So this goes along with my other thread - https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ring-tips.html
The noise is a loud howling type of noise that you can hear clearly over the radio from 40 -65. It's so loud you can feel it in the steering wheel and floor. At first I thought it was a front wheel bearing and still think it is a strong possibility, but today as I was driving I thought it could be the rear U-joints too. I checked them and there was a tiny amount of play.One thing I notcied was that the slip joint had some play in it but I dont know if that would affect anything?

Please let me know if you experienced anything similar
Thanks,
Derek

 

I had a weird noise I tought was coming from the front and my wife could feel it in the passanger floor board. I took it to 3 different places and everyone was clueless including the Ford garage. It ended up being that the drive shaft needed to be greased, 15 mins. and a little bit of grease was all it took.

 

Could also be our center support bearing (some call it the carrier bearing) on the drive shaft. One symptom of a driveline-related problem (u-joints, center bearing, slip joint, etc.) is if the vibration goes away when you drop your foot off the accelerator... at least that's what my tire shop told me when we found my center bearing with over half an inch of play.

Get under teh truck and just push up on your drive shaft near the center bearing... there should be no real play there.

 

Whoops forgot to mention there isnt a center-bearing since it's the short wheelbase. The noise is still there even when I let of the accelerator, which is what orginally made me think wheel bearings. I did notice that the u-joints were most likely original with no grease fittings and at least one of the cups had rust around it (prob bad). I'm wondering if anyone else has ever had a bad u-joint make such a loud noise like I'm having.

Thanks guys
Derek

 

Try taking your rear drive shaft off the truck put it in 4wd and go for a ride and see if it still makes any noise. If it does you know your problem is else were

 

I just might have to try that tomorrow. If I go 40 and it still starts to moan I'll know it's probably the wheel bearings.

Thanks
Derek

 

Sence you dont have the carrier bearing it should be fast and easy, not to mention free to help you diagnois your problem, make sure you mark the driveshaft so you put it back in the right way, good luck bud and let us know if we need to give you some more ideas if that doesnt work for ya

 

That was pretty similar symptoms to mine. My ujoint was frozen solid. Pretty easy to take off and check. Don't forget to block the wheels both front and back of the wheels.

 

Just wanted to update you guys in case anyone reads this in the future. I did the wheel bearings and it solved the problem(Thank God) but I still may do the rear u-joints at some point because they look like originals.
Thanks guys!

Derek

 

Thanks for updating Derek, this will help somebody. Although my hub was more of a grinding on metal sound, replacement worked, happy motoring.