I'm having one of my wheels fixed right now so I had to put my smaller spare tire on and have driven a few miles on it. it is on the front drivers side. Driving home just now I began to hear a clunking/rubbing sound coming from that wheel. I threw a jack under the front axle and when I spin the wheel freely it makes the same clunking sound, like something is loose inside the hub. does this sound like a blown hub?

 

It ain't gonna be good for it. Get a full size spare.

 

Get an assistant, jack stand, 2x4, and have one person move the wheel up and down and side to side. Try to see if it is coming from steering components, ball joints, or if it is the actual hub assembly.

 

it only makes the noise when i spin the wheel. there doesn't seem to be any play in the wheel...

 

Two things.

1) If you have two different size tires on the front, and your front hubs are unlocked. It will do absolutely no damage. At that point, its just the bearing spinning, nothing else. Its actually better to have two different size tires on the front, when the hubs are unlocked, then in the rear, especially if you have a limited slip.

2) While spinning your wheel see if the u joint is also turning, or if when the noise starts, if the axle shaft slightly moves..... If there doesnt seem to be any play in the front bearing/ball joints, etc and you still have the noise when the wheel is spinning, then its probably those pesky inner axle bearings. The ultimate quick theck for that, would be to lock in that hub, and spin. Bet the noise dissapears.

Good luck.

 

It sounds like the hub assembly. My Ex did the same thing a few weeks ago. Trust me it ain't gonna get any better.

As far as driving with a different size tire on FRONT. It will not harm anything at all as long as it is in 2wd. A different size tire on the rear will add extra wear to the differential and rear end.

 

One more thing. Grab the axle shaft with your hand and see if it moves up and down.

 

Check to make sure theres not a tape wheel weight on the inside of the wheel thats rubbing ... Lew

 

Whatever problem you are having with the hub now is not a result of the offsize tire.
It was happening before all this, not caused by it.

 

I agree. This was there before. As long as the hubs are unlocked, you pose no risk of damage (although the truck will pull to one side).

I'm no mechanic, but it sounds like the non-serviceable needle bearing in the hub...http://www.guzzle7pt3.com/maint.php.

 

Thanks for the responses guys. You confirmed my suspicions that the smaller spare tire couldn't have anything to do with it. I knew with the hubs unlocked there was no way for the different sizes to stress any of the internals between the wheels because they were disconnected from each other. I will go check everything mentioned and come back with the results...

 

Ok. so I took the locking hub off and that's definitely not the problem. still hear the noise coming from inside the spindle/bearing area. There is a tiny bit of play in the axle shafts but nothing outside of normal i think. Also when i lock the hub, the U joint does spin fine although there is a fair amount of slop when i start to turn the wheel before the U-joint/axle shaft starts to move. I'd say a good inch or two rotation at the outside of the tire before the axle shaft starts to spin

and it still makes the noise even with the hub locked. sounds like loose metal grinding on metal or rubbing on metal

Sounds like my bearings are bad? am i right??

 

Might be a silly question....but how are your brake pads?

 

This is a very good question, before you replace a $400 bearing. For a final check, pull your caliper(with pads), and spin one more time. Then your left with only one option.

 

I replaced the pads and rotors about 4 thousand miles ago. I'll pull the tire tomorrow and check the caliper though