I had a 1988 S-10 blazer 4wd and ever time I drove over potholes, train tracks etc. A rattleing came from the front suspension, it sounded as if a tool was left somewhere on top of the cross member, thats how loud it was, well, that truck was a piece of crap and I was only using it for a commuter car so i never really cared.

I recently bought a 1992 fill size K1500 which I love, Ive tuned it up, put new belts hoses, shocks and braks on it, cleaned it up and I drive it every day, but every time I have the windows down I hear the same exact rattle, this is wierd, so yesterday I jacked it up under the control arms ball joints were surprisingly tight on both sides for 140k (maybe previouls owner had them done) tie rods were tight, upper and lower control arms were tight, bushings looked good, links and swaybars intact, tight and bushings looked good. I put 4 shocks in it the first week I had it and they are still tight I checked the bolts. While the front end was up on the jack stands I wacked the tires with a dead blow as hard as I could, nothing, put the truck down bounced the front end up and down as far as I could, nothing. I see there are sway bar rods coming from the frame to the lower control arms, those bushings appeared to be tight as well. Drove it around.... same god damn noise!

Now, i have always been more of a car guy but I find it wierd that of the three trucks I have owned and 2 being 4wd blazers they both have the same noise, is there something that I should know, are the front drive shaftes prone to ratteling or something, it felt tight too.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or similar experiances.

 

Sounds to me like failing ball joints. The lowers are usually the first to go... Only other thing would possibly be a failing cv joint on the outer drive shaft...

 

try checking the passenger side hood hinge had the same kind of noise in my 99 s10 blazer drove me nuts trying to find noise.

 

I have a 2001 trailblazer witha similar noise when i drive over big bumps like train tracks and such, to me it sounds as if its the steering column shaking and I can move it a bit from under the hood. it drives me crazy as well and the garage says nothing is loose.