So I have had this ticking noise for a couple of weeks (or just now noticed) and "assumed" is was a rock stuck in my RR tire. I wasn't too concerned thinking it would kick itself out soon, inspected the tires every so often but never saw anything. Put on the lift this weekend and no rock,nail or debris of any type. So i crawled up in the truck and started, put in drive and crawled back down to listen. At about 45+ speedo reading (no load) the rear end started rattling like crazy, slight touch of the brakes rattle goes away. Through all of this I couldn't reproduce the ticking noise. So question is do I worry about the no load rattle??? The ticking noise is going to drive me crazy, doesn't start till around 35 MPH and goes away on a side load (curve in road). Braking and acceleration has no affect or change in the ticking noise. Hoping maybe somebody has experienced this befor and can point me in the right direction.

 

It sure sounds like something at axle speed if side loading causes it to change. When you had it in the air, did you spin the wheel by hand feeling for any weirdness? Was there excessive play (in/out or up/down) in the axle.

Have you done any recent work back there?

I had the clips on the rear caliper brackets a bit off to one side in my old 2000 Bravada and it would make a noise every so often. It drove me nuts and I can't tell you how many times I took things apart before I figured it out.

 

Spun the wheels by hand and listen with a stethoscope. The only thing I ever heard was what sounded like the gears meshing at the wheel bearing flange on both sides and on the gear housing.....no grinding or squealing.

 

Might want to check rear axle bearings; with rear end off the ground, remove wheels and take one caliper pin out so the caliper and be rotated up; then lift up on the axle flange to check for movement.