Clicking in rear wheels on 2016 Ram 3500 SRW

I have googled this to the point my fingers and brain hurts. Almost all returns for this search return "bad CV Joint" which does not apply. I have a 6.7L 2016 Laramie Longhorn crew cab 3500 SRW with the Aisin transmission with 106k miles. The noise quickens in clicking with the increase in speed. I have checked the following:

- Center Carrier Bearing
- Rear wheel bearings
-Just had rear axle seals and pinion seal and rear parking break shoes (soaked due to seal leak) replaced by dealer
- no play in any U-Joint or pinion shaft that I could detect. Used crowbar and 6 foot extension to try to move.
- Had the rear end up on jack stands and put truck in drive and let it idle and no clicking sound. Only happens with vehicle on ground.
- Ran along side as son drove vehicle at idle and the sound is coming from the wheel / brake area.
- when he lightly applies or harder, the brake the sound goes away
- Had all windows down and lightly sped up to 20 and clicking becomes more frequent and when brakes are applied lightly or harder, sound goes away.
- No I do not have any nails or rocks in my tires.

I need some help please and really don't want to take it back to the dealer as they are not the best, which is my fear.

I am sorry if i missed anything here.

 

Did it start after the dealer fixed the seals and parking brakes?

 

More than likely, but cannot guarantee. I am rarely not driving my truck and only noticed when my son took my truck to the grocery store and was pulling into the driveway. It clicked without any suspension movement. When I am driving, I have the windows up 99% of the time and music playing. Cant hear it with windows up and no music. The dealership is less than helpful with anything. Only went to them because I needed work done and could not do it myself at the time because of weather and lack of space at house during winter.

 

If you could do this test again and note if the sound of the click happens with one revolution of the tire or if there are multiple clicks in one revolution of the tire. My bet is one click per revolution which would identify as an axle / brake condition and not a drive shaft condition.

I would suspect a brake pad is contacting a high spot on the rotor and moving the caliper which is causing the audible click. A little rotor run-out is normal as this is partly how the brake pads are pushed away from the rotor when the brake pedal is released. However, if the caliper mount sliding hardware is missing a part or is assembled incorrectly, the clicking sound could very well be a symptom. Of course, when the brakes are applied, the caliper is anchored and the sound disappears.

At minimum I would remove the rear tire and inspect the brake and rotor installation. You may be able to duplicate the click by hand.

- John

 

Thanks John. I will do that. Find some chalk or tape to mark the tire rotation clearly. I will respond back when testing is complete.

Shawn

 

Brake pads wrong installed, wrong hardware or cheap stuff.

What you probably hear ist the brake pads bouncing up and down within the caliper bracket.
And it does that more within corners and disappears with light application of the brake as then the pads are solid to the caliper bracket.
As the wheel itself is unsuspended weight, even the smallest imperfection of the road surface makes the pads bounce.
Very common sound.

 

Good evening Gentlemen, well the sound is gone. It was once per revolution. Decided to go get new shoes for the truck and take advantage of the wheels being off. How it started clicking, only the Ram Mechanic will ever know. I spun the "wheels" and heard the clicking without the rims and tires on. I asked them to make sure all the bolts were tight on the brakes and nothing was loose. I watched them and nothing moved.

I can't explain it. And that bugs me.

Thank you both for the insight. I wish I could say definitively exactly what it was.

 

Is the center cap of your wheel loose? I have aftermarket wheels from Discount Tire here in Az and the center caps screw on with a couple hex bolts each. Sometimes when I get the wheels warm while towing, the screws can come loose and the center cap rattles slightly or "clicks" as my son noticed. Maybe?