Horrible metal on metal sound. Intermittent? Everything looks fine? Vid

Howdy all-

I recently treated myself to a well maintained first gen, 4x4 3.4L automatic. Drove it home, probably 3k miles including drive home and since.

Last weekend I drove an hour away to pick up a camper shell. My truck started making this horrible grinding noise, going along with the speed of the vehicle (not the engine). It would randomly come on, last about 10 seconds, and leave on its own (or any time I stopped to check it out).

When I got home I pulled a wheel, no visible issues. Looked underneath, no visible issues. Nothing is wet, no u-joints looked bad, no play in anything or grease splattered anywhere.

I took it to a local shop with a good reputation, they test drove and put it on the lift. Couldn't reproduce the problem, and didn't see anything on the lift. It happened probably 6 times in the duration of my trip to get the cap.

Any ideas? Could it be an issue with the manual locking hub? The driver's side is tough to turn between free and lock, have to use channel locks. Video included:

Also- the spare tire moves around a bit (original mounting spot). Is there supposed to be anything to hold it in place besides the mechanism that retracts via cable?

Thanks in advance for any info

https://youtu.be/nJdsHX-jfSU

In the video it almost sounds like a heat shield rattling- it is much louder and heavier sounding/feeling. I also checked the brake dust shields, they are also not contacting anything.

 

Cute scarf bro

I can't really hear anything helpful the video. Its probably better to have someone walk around/under the truck and find where its strongest.
Spare tire wobbling is normal but you should be able to tighten it a little if its excessive.

 

I've seen this happen when a pebble gets caught in the caliper. Grinds flat for a bit, noise goes away, hit the brakes, pebble shifts, grinds flat for a bit, noise goes away. If you hear it again try to pinpoint the corner it's coming from and then really look closely at the caliper, brake disc for grooves, carrier, etc.

 

Sounds like a bad wheel bearing

 

In person it seems to sound a lot different. A wheel bearing fails kind of gradually, and with more of a whurring sound than a grind like this. Strange that this is intermittent as well. And never happens on city streets only occasionally on the highway

 

Heh that's my roommate's, she was the one taking the video

The purse is mine though

Problem being if I slow down the sound goes away

 

It only does it when the truck is moving or will it happen in neutral at a stop? Might help eliminate some options

I agree it sounds like something in the caliper or dust shield, I've had that happen in the trail a few times but it usually clears out by itself. Usually a sharper sound though, yours is more of a low grind.

 

Only occasionally when the truck is moving. If you watch the video until the end (only ~20 seconds or so, not brutal) you can hear how it goes away with immediacy

Perhaps some metal is just out of tolerance enough when it heats up? I have to be driving on the highway for a reasonable amount of time before I hear it. Was hoping it was just something I couldn't see because I didn't have a lift, shop couldn't see anything either

 

No, and there was a recall on those cables rusting and dropping your spare onto the highway and through people's windshields. I recommend dropping the spare and checking out to see if the cable is compromised.

 

Oh damn. I checked it out a few weeks ago, looked clean. Even made a lil Instagram story heh

 

Check the fender liners for missing fasteners. They can and do rub when loose.

 

Fender liners proper as well.

Also curious- with the hubs being hard to turn between free and lock, is there a way to free them up? Or do I have to disassemble to grease

 

Disassemble, clean and grease

 

Just found this write up, will do thanks

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116/aisin-locking-hubs-tear-down-build-up-158644/

 

Driver's side axle was bad, and locking hub was totally seized. All good now.

Edit: carrier bearing, rear transmission mount, and steering rack bushings all had some play. Replaced them as well.

 

This happened to me once. Sounds terrible but it’s the world’s simplest fix

 

Might be your skid plate or oil-filter skid plate’s screws not tight enough, that they sometimes start rattling when cruising at highway speeds?

 

Looks like it’s been solved!

 

I’m having an intermittent grind as well. I’ve taken it to 4 different shops trying to find out what it is. Each time I’ve been told they couldn't find anything wrong nor reproduce the grinding. Do you remember when you heard the sound could you also feel the grinding through your floorboard? How did you finally find out it was the axle?