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U-JOINT QUESTION

twotwenty72

Full Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2004
Messages
21
Location
DALLAS, TX
I have a 2002 avalanche 56k miles, I think I have a bad u-joint.  What parts will I need to have it replaced?  Do I just go in and ask for a u-joint or will I need other parts like brackets or someting like that and how much is a u-joint these days anyway?
thanks.
 
Just a u-joint ;)

Now, I have to ask as you sound a bit unsure of a u-joint itself, so how is it that you feel it's faulty?
 
A very loud squeak coming from under the truck right at the top of the driveshaft.  Its really embarrasing too...I'm turning heads for the wrong reasons :rolleyes:
 
twotwenty72 said:
A very loud squeak coming from under the truck right at the top of the driveshaft. Its really embarrasing too...I'm turning heads for the wrong reasons :rolleyes:

Doesn't sound like a u-joint.

Crawl under and look at the driveshaft itself for a shiny spot going around it, you probably have something coming in contact with the shaft.
 
yeah...I turned the driveshaft by hand and the squeak happens when everything is in rotation and depending how fast the rotation is...i.e. if im going slow a real slow creaking squeak like in a old haunted house type squeak when I'm driving at normal speed (40mph) squeak is fast and kinda high pitched.
 
twotwenty72 said:
yeah...I turned the driveshaft by hand and the squeak happens when everything is in rotation and depending how fast the rotation is...i.e. if im going slow a real slow creaking squeak like in a old haunted house type squeak when I'm driving at normal speed (40mph) squeak is fast and kinda high pitched.

Can you isolate it to the front or rear end of the shaft?
 
I've never heard one do this but I guess it's possible it could squeek if the needles were completely dry but if that was the case I don't think it would last more than a couple of miles before it wore one of the legs off of the cross.  Metal to metal with no grease: Not for long!

Can you move either the front or the rear of the driveshaft up and down or side to side?  If a u-joint is bad there will be some excess play in it.
 
The noise is coming from the front of the driveshaft...everything seems secure with the shaft itself, no warps or anything, just a VERY noticable squeak.  This is why I think its the u-joint because the driveshaft is hollow right?
 
twotwenty72 said:
The noise is coming from the front of the driveshaft...everything seems secure with the shaft itself, no warps or anything, just a VERY noticable squeak.? This is why I think its the u-joint because the driveshaft is hollow right?

Yes, it's hollow.
 
Hit the tailshaft of the tranny with a bit of spray lube and see if the noise alters. ?If you're mechanically inclined enough, remove the driveshaft and hit the output shaft splies with some lube as well, I'd almost guarantee you're getting noise there.
 
I haven't been under my AV yet as I just got it a couple weeks ago but I know alot of time U-joints have greese zerks on them. After market ones for sure but I thought on the larger trucks GM put them on the U-joints that would take care of any squeek from them if it is a U-joint. I can't say I have every had one fail like that. It has always been the klunk that happens when shifting from drive to reverse or park that is caused by the slop that a bad U-joint will create. If you do end up replacing a U-joint. It's not that hard of a job and I would highly recommend getting one that has the greese zerk. It may cost what an extra $.50-1.00 but they last longer. I know my blazer didn't have the greese zerks and when I replaced the U-joint I went with one that I could lube.
 
sennister said:
I haven't been under my AV yet as I just got it a couple weeks ago but I know alot of time U-joints have greese zerks on them. After market ones for sure but I thought on the larger trucks GM put them on the U-joints that would take care of any squeek from them if it is a U-joint. I can't say I have every had one fail like that. It has always been the klunk that happens when shifting from drive to reverse or park that is caused by the slop that a bad U-joint will create. If you do end up replacing a U-joint. It's not that hard of a job and I would highly recommend getting one that has the greese zerk. It may cost what an extra $.50-1.00 but they last longer. I know my blazer didn't have the greese zerks and when I replaced the U-joint I went with one that I could lube.

OEM tend to not have the capability, it's replacements that do.
 
My front U-joint went bad a few months back and I had a very loud squeak coming from the front ....

Sorry but it sounds like a U-Joint to me....

If you have a good dealer/Mech he will know right away..


 
My front u joint went out at 55,000 miles.  It made a creeking sound at low speed then at high speeds it was a constant screeming sound.  New u joint in now and it is good as new.
 
If it's truly a u-joint making a constant whine, that'll be a completely new one on me in well over 20 years of turning a wrench.

I guess that'll let me go to sleep now, too - I will have learned my new thing for today!
 
DougD said:
If it's truly a u-joint making a constant whine, that'll be a completely new one on me in well over 20 years of turning a wrench.

I guess that'll let me go to sleep now, too - I will have learned my new thing for today!

i to have about 18 years of the wrench turning thing and my AV is doing the same thing.

i am going to fix it monday

and my AV has about 55k when it started

i think that it is some thing wrong with the generals u-jounts
 
Hey, just to recap.  I finally got my u-joint situation fixed, the whole reason for the squeaking sound was the u-joint.  A new u-joint from the factory was around $75.00.  The stealership was trying to charge me like $250.00 for labor :rolleyes:...went to a local shop here and they charged $80.00 for labor (y).  Strange how the u-joint went bad, but all is well now.  Thanks again for the feedback from you guys and I hope this thread can help someone else in the future.
 
Both my front and rear u-joints were replaced by the dealer at 42,000 miles.  Dealer charged $225.00.  Cost to do it yourself would be under $50.00 with optional zerk grease fitting. 

They were squeaking !    The faster you went the faster the squeak.

I live in New York State where they use lots of sand and salt 5 months out of the year.
 
Old thread, I know but today it happened to me and I am just searching like a good boy should.  :love:

We were on a cruise at a GTG today and all of a sudden we all (4 of us in my Avalanche) hear loud squeaking. It was like a tire that is way out of alignment squealing on pavement. Then the next time I stop and take off it is rattling and clunking, , then it squeals again. Next it goes away and at this point I am thinking what the he!!

Well it comes back and is worse and at first we think that something let go in the E-Brake area and is clanging and rubbing the the rear hats. After we get to an area that will hold all of our Avalanches I take a couple of laps around the parking lot with several members listening and they all agree that it is a front u-joint. I think the they epoxy the factory joints and some of the epoxy let gos and squeaked at first. After a couple of stops it fell out and then the cap and bearing come out thus causing the clunking and rattling. So If I can get some help, I know what I will be doing tomorrow! Any recommendations for a good brand of u-joint and where to buy on a Sunday? might as well replace both while the drive shaft is out, right?


Butch
 
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