When I did my front ujoints two years back, I must have mis torqued the front bearings or got bad info cause a month ago they started to make alittle noise. I found them loose so I retorqued them to 60ftlbs minus a 1/4 turn. All was good till early this week when they went to full on howling mode along with some vibration at certain speeds felt on the drivers side. Hubs locked or unlocked doesnt matter, riding the brakes doesnt matter, the only thing I think helps is if you hit a bump then for a second it stops. So I put new timken bearings/races/seals in yesterday, torqued to 60ftlbs minus 1/4turn. The first time I got up to speed they started the same routine again.

The only thing I noticed is the spindle on the drivers side has visable wear on the front half of the inner bearing seat. Would that tweak the bearings enough for them to ride funny?

 

Are you sure the noise is coming from the front? my experience with a worn spindle is a knocking noise like a calliper is loose when hitting bumps but you never know.

A little story we have a 03 super duty at work this truck goes through hell well a week before the holidays the truck started to howl or almost sounded like metal on metal my first thoughts were the callipers were seized and wore the brakes down to metal and were gouging the rotors so after the holidays I tore into it a bit looking for a seized calliper or mud stuck in the brakes(this happens regularly one disadvantage to disk brakes) everything looked good so then I took the plug off the rear diff and while I was under there noticed oil on the diff ? when I put my finger in to check the level it was mud in there!! took the diff cover off and the pumpkin was packed with mud and Ice so I pulled the axles and back hubs to find the seal and both bearings were shot on both sides cleaned up all the mess in the diff new seals, hub bearings and new fluid went for a drive and to my surprise the noise went away so far so good but I bet that diff wont last too much longer.

My point is that sometimes these noises from drive train parts can send you on a wild goose chase if you changed all the bearings up front and still get the noise then maybe you should be checking somewhere else.

Good luck

 

I just remembered. After I torqued the drivers side, which I did twice same as the other side, when I spun the hub it made a pop/clunk noise once. Driving today it does seem to be making a clunk noise on the drivers side. The noise is so loud and annoying that I cant pinpoint location, but the vibration feels under the drivers feet while passenger doesnt feel a thing.

I do have a carrier bearing thats worn out but I dont feel any vibrations in the shifter. I have the part just thought the front bearings should have been done first.

 

bump me up

 

Well I finally got around to changing the carrier bearing then I found the ujoint behind was seizing up. When I got the ujoint apart, the cross had what seems to be the start of brinelling.
What causes the brinelling?
Could the loose carrier bearing have caused it?

 

I finally got my used spindle delivered. Inline with the keyway, where both bearings inner race would be located, there is wear that I can feel with my nail. It feels like the whole bearing was pushed into and deformed the spindle 180 degrees around it.

Is this spindle damaged enough not to use?