Anyone wanna play internet diagnosis (08 Yukon XL suspension noise)

[Daan1998]

My 08 Yukon XL has just started to make a weird noise. 60-75mph it’s a kind of humming or thrumming vibration. The tires are less than a year old, the front springs and struts/shocks are about a year old, a shop inspected it like 1.5 years ago and replaced the ball joints (I don’t know if they did upper or lower or both and I can’t find the paperwork for it now)The front differential was replaced last fall. I put load range E tires on it because we pull a big travel trailer, so I know they’re heavy tires that will ride rougher than the set we had before especially aired up to 80psi. My wife drives the truck to work (75-ish miles round trip) she hasn’t noticed anything other than the rough ride until a week or so ago. The truck tracks straight, it doesn’t bounce or act squirrely, it just feels like the engine has to push harder to get it up to speed and once it is, it makes the weird thrum. It doesn’t change pitch but it goes away below 55 or so. The last time I had it looked at I wondered if the wheel bearings were bad but that’s when they found the differential issue which completely went away after that service (and they said the bearings were fine)
I’ve had a couple wheel bearings go bad on my van and it started out like this but got much louder and more noticeable right away. I know hanging heavier tires on the truck can cause additional bearing wear, but it’s been since last fall that the tires were put on and it took until now for anything to change.
Sorry about the novel here but the 2 shops in my area can’t get me in until towards the end of august and I have 3 more trailer tows to do this summer yet… I don’t want to lose a wheel while pulling the camper or something.

 

[Doubeleive]

My 08 Yukon XL has just started to make a weird noise. 60-75mph it’s a kind of humming or thrumming vibration. The tires are less than a year old, the front springs and struts/shocks are about a year old, a shop inspected it like 1.5 years ago and replaced the ball joints (I don’t know if they did upper or lower or both and I can’t find the paperwork for it now)The front differential was replaced last fall. I put load range E tires on it because we pull a big travel trailer, so I know they’re heavy tires that will ride rougher than the set we had before especially aired up to 80psi. My wife drives the truck to work (75-ish miles round trip) she hasn’t noticed anything other than the rough ride until a week or so ago. The truck tracks straight, it doesn’t bounce or act squirrely, it just feels like the engine has to push harder to get it up to speed and once it is, it makes the weird thrum. It doesn’t change pitch but it goes away below 55 or so. The last time I had it looked at I wondered if the wheel bearings were bad but that’s when they found the differential issue which completely went away after that service (and they said the bearings were fine)
I’ve had a couple wheel bearings go bad on my van and it started out like this but got much louder and more noticeable right away. I know hanging heavier tires on the truck can cause additional bearing wear, but it’s been since last fall that the tires were put on and it took until now for anything to change.
Sorry about the novel here but the 2 shops in my area can’t get me in until towards the end of august and I have 3 more trailer tows to do this summer yet… I don’t want to lose a wheel while pulling the camper or something.

jack up the front wheels off the ground and check the wheel bearings.

 

[15burban]

I 2nd checking the wheel bearings.

Not to go off topic but do you run 80 psi in the tires all the time?

 

[Daan1998]

I 2nd checking the wheel bearings.

Not to go off topic but do you run 80 psi in the tires all the time?

No, only when we’re pulling the trailer. Otherwise it’s 55-60psi

 

[Joseph Garcia]

As @Doubeleive recommended, get it on a lift that can also raise the wheels up while it is on the lift. If the wheel bearings are not the source of the issue, have 1 mechanic be in the truck and put it in gear and accelerate until you get up to speed. Have a second mechanic go underneath and look/listen for the sound/vibration. The mechanic may also use a stethoscope to zero in on the source of the noise.

 

[j91z28d1]

you sure it doesn't change tone or frequency when you're on and off the throttle at that speed? like seems better at full throttle, worse at cruise and better if you manually down shift off the gas?


are you hearing a Humm or feeling it?

 

[Daan1998]

you sure it doesn't change tone or frequency when you're on and off the throttle at that speed? like seems better at full throttle, worse at cruise and better if you manually down shift off the gas?


are you hearing a Humm or feeling it?

I tried putting it in Neutral while on the freeway a couple times-the noise stayed the same and didn’t change with the engine revs. I think part of it is the wind noise covers it up so I just can’t hear it. I think I feel the vibration as much as hear it, if that makes sense.

 

[j91z28d1]

I tried putting it in Neutral while on the freeway a couple times-the noise stayed the same and didn’t change with the engine revs. I think part of it is the wind noise covers it up so I just can’t hear it. I think I feel the vibration as much as hear it, if that makes sense.

I just always think of drive shaft vibrations when I hear of odd vibrations. I think have ptsd from chasing a vibration for years in a different car and it ended up being a simple drive shaft.


if you feel in more in your seat/butt, it kinda a humming feeling, it will mostly get faster with mph, not engine rpm. but normally will feel less under load from acceleration or down shifting. worse when the drive-line is unloaded like cruise or neutral. it can come and go at different speeds, like it's there at 60, but don't feel it as 70, is horrible at 90 but it's consistent. Just changes harmonics at different speeds and some times it hits one you don't feel much.

hopefully it's something else thou.

 

[Daan1998]

I just always think of drive shaft vibrations when I hear of odd vibrations. I think have ptsd from chasing a vibration for years in a different car and it ended up being a simple drive shaft.

hopefully it's something else thou.

I mean, all the U-joints on there have 300k+ on them… I can certainly check those too.

 

[j91z28d1]

if you can safely get it off the ground and in neutral so the driveline isn't under tension. you can usually just pull up and down on them and watch for movement.


replacing them is a whole other ribbit hole lol. I wouldn't touch them unless you know forsure they are bad. end up making problems where they're are none.