2012 PPV Tahoe w/ Bearing Noise

[ATLPPV]

Hey guy's, I've been lurking for a while and enjoying the info on this forum. I bought my PPV about a year and a half ago. It's been a great vehicle so far but I'm a little stumped at the moment with some noise. All 4 wheel bearings had some noise/play and have been replaced but there's still a very loud bearing/rotational sound at speed.

It's a little quieter at low speeds but the sound is loudest at about 65-70mph. At those speeds you have to speak up when talking to passengers it's so loud. My gut tells me it may be transmission related but just curious if anyone else has had a similar symptom in a 6L80e? The sound doesn't change if you rev in Neutral/Park but does get louder with speed and then quiets down some after 75ish. I do feel a little converter shudder when accelerating sometimes and every once and a while get a harsh shift but for the most part it's pretty smooth sailing.

It doesn't seem like a u-joint or tires (new Falken's about 6m ago) but I'm open to any advice/ideas.

 

[iamdub]

Rear end?

 

[Doubeleive]

Hey guy's, I've been lurking for a while and enjoying the info on this forum. I bought my PPV about a year and a half ago. It's been a great vehicle so far but I'm a little stumped at the moment with some noise. All 4 wheel bearings had some noise/play and have been replaced but there's still a very loud bearing/rotational sound at speed.

It's a little quieter at low speeds but the sound is loudest at about 65-70mph. At those speeds you have to speak up when talking to passengers it's so loud. My gut tells me it may be transmission related but just curious if anyone else has had a similar symptom in a 6L80e? The sound doesn't change if you rev in Neutral/Park but does get louder with speed and then quiets down some after 75ish. I do feel a little converter shudder when accelerating sometimes and every once and a while get a harsh shift but for the most part it's pretty smooth sailing.

It doesn't seem like a u-joint or tires (new Falken's about 6m ago) but I'm open to any advice/ideas.

can you take a video of the noise, make it more than a few seconds, then upload it to youtube and link the video in here. then we will be able to provide more input/idea's

 

[hemi5oh]

My 14 just started making a howling noise too. I'm pretty sure it's the rear end. Sounds like tires, but I don't think it is. I have serviced the rear diff and didn't notice anything out of place. I'm thinking this may be the right time to swap in a 3.73 rear end from an avalanche. I know the bolt in part will be easy, just not sure about what would need done so the speedometer isn't off and the abs doesn't act up.

 

[1BADI5]

Pinion bearing?

I love my new acquired '10 PPV, but I want some 3.55s or 3.73s. New gears gives me a reason to get a tune done though

 

[ATLPPV]

Thanks for the ideas. I just had the rear wheel bearings replaced two weeks ago so I hope they would have seen/felt something in the rear end but who knows.

I tried to get a video on the way home from work today but it was raining pretty hard and traffic was way too slow. I'll get one in the morning and load it asap.

Not to sound stupid but if it's the rear end making the noise is that just normally just a bearing swap or a whole new LSD center section? I've read our rear ends are fairly weak to begin with so might not be a bad idea to upgrade it either way. And true could be a nice time to swap gears. I don't have any crazy plans but would like to do a stage 2 BTR cam once the bearing sound is fixed.

 

[ATLPPV]

Sorry for the one handed shaky camera but tried to get the RPM/Speed for reference:

 

[iamdub]

Thanks for the ideas. I just had the rear wheel bearings replaced two weeks ago so I hope they would have seen/felt something in the rear end but who knows.

I tried to get a video on the way home from work today but it was raining pretty hard and traffic was way too slow. I'll get one in the morning and load it asap.

REALLY sounds and acts like ring and pinion noise from worn teeth, but could be a roached pinion bearing (although slack here can cause irregular wear in the pinion and ring gear teeth). Did the shop replace the bearings on the carrier or just the outer axle/wheel bearings?

Not to sound stupid but if it's the rear end making the noise is that just normally just a bearing swap or a whole new LSD center section? I've read our rear ends are fairly weak to begin with so might not be a bad idea to upgrade it either way. And true could be a nice time to swap gears. I don't have any crazy plans but would like to do a stage 2 BTR cam once the bearing sound is fixed.

Unless it's noise that happens when turning, the differential/carrier/center section is fine in that aspect. The diff can be pulled and the bearings on each side can be replaced. If the ring gear and pinion teeth are worn, those are replaced separately as well since the ring gear bolts to the diff. The style of LSD (if you have RPO G80 for the Eaton Gov-Lock) is what's "weak". It's okay in most normal driving instances but when worn/aged, it has a tendency to hang up and/or just grenade. The way it operates puts a lot of stress on itself with the shock load from it's sudden and hard engagement. IMO, common lack of maintenance (oil change) is the primary killer outside of abuse and age.

 

[ATLPPV]

Thanks! They replaced the outer axle bearings but said the carrier ones looked good. I wish they had just replaced them while it was apart but they called me after it was done.

I do have the G80 locker w/ the GU4 3.08 ring, if I swap out to a 3.23 or 3.42 does it need any programming or just a ring and pinion swap? Turning doesn't change any sounds so the carrier may be ok for now. I'm at about 115,000 miles right now but being a PPV I'm sure it's had it's fair share of spirited driving. I'd rather get it done once and done right so I'm almost considering having the carrier replaced with the ring/pinion if that's what's worn just so I hopefully don't have to go into the rear end again like this time.

Is there a preferred brand for a carrier or ring/pinion, I don't want to have a set of weak gears that take a crap again haha.

 

[1BADI5]

From a tech........anytime you open up the rear end, you rebuild the whole thing. If you change one bearing, it throws the tolerances off for everything else off. All the bearings and seals, master rebuild kit and done.