...that a truck makes when a front hub is going out, a wheel bearing, or a U-joint? Trying to figure something out. I know the noise is in the front end, and is irregular. It has no pattern, rhyme, or reason. It's just a random rubbing/scraping/something....

Any help is appreciated to this ridiculous request!

 

Any vibrations?

1 very common overlooked problem on these trucks is the brake dust shields on the front rotors. these will make a rubbing/grinding noise if bent or rusty and it is very erratic....

 

Could be something that is caught between the rotor and the dust shield.

 

I had the outer seal on the right side axle become loose and spun, it made a heck of a noise.... once in a while... when I was on a 3.000 mile road trip. I lucked out because my BILs dad worked the parts dept at the local Ford dealer. He got the truck scheduled and they had a heck of a time tracking it down. Finally at the end of the day they sorted it out. One of those things that I'll remember forever and might help one other person LOL! Obscure but possible.

 

thanks guys for the suggestions! anyone else?

 

hmmm... I'd just replace the front u-joint to eliminate it... they are cheap and new ones come with a grease zerk so you can lube them... what are you hearing? skweaking, rubbing, spinning, grinding, whooshing??? louder at certain speeds? can you bounce on the front end and hear it?

if it doesn't get louder as you speed up from 20mph-45mph it's probably not a wheel bering...

 

Another good way to be sure its not a bearing is after you've run it a half hour or so is touch the hub in question. If its hot, and it will be very hot, the bearing isn't good. You should definitely be able to tell in these cold months 2.

It also can't be a front axle joint if you hear it in 2wd. And a driveshaft joint would make it vibrate, but again, only in 4wd. You can tweak on the driveshaft joints and see if they move and are wore out.

 

If you have stick on wheel weights , sometimes they come loose & hit the caliper...Lew

 

if its the bearing, it will sound like it is hard grinding, growling, and roaring are some of the terms ive heard used before.