Massive squeak noise only when moving, not at idle or rev when parked, NOT driveshaft

[Darknight1]

A few months back I had the chirp noise and vibration at 30mph. As per advice and usual, it was rear ujoint on front prop shaft.

A local driveshaft company I have used for 30 years knew the issues of these, and already custom makes heavy duty shafts with Jeep greasable ujoints and special center coupling/ball piece. THey put it in and all was well and drives great.

A few weeks ago I noticed a squeak. Sounds like a squeaky wheel actually, gets loud but is inconsistent. Sometimes starts right when moving, sometimes at 30, sometimes stops when let off gas, sometimes doesnt stop until you stop.

It sounds like it is directly under us, but i have gone over the front shaft about 50 times. It is perfect. No cracks, not loose bolts, plenty of heavy duty grease, and rear shaft is the same.

I pulled serpentine belt and grabbed all pulleys, nothing loose or not loose to me, nothing makes noise when I spin. Besides, if I am in park and rev motor, no noise.

Only thing I notice is my brakes, all 4, are stating to get grooves in rotors and need pads in about 2000 miles or less, so ordered some d/s rotors and green pads. I read the rear brakes have a plate or something that can make noise, but most of my experience wit brakes is a whistle or screach, not a squeaky wheel sound.

There is no vibration, other than typical big radial/truck type tire and doing 80 mph on different roads. Accelerates great and strong, no pulling, no looseness, NO engine codes or any codes. Stops great as well.

Any ideas appreciated, hoping brake job solves it. I am confident its not driveshaft, so not worried of driving it, but it is annoying and loud at times.

[Disco Mike]

What year is the truck, do you have CDL and if so and it is the front drive shaft, I would remove it and engage the CDL so you can drive on the rear shaft. If the noise is gone, the front shaft has failed.
Was your front shaft rebuilt with 3 new u-joints and a centering ball or replaced with a different style shaft, if so, does it have a double cardon housing ?

[ciwhamc]

Mine did this. Did you grease the centering Ball on the rear joint of the front driveshaft. I could not see the hidden nipple untill I removed the driveshaft. Mine was EXACTALY THE SAME SYMPTOMS as yours. There should be 3 nipples at the rear joint. 5 total on the front shaft.

My driveafaft was only 1 month old when I needed to regrease the centering ball. It should have a flush or needle grease Zerk. The centering ball one is acceseable when you bend the u-joint to give acces to the ball grease fitting.

What I did to find this was put 1 front tire up in the air and support with jackstand. then put the it in nuetral Then get under the truck and spin that lifted wheel and I found the noise on my new front driveshaft. I tried greaseing the zerks. No luck I could not get the grease to go in the joints so I stopped by the driveline shop where I got the shaft. They told me that getting the grease in the needle zerks is hard. You have to have the needle adaptor for your grease gun (I did). But you also have to be straigt on to the fitting off to the side at all and grease won't go in. They also told me about the centering ball grease joint and that I would have to remove the shaft to get it. It was kindof a pain but once I greased it the noise is gone. Now I plan on greaseing the center ball every oil change.

[AxeAngel]

Just read this. Had horrific squeaking yesterday. Horrific. On my way back from a regulatory test a few hours away and decided to take a logging road back for the scenery.

I've never heard such bad squeaking and chirping. Driveshaft has 20k on it since rebuild and lots of grease in it.

Since I have to remove the shaft should I just rebuild it again?

-Sam

[ciwhamc]

No it is just a lack of grease on the rubber seal for the centering ball. The joint has grease but not the rubber seal. Just regreaae.

[AxeAngel]

Did you have a lot of squeaking? Like a horrific amount when on bumps? But dead quiet on normal roads?

-Sam

[ciwhamc]

Yrs so loud I was embarrassed to drive it.

[AxeAngel]

Ok, its not the driveshaft. Running with it disconnected steal squeaks. Only squeaks when the suspension is moving.

If i hit the brakes, while the truck is stopped(but bouncing), it squeaks. I turn and get some body roll it squeaks.

I drive over ruts or cracks, it squeaks.

Any ideas?

-Sam

[ciwhamc]

If you shake the truck when stationary does it squeak?

[AxeAngel]

I cant get it to squeak loud enough, but yes it does squeak a little.

-Sam