Noise while slowing down

[jraker]

When slowing down either coasting or with brakes, I have a low noise that is definitely rotational. It kind of reminds me of mud tires but I don't have mud tires. I do have some mild cupping on the front and was going to get the alignment check and rotation this next week. Truck has 196000 miles on it. Has a ton of new parts over the years and most seals have been replaced and filled with synthetic fluids. Transmission is only 1 year old on the rebuild. Noise does sound like it is coming from below me but I have hearing damage from an explosion so my sound direction is often off. My wife can hear it too but she says the same thing. I first notice it around 40 MPH and lower. I don't detect any vibration either. I never hear it when I am accelerating but the truck is loud so it may be there, but you can't hear it over the cummins. We took a video of the drive shaft and it has some play that I don't know if that is normal. It is in the bushing after the transmission. I am told by my Chevy neighbors that would not be good on a Dmax. One last bit of information is the shocks are coming close to 80k miles on it. Not sure that matters.

 

[Ozymandias]

Any play in a driveshaft is not normal, must be tight in any direction.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Is this a 4x4 or 4x2 Truck? you mentioned the sound being beneath you.

Either way I agree with Ozy, check your drive shafts, then the tires/alignment and shocks.

If the front tires are cupped, try moving them to the rear and test driving to see if the noise moves farther away.

 

[SSovaiko]

I have similar sound on an 08 3500 4x4. I removed the front driveshaft while troubleshooting u joints and the noise went away. Spinning the transfer case output flange I can hear/feel that output bearing rumbling, so I will be rebuilding this transfer case in the near future. Your noise source may be similar.

 

[jraker]

Noise is fixed. It turned out to be the front Pinion bearing. The crush sleeve was destroying the bearing. Replace bearing race and all and it is back to normal. In the process I also replaced both drive shafts ubolts and also the carrier bearing. I started with the later first as the carrier bearing had a ton of play. That was not it but needed to be done anyway.

 

[SSovaiko]

Well, that makes two of us with front pinion bearing issues this winter! New pinion bearings solved my problem, as well.