Problems with 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD SUSPENSION

Upper a-frame/ control arm rotted away, perforating around ball joint, allowing ball joint to break off vehicle. extensive rot all over vehicle underside for last 10 years.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 chevrolet silverado 2500 hd. the vehicle had just been inspected by the dealer. while driving 55 mph, the contact noticed that the front wheels began to detach from the vehicle due to the hub and wheel bearing failing. the dealer stated that nothing could be done. the contact does not feel safe driving the vehicle because he travels down a steep 600 foot hill and fears a crash could occur. the current mileage was 100,000 and failure mileage was 76,000.

Weld attaching right upper control arm mounts to frame cracked completely through. i am original owner. vehicle never in crash or modified in any way. discovered while searching for cause of sudden play in steering. not yet repaired. this defect could lead to complete failure of right front suspension and steering. *nm

2001 chevrolet silverado has had a history of problems. *mr the fuel pump was replaced and was diagnosed by k-s fuel injection as being the cause of the engine lights and low power, the was a fuel leak in which the rear housing was cracked and leaking oil, the transfer case and the driveshafts were removed, the front wheel bearing was noisy and was replaced, the upper ball joint was bad, and a faulty "nsdu" switch was replaced. *sc

2001 chevy 2500 hd trucks ( front wheel hub assemblies) loosing up under normal driving conditions. these are sealed hub units so you must purchase brand new ones at a cost of over $500-700 per unit. i have had both sides losing up on me and now the replacement is now loose again after 30,000 miles. to test this you must jack the wheel off the ground and push/pull on the wheel it will rock back and forth as if its ready to come off the wheel assembly. i was a mechanic for 9 years so im not your average driver who would not notice items such as this. i take better care than most for my trucks and see this as a major safety factor for all other chevy trucks on the road. note: this was an experimental hub they used for only a couple of years. now they went back to the actual bearing nut that you can tighten if loose....seem strange huh? maybe they know something and tried to keep it under the table??? *nm

The vehicle often times vibrates in the speed range from 10 mph to 70 mph. within the times the vehicle is vibrating in the speed range of 50-70, occasionally the vehicle will jump within the lane, on the order of quarter or halves of a foot. towing generally minimizes the vibration; however now, steering gets more emphasized and sloppy, with a less in control feeling. i have brought the vehicle to a chevrolet dealership and they have done their best to minimize the vibration by making minor/scheduled maintenance adjustments to the vehicle, yet the problem still persists. i have suspected the rear differential, front springs, tires, and suspension, but i am not sure what component or combination of components are the root cause of the problem.*ak