I've read many many many many threads about noises and I've officially become more confused than ever. At this point, I've convinced myself that I need new unit bearings for front & rear, new brakes, new ball joints, and pretty much all new suspension up front. Hopefully we can narrow it down here

Symptom is noise from what I belieive is the front end, but I can't be entirely sure due to the diesel engine and the road noise. When I let off the gas and coast from about 40mph, I think I can hear a little swish swish swish noise. Then, when I hit the brakes below about 15-20mph, it makes a loud, low-pitched rumbling noise. Letting off the brakes stops the rumbling noise.

The braking noise happens in forward and reverse (I thought if it was the bearings up front, then the reverse braking wouldn't do it). I switched it from 2wd to 4wd High and as I made a right turn I heard 2 pops....then when I stopped, I heard the rumbling. Back to 2wd and all noises are the same as before.

I hope to be able to lift up the front end and see if the tires have any play in them to help test the unit bearings after work today. What else, in order of ease/likely culprit, do I need to inspect?

Thanks in advance,
-Chris

 

Just jacked the front end up. right wheel spins more freely than left (about 2:1 rotations when spinning by hand for right:left). I locked both hubs and turned and the front drive shaft turns with the tires. With each side raised individually, the left tire has much more play in it with hands at 3 & 9 o'clock positions than the right side play. Neither has much movement at all with hands at 6 & 12 positions. Very slight sound from each tire/bearing when spinning by hand, during parts of the rotation (not making the noise all the way around).

Thanks,
-Chris

 

maybe this can help a little bit.. I had a noise that i called the Rumble strip noise. mine came randomly one day while crusin down the high way. i drove it like that for about 4 months it would come and go but then it started to do it all the time.. Kind of weird, it would only make the noise when the hubs were unlocked. when i locked them it would never make the noise.. Luckly i drove all winter with the hubs locked thanks to plowing a hell of a lot. so when the snow started to melt i unlocked them and then i got annoyed. i narrowed it down to my front passenger side tire. i really think it was my hub but it could have been my ball joints to. so i prepard myself for this awesome fix. I also did the inner seals. i pulled the front end apart. I took my passenger side hub off and it didnt want to spin. i spun ok with the tire on but with out it there was some resistance.. also my ball joints were shot so i did those too. 3 days later with all my repairs and now there is no noise.. I really think it was the hub but the ball joints could have played a role in the aggravating noise too. i did upper and lower joints. i bought a timkin