WTF Was That Noise!?!?!?!

I already tried searching for this answer through the search function and I feel my situation is unique (don't we all..), and wanted to see if anyone else has had a similar issue, or perhaps a "no big deal, this happens sometimes the world won't end and your sweet truck is good as gold" to offer.

So here is the skinny. I have a 2014 SR5 Double cab 4wd with about 45k on the clock, and an OME lift, and Dakar leafs. I installed the lift myself, and did so about 15k ago. I have done my maintenance intervals religiously and thoroughly, and also triple checked all of my torque specs on every nut and bolt I touched when installing the lift after one week of driving, and then a month out.

The issue cropped up today. After the truck sat for several days in the Michigan cold, I went out and warmed it up and began backing out of the driveway. Upon putting it in reverse I felt what initially felt like some binding as I cut the wheel and began backing up (was not in 4wd or anything weird). Without pushing on the accelerator at all a sudden clunk and then a clicking came from the rear-end and then what felt like the binding seemed to let go. I did not like the sound of this at all. I backed down the drive and then immediately pulled back to my parking spot and got out to see if I could notice anything. I went around the rear end, visually inspecting under the truck for anything noticeably loose or out of place, leaking, etc... Everything looked to be in order. I then rocked the truck up and down to see if I could hear anything out of the ordinary. Nothing...

Having somewhere to be I left it, and worried all damn day. Came back home, went around the truck again, crawled under the truck and everything looks fine. I took it out for a very slow test ride around the block and everything sounded fine at first. But, I now notice I have a clunk when I take corners or pull the driver side rear wheel up a curb as I approach the driveway. I did find a thread about this and it pointed to a couple of possibilities. I have noticed this noise once before, but was a while ago and before this new noise cropped up this morning. I will be looking into this matter further as I believe it is a separate issue.

My question is, what was that binding noise that suddenly felt like it broke free as I backed up? Was something frozen from sitting in the drive for several days? U-joints? The slip yoke or something like that? It sounded like I was going to see the rear end lying on the ground with gears and lube all over the drive when I got out of the truck.

 

Parking brake frozen. Most of the time people notice it when the truck won't fit forward, put it in reverse and it breaks loose.

 

I'd pull the drums in the rear and see if any of the little springs let loose when the brake shoes let free of the drums.

 

Would this occur without having used the parking brake when I parked it?

 

Was the e-brake on?

 

Was not. Just put in park. I should have specified it is an automatic as well.

 

did you have the parking brake on when the truck sat for a while? i'm thinking the (parking) brake shoes froze and when they snapped loose some of the hardware may have broken off (like the pins that hold the shoe to the backing plate). when the rear wheels go up a curb or drop off a curb the shoe is now shifting around inside the drum. take the rear drums off and look at your shoes and hardware.. see if any thing is bent broken or missing. when it goes back together make sure you lubricate the spots where the shoes contact the backing plate and lube the adjuster and lever that connects to the cable..

 

The shoes could rust to the drums without the e-brake on and when the truck moves they break free with a loud noise, possibly snapping a spring or damaging the shoes. Like I wrote above, pull the drums and inspect.

 

oops.. i just read it wasn't in park..

it sounds silly but maybe there was some water or mud in the drum that could freeze the shoe to the drum..

 

I agree with parking brake. Or a rear shoe frozen. Used to happen to my blazer when it was cold and I had to reverse. Every time.

 

Did ice melt out of the bed, drip onto the drive shaft, then re freeze? Happened to me once. Had to beat the drive shaft with a hammer to get the icicle to fall off. It made a terrible noise.

 

Did you have it in 4x4 moments before you pulled in the driveway and turned it off? I ask because I sometimes have to engage 4wd to pull up into my driveway and then turn the switch to off before turning the engine off and it stays engaged for a little bit the next time I turn it on. Lower temps seem to cause it to engage/disconnect over a much longer period of time. I've had mine clunk pretty good the next morning when I fire it up and start to reverse after it had been in 4wd when I pulled in. Being in the garage makes it sound especially loud. Just a thought.

 

Thanks everyone for the speedy replies. It appears one common denominator is cropping up here and that is the cold weather. Thankfully I have a beater to drive on these salty roads and keep the miles off the truck. I will certainly be making some rounds here when warm weather hits and will most certainly be checking the rear drums when I do. Thanks again. You guys are all awesome.

 

Go Seahawks!! and let the trolling begin!!

 

I have been let down by the Lions so many times when I heard they were in the playoffs I nearly fell out of my chair. My brother lives in Seattle now so it's just one more thing I get to hear him tell me the PNW does better than his home state.

With that being said, if the Hawks can't beat the Lions, they should just quit football and take up knitting.

 

shoot, they almost lost to the 49ers last week! the 9ers have only won 1 game this year..

 

Mine does this allot during early winter when I'm deer hunting. As I have to drive through 2 foot deep water holes to get to my hunting spot.
Then the rear brakes freeze to the drums while I'm hunting. Makes a hell of a clunking sound when it brakes loose. My GMC use to do the same thing. Maybe your brakes were wet when you parked it and the shoes froze in. I've never damaged the shoes doing this, but it's possible.

 

I drown the rear end a lot when fishing and the thing I do before parking is ride the brakes a bit to dry everything off so they don't lock up from sitting all day/night.