Siverado U Joint Problem?

Looking for a little help…

I just bought a 2001 Silverado about 2 months ago and haven’t had any problems with it until now…when I step on the gas lightly to get the truck going from being at a dead stop, there is a delay (verrry short) between the engine and the wheels turning-if that makes sense. When it does this, there is a small, low sound that sounds like a bird chirping-but its like a single note, not continuous. Any help? My first thought are the U-joints may be going bad-its not the tranny, because it shifts beautifully between all gears. It really happens most when I start from a dead stop and I am on any kind of hill. Also, when I shift into reverse, there is a small clunk, but putting it into any gear there is nothing, including drive. Any help or suggestions? Thanks a bunch guys!

Sounds about right! I have an avalanche that started doing that and it turned into a eh-ur, eh-ur, eh-ur, about 2 weeks later.

Dang. I had that problem with my 01 but cannot remember details. All I can remember is the dealer fixed it. My gut says its a known issue.

Its been going on for about a month now, but its getting worse time to get ‘er fixed. Anyone know what it ran price wise to fix it?

Yes replace when the noise gets unbearable. No problem unless pulling loads. Original are sealed so no way to grease. Last 60-100000 mi depending on luck. Greasable were no better than sealed for me.

Joints are $10 and hour or 2 labor. Mine ran $85-$100 plus parts. Local dealer wanted $400

If it is the u-joint it’s an easy job to do yourself, about a 2 on a scale of 1-10.

its super easy to do, i did mine….its literally 4 bolts and the whole drive shaft comes out

I only had 58000 on my ’05’ and had to replace them. Just dried up and could hardly turn them.

Check for play on the U joints but im willing to bet the chirp is your slip yoke. Lube the slip yoke and I’d bet the noise goes away. It seems to be a common issues with these trucks.

Agree with Pete… U-Joint will be a clunk.. easy test, go from D to R, back to D, should “clunk” when you step on the gas, everytime.

Quote:

---

Check for play on the U joints but im willing to bet the chirp is your slip yoke. Lube the slip yoke and I’d bet the noise goes away. It seems to be a common issues with these trucks.

---

There is a SB on this. They added a nickle plated slip yoke and then added lube.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Check for play on the U joints but im willing to bet the chirp is your slip yoke. Lube the slip yoke and I’d bet the noise goes away. It seems to be a common issues with these trucks.

---

There is a SB on this. They added a nickle plated slip yoke and then added lube.

---

X2

The Forward/Reverse sometimes can be a bit deceiving before they get really bad. If you jack it up and get the rear wheels off the ground and check for slop (in neutral) and the yoke also. My GMC was incredible smooth, even with a worn U-joint. No vibrations or sounds until it went. Unfortunately, when it did go, the rear housing of my Allison blew apart. Cheap set of U-joints that I didn’t know were bad cost about $2500 to have my trany fixed.

Thanks for all the help guys! Big G, you were right! Drive to reverse to drive…CLUNK

Quote:

---

Check for play on the U joints but im willing to bet the chirp is your slip yoke. Lube the slip yoke and I’d bet the noise goes away. It seems to be a common issues with these trucks.

---

Can this be done without any disassembly?

Get some paint and paint a mark on it so you don’t lose how it is indexed. It can make the job a lot shorter.

Quote:

---

If it is the u-joint it’s an easy job to do yourself, about a 2 on a scale of 1-10.

---

ummmmmmmmmm, not if it is the teflon-sealed-cap U-joints. Butane torch will work, but Oxy torch is MUCH easier. Burn off that teflon and it will fall apart. If you DO NOT burn off ALL of the teflon, have fun with a sledge hammer or big vice……….and get a snicker’s bar, cause “it’s going to be awhile”…….

When you burn the teflon seal out of the pin-hole, it squirts out. If it doesn’t squirt out, it ain’t coming apart!

Have fun!

Usually it is the rear joint that goes bad. As a rule you will replace rear joint twice before the front one goes out. Price will depend on whatever shop rate is plus the u-joint. Should only be about an hour labor. Anymore than that to replace one joint and something is wrong. Don’t wait too long because if comes apart and falls and hits the road you will have take the shaft to a driveline shop to straighten and rebalance. That gets $$$$$

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Check for play on the U joints but im willing to bet the chirp is your slip yoke. Lube the slip yoke and I’d bet the noise goes away. It seems to be a common issues with these trucks.

---

Can this be done without any disassembly?

---

I haven’t done it for a couple years – lots of You-Tube videos out there. Basically drop/remove the driveshaft and pack the inside of the slip yoke with a certain grease (I cannot remember what kind it was), then reinstall.

It was pretty straightforward and always worked for a while and then the problem would come back eventually. Like it was mentioned above, the long-term fix was getting a nickel plated slip yoke, but those aren’t cheap. It was way more prominent on my last truck (regular cab short box with coil over shocks and helper springs) creating a greater angle than a more level truck with a longer wheelbase. The greater angle just increased the amount the slip yoke needed to slide in and out.

I need new UJoints in my new (old) truck now as well and have a clunk in the driveline while shifting, but I’m 99.8% sure that the chirp/bump when accelerating from a dead stop is your slip yoke.