UPDATE:

I had the U-joint put in Friday. Well, the knock, knock, knock was gone for about 30 miles, then came right back. I had driven the truck on a pretty long road trip before when it all came about. I was supposed to go and see a buddy of mine Saturday, and given the fact that I had driven over 1500 miles with the sound before, I assumed that it was something else, and that I was fine. SO I head out for the 40 miles trip to see my old high school buddy, and about 15 miles into the trip, the u-joint that was put in Friday grenades. So I am stranded on the side of the road. $93 for the tow to the dealership, no rent a car available, and they can't get to it until Tuesday. I told them to find out what is causing it, and fix it, cause I can't take being stranded like this. My job is 30 miles from where I live. I got a ride into work from a good guy here at work, he has went way out of his way to help me. I wish I had my 01 back...

 

The ol' "rolling knock" reminded me of something we used to do to our buddies. We'd side track them and put a huge ty-wrap (zip tie, cable tie, whatever YOU call them) around their drive shaft with the tail sticking way out....to slap the floor board. I actually had a buddy stop a block down the road and take his hub caps off....he thought he'd lost a lug nut! What a dork! Anyway, I saw your title and remembered this and thought I'd share. I hope you get it resolved.

 

haha, pretty funny...

I am gonna start a thread to see how many people have had a problem with the axle u-joints...

I really believe something cause mine to go out, cause the joint was brand new, not even a day old when it grenaded. I am thinking that once heat builds in a bearing somewhere, it is trying to lock down, and that is what caused the failure.

Anyone have any input on this maybe being the issue. Wheel bearing or carrier bearing. That is the only thing I can think it would be.

 

OKay, damage is pretty bad on my truck.

I need a new axle assembly for the left front, cause when the ujoint went out, it destroyed those holes.

Does anyone know where to get some besides the Dodge dealer?

I have to have bearings in the wheel assembly, they say do that for precautionary reasons to make sure we get the issue solved...

Are these Dodge only still?

I have to have the seal for the axle on that front left side also.

Can this be bought from some place besides Dodge?

I knew I needed brakes. SO that is on the list, I was gonna do them this coming weekend, but I might as well let them do hat while it is apart.

And of course the demon behind all this crap, the u-joint.

They said that the brand new tire I have on there is down to the cords also.
They said that something under there was rubbing on it. I am like bull, but I guess I will see when I go by there this afternoon.

 

Same problem here. I have 78k and have only had the rear axle u-joint replaced. I have had that 15mph knock also for awhile now. No vibration just the at low speeds. I am going to check the front u-joints soon.

 

Doesn't Dynatrac make parts for this? I think they're much better than stock also...

 

yeah they do if you got $1700 to spend right now...that is the cost of the converesion kit.