I have a 04 2500HD dmax at 7700 miles it felt like the truck had 4 wheel steering when only turning right. Then I was told the truck was dogtracking to the right ( rear further to the right than the front). Took truck to have alignment checked and their was nothing out of specs. ( 4wheel trust alignment at that) The alignment tech said it was impossilble until he followed the truck down the street and saw it for himself. The dealer nor GM want to acknoledge this problem but have attempted to repair it 9 times in less than a year. The rear tires leave a rubber dust on rear bed side and it will drive real squirrly when it does this, that the bad part of this problem it does it mostley after I've been driving for a while and now it feels like the drive line is binding up and vibrating. The dealer has replaced leafsprings, leafspring bushings, rear shackles, rear end clutches, and said they replaced the carrier but they also said they had to pull it out of a truck they had in stock since they ordred the wrong parts for my truck. I do a lot of towing with this truck and cover a lot of miles ( 79000 in 10 months ) I pull a 21ft car trailer about 95% of the time and service the truck a lot more than GM's recommendations (oil=5000, trans=15000(spin on trans=10000), rearend=15000 (lately every 5000) rotate tires=5000) Need other opinons.:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

TROCKUGA8

04 CHEVY 2500HD C/C 4X4 A/R WHEELS 3057516 LT LOAD E TIRES, LEER TOP
00 CHEVY CAMARO CONVERT. SS
99 CHEVY SUBURBAN
03 STARCRAFT CAMPER

Left rear wheel bearing or E-brake is my guess.

On edit: If you have a G80, it could also be locking up.

It still sounds like an alignment problem. Get your 25' tape and the little woman to help. Make sure all four wheels are pointed forward. Measure the distance from the front tire to the back on both sides. It doesn't make any difference where as long as you do it the same on both sides and the tape is level as possible. There should be a little feathered edge across the tread also. Later! Frank

There are two things that can be checked with modern alignment machines for problems like this. One is called setback, which measures to see if the distance from front to back is the same on both sides, like Frank mentioned above. If one side is closer than the other, it won't track straight. Is your steering wheel straight? The other thing to measure is thrust angle, which measures how square the rear axle is in relation to the chassis. It would seem that something has to be loose because you say it doesn't do it all the time, this could be why the alignment guy didn't see it on the machine. It may require load to push whatever it is out of square.

After rereading the report, I think we are focusing on the wrong end of the truck. I see it is a 4x4. There have been reports of low lube levels out of the factory and other front diff problems. Take a look there. Are you feeling any pulling in the wheel when it does this?

guys thast the big problem here no pulling in the front end at all, both sides measure the same and the thrust angle alingment and setbacks have been done. now the one thing that makes it seem to get better is changing the rear diff. fluid every 5000 to 7500 miles @#@# that is getting exspensive. The one thing that has me concerned is that on the left front leaf spring perch the bushing is rubbing on the inside, the right front on outside but there again looks fine sitting still.leafsprings replaced, bushings later replaced, tires look like I took a cheese grater to them after a short time when its is doing this. The first reply said check the left e brake and bearing but the rear is shifting to the right not left.

'04 CHEVY 2500HD D/A 4X4 JUST TURNED 80,000 LAST NIGHT

Dragging on the left will shift the rear to the right and vise versa. Got pictures of the tires? That would tell me a lot about what forces are on it. The only thing changing the lube would help would be drag in a wheel bearing.

Let me make sure of one thing. It does this all of the time, or only when power is applied?

A reasonably painless set of checks is to jack up the back and make sure the diff is working correctly by spinning one wheel and watching the other spin the opposite way. Then pull the rear driveshafts and spin each the wheels, They should spin freely with little or no resistance and no play in the bearings.

Make certain both tires on the rear axel are the same size...MEASURE it. If one is significantly smaller, and you have a G80, you may crabwalk due to both tires spinning at the same speed...the taller tire will try to cover greater distance, and the result is that you will crabwalk.

Learned this lesson the hardway with a lockright locker and bad tires!

