2006 GMC Envoy Denali Front end metal on metal noise?

DerrickG

Original poster
Member
Apr 30, 2013
24
Hey all My wifes Envoy is making a metal on metal noise in the front end when she cranks the wheel and hits some bumps. At first I thought it was the break dust shield so I took the front tires off and spun them but no noise... While I was in there I noticed I need to do upper ball joints but dont think that this would make that kind of noise. I had her drive around while I was walking next the the vehicle but still could not pin point the sound. Any ideAs?
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
Spinning tires while the suspension is extended isn't the same as having the weight on it. How many miles? I'd suspect wheel bearings, which almost never make noise when unleaded because the past of the bearing race in use is different when the wheel is hanging versus being pushed up upon.

Was it a clank, pop, or a grinding noise?
 

DerrickG

Original poster
Member
Apr 30, 2013
24
Good to know, I put it up with a load on it and try it. Its more of a sound like someone taking a pice of tin and dragging it on the cement. It has 96k miles on it and Im unsure of the history if anything has been changed.
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
Could you fill out the vehicle profile? If I knew it was 4WD, I'd know to recommend checking the front differential fluid level, and make sure the transfer case fluid was changed religiously every 50K as required. A dry diff can make a lot of noise.
 

DerrickG

Original poster
Member
Apr 30, 2013
24
I updated the info, I check the fluids when we got it back in Aug and everything was fine but I guess it wont hurt to check again
 

gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
When you took the tires off and rotated the hub, did you tighten a couple lug nuts back to get everything back into position? Place a jack under the lower control arm and rotate the tire again, the hubs make the worst noises when badly worn and generally show no movement.
 
May 5, 2013
434
i reciently had to have a front wheel bearing replaced and the sound that it was making was just like a peice of metal draging the pavement. at first i thought the exhaust had let go enough to just barely snick the road here and there.
 

MixMastaMM

Member
Dec 14, 2011
23
I just started hearing a similar sound on my 06 4wd TB. Checked the front diff last night and it has plenty of fluid in it. I noticed that the sound does not change when turning left or right. Looks like its new wheel bearings for me....
 

DerrickG

Original poster
Member
Apr 30, 2013
24
Well guys this is what I found, I turned the wheels at full lock and crawled under and started looking what I found was a very rusted dust cover for the breaks we being pushed in by the upright bar that runs from the upper ball joint to the lower control arm. So I took a flathead and did some scrapping and bent it out just a tad. That extra rust must have made it stick out a little bit allowing it to be pushed into the break rotor. Also While I was under there I checked the front diff fluid and she looked to be really old so I quick change that out. Thanks all for the help!!
 

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