Maddening undercarriage rattle!

[Z71Tahoe2004]

I'm being driven nuts by what sounds like a rattle (maybe even a squeak, too) that I hear only when I go over small bumps on holes in the road. It doesn't happen when I go over speedbumps or anything large like that...so it's like the "micro terrain" is the only thing that causes the noise. Mostly from the right side, and it happens as soon as the tires hit the small bumps. I've had a mechanic listen to it while driving down the road with me and he couldn't identify it. He put it up on a lift and banged around under there looking for loose parts, but couldn't find anything. I've checked the undercarriage, too, to include the exhaust hangars and nothing seems loose. I've been told by (non mechanics) that it could be a wheel bearing. Anyone had anything similar or have any ideas?

2004 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (5.3L)
207,400 miles

Thanks folks!

 

[cmc76]

I had something similar. Had to climb under while someone jumped on the bumper .Was a blown rear shock.
Same truck btw

 

[Doubeleive]

your going to want to inspect your brakes, sway bars, end links, control arms, bushings, shocks as mentioned and basically anything else bolted under the truck, I had a similar problem once and it was a loose bumper bracket found it by accident when I bumped into the bumper just right and it wiggled, then another time it was a upper control arm bolt was loose and had worn a egg shape slot into the frame couldn't see it until you loosened the control arm bolt enough to see behind it, ended up welding a big fat washer to the frame there was no other way to fix it.

 

[Z71Tahoe2004]

I had something similar. Had to climb under while someone jumped on the bumper .Was a blown rear shock.
Same truck btw

I've wondered if it might be one of the shocks. That wouldn't be something that would be found with the truck on a lift, so that would be a good place to start. Both front shocks definitely need to be replaced - way too much bounce in the front end when I rock the front bumper. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Z71Tahoe2004]

your going to want to inspect your brakes, sway bars, end links, control arms, bushings, shocks as mentioned and basically anything else bolted under the truck, I had a similar problem once and it was a loose bumper bracket found it by accident when I bumped into the bumper just right and it wiggled, then another time it was a upper control arm bolt was loose and had worn a egg shape slot into the frame couldn't see it until you loosened the control arm bolt enough to see behind it, ended up welding a big fat washer to the frame there was no other way to fix it.

Thanks Wes! At some point soon, I need to get after replacing the front suspension anyway. Even if that's not where the noise is coming from, it's in need of the attention up there anyway!

 

[Doubeleive]

also check all your heat shrouds I just recently had a rattle at just the right idle and it turned out to be the passenger side transmission heat shroud on my Silverado, had one hitting my exhaust pipe under the hood once too that one took a good while to find even though it was right in front of your face if you looked at it, lol