You don't have a broken/loose frame crossmember do you?

I'd be talking LEMON LAW to the dealer and GM if that were my truck.

If the Truck was never hit(big assumption), you may be a victim of excessive tie down when the vehicle was initially brought to the dealership.(frame bent)


I would demand that the dealer put the vehicle on a FRAME machine and carefully take dimensions. Better yet, spend a few bucks and have an independent collision shop do the checking.

This happens more frequently than we like to hear.

you may be a victim of excessive tie down when the vehicle was initially brought to the dealership.(frame bent)


I would demand that the dealer put the vehicle on a FRAME machine and carefully take dimensions. Better yet, spend a few bucks and have an independent collision shop do the checking.

This happens more frequently than we like to hear."Dog tracking" is a condition usually caused by front to rear axle mis-alignment (&/or improper rear toe setting on independent rears).
I second the motion to have frame trueness checked (by a reputable Body/Frame shop). A bent frame/trailing arm/control arm/etc... can mis-align axles, & not always be evident during a wheel alignment.

and said they replaced the carrier but they also said they had to pull it out of a truck they had in stock since they ordred the wrong parts for my truck.
What bothers me is that Dealerships will cannibalize another vehicle (new?) on the lot just to cover their asses (for ordering the wrong part?). Why not just provide a loaner & deal with it?
I would be extremely p/o'ed:mad: to discover a vehicle I purchased as "new" had already been in the shop (to scavenge from or whatever). Almost any other business would be restricted by law from selling something that was tampered with, as "new".
I have heard of this occuring quite frequently & is why I NEVER buy off the lot. I always order my vehicles & track their progress. It's still no guarantee, but it's certainly less likely to have been cannabilized this way.

I have seee n this problem before, usually it is due to a broke pin in the leaf pack or something like that.but man,,, you have done everything ... did you buy the truck new? any accidents ? i am intrested to hear about this one.........

Tire scuffing on solid rears only happens if there is a drag or the axle is bent.

start the lemon law process and get rid of your headache

79,000 miles in 10 months? I'd be dragging my ass sideways too!!!

This is the most comical problem I have ever dealt with. The center pin is fine. Axel bent, will be checking that next along with the frame, but x ing the truck out every thing measures out. Still the big question is why it always gets better every time I change the rear diff fluid. I own a towing service and all I mess with is vehicals and I have resources that range from corprate body shops to full fledge dealerships, we ever haul for 4wheel parts perfprmnce center in ATL, GA. Body shop guys havent seen anything or sings of damage (YES I BOUGHT NEW, 74 MILES AT DELIVERY) at all the tie down points dont even show marks. Question on the rearend locking if the wheels are off the ground and you spin one should it lock up after a few rotations and then spin the oppisite way and then do the same thing??

If you jack up the rear end with both wheels off the ground, Spinning one wheel by hand, the other side should rotate in the opposite direction. It should not lock up, even if you have the G80. If it does, there is a problem.

For info on the Eaton G-80 locking differential, see link below;

http://www.traction.eaton.com/prod2.htm

Mine has locked up once and it scared the hell out of me. The truck would barely turn and I heard the back wheels chirping.

My rear end started locking up when turning right on my 2001 at 32000 miles. Took it in and they said the gears were not set right. They had worn to the point they were binding up.

Well im going to the dealer tomorrow morn. since research into repairs has not revealed that they put a new carrier unit in the truck as they say they have. Either they admit to lieying about it or someone out there may have a new 2500hd with my old carrier in their brand new truck ( its gonna be ugly ). In GA thats theft by deception. They also said that the govenor on the rear diff is what would cause it to lock up when I would spin the rear wheels. I know enough about cars that this dealer could use a car smart service manager. Hell he drives a 05 2500hd and just traded in a 04 2500hd and doesnt know any more than the sales man did!!!!!! Guys ya'll have had alot of great in site dont quit now the fat lady hasnt sang just yet. Also, does any one have a opinion on the edge with attitude just in case this problem is solved, or some one gets a new 2500hd after the beans get spilled.