New noise...any ideas?

[DenaliAK]

So, I have this lovely new clunking noise when I go over bumps. Sounds like it's heavy, metal, and under the car. Only happens on bigger bumps or series of bumps.

My first thought is that the spare has worked itself a little loose. As soon as I figure out how to tighten it (the instructions for a 2003 are ridiculously confusing...I hope I never get a flat) I will try that. Also thought maybe my exhaust had fallen off a bracket somewhere. Don't have the truck at the moment, so I can't actually trouble-shoot, so I'm just looking for ideas and places to start once I do get it (i.e. when the wife comes home).

If it's not that, anyone have ideas on what else it could be?

 

[Modded]

Something is loose somewhere.
Do you have a altered suspension?

 

[DenaliAK]

Nope, pretty much stock suspension setup.

 

[yukonjacks]

How many miles, sure it isnt coming from the intermediate steering shaft?

 

[Modded]

I can bet itss the shaft as they are know to go out!?

 

[fatnlowtahoe504]

hope a shock bolt didnt break

 

[DenaliAK]

How many miles, sure it isnt coming from the intermediate steering shaft?

It's got about 114,000 miles. Never even heard of the intermediate steering shaft....any other symptoms with this? And how much is it gonna cost me to fix if it is that? I just keep dumping money into this and that on this truck and it's getting annoying to keep it functional.

 

[Modded]

Shatfs are cheap, its a know GM problem on the SUVs/trucks Pre-07.
Get them at www.gmpartsdirect.com

 

[DenaliAK]

Shatfs are cheap, its a know GM problem on the SUVs/trucks Pre-07.
Get them at www.gmpartsdirect.com

Thanks...it is pretty cheap. Hopefully it's something small like that. Going out into the chill to figure out how to tighten the spare......

---------- Post added at 05:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:25 PM ----------

Crisis averted...but barely.

Somehow lost a nut on one of my shocks and the bolt was almost all the way out. Only thing holding it in place was the weight of the vehicle. Literally had about 1/2 inch of bolt left in the hole holding the entire thing in place. Easy, free fix, since the shop just replaced my shocks a couple of weeks ago. I took it in and told them they were going to fix it, now. And they did. They put a self-locking nut on it this time and checked the rest of the shocks.

No more clunking and I caught it before my shock fell off. Yay!

 

[Modded]

Yeah you lucked out today!!
When you said it was only over bumps I suspected that but most shock bolts from factory are self-locking so though it was not that.
Its always good to have self locking nuts or use thread locker in suspension work!