First post here, hoping for ideas. 2004 Blazer, 4.3L engine, 4WD, A/C. Intermittent rubbing/grinding noise, no way to predict when it will occur. Sometimes within 20 minutes, sometimes will go hours and not occur.

When it happens, it starts fairly quietly, like a mild rubbing as a high pitch, but quickly becomes much louder and the dashboard vibrates. As I come to a stop the noise becomes very loud, and the pitch of the sound gets lower. Upon coming to a complete stop, there is a quiet "klunk" sound. If I drive away, the sound disappears for an unpredictable period.

During noise, I have put vehicle in neutral and turned engine off. Noise continued until vehicle stopped. Link to audio file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/134KvYKOCKDN47R1O0kKZVopPp9Lgwefe/view?usp=drivesdk

Brakes are all new, wife has replaced: right front axle, right front bearing hub. Vibration seemed to be more on passenger side. Please help, wife unhappy with Blazer.

 

No audio file there - 4WD? if so was the axle nut torqued to proper specks, just guessing but it still could be a hub bearing

 

Maybe it could be as simple as a front end alignment??? I would rotate all 4 tires, balance them and get an alignment. Look for any strange wear of the tires. Just my guess, I am sure someone with more knowledge will add their thoughts soon, good luck and please report back when you get the problem resolved.

 

The Google drive link should work if copied to browser address bar, it's a .WAV file. Let me know what error you get from the link.

Doesn't matter if in 4wd, same behavior.

 

Ok it is a 4WD and as it is the front axle shaft going thu the hub and outer nut applies the bearing torque, too little or too much torque the bearing will not be set right, causing either bearing slop and or binding.

I reread the org post, the pas side is the right hand side so if you had the left { drivers side } hub bearing replaced the pass. side hub could be going out as well.

 

It made the noise today, I hit the button to go from 2HI to 4HI and noise stopped without the vehicle coming to a rest.

 

By shifting to 4W hi it changes torque in front end parts, could be as simple as caliper is loose from the brake service and not attached right,
Jack up the front end and support it safely, grab the tire buy the sides and top and bottom and see if there is any back or forth movement in the hub bearings, spin the tire in both directions and feel for any drag or noise while spinning,
Remove the tire and check the attachment pins for the caliper make sure they are tight and not letting the caliper move sideways and rock,
Not being there to look for myself I'm still guessing a bad hub

 

The gear in the kit was the issue, it was chewed up. Also replaced sleeve and actuator switch on differential. So far so good.

--old post--
I think I might know what it is. Going to make sure the actuator vacuum switch is OK to avoid destroying new parts.

I got a Dorman 600-561 Differential Carrier Gear Kit, but need another part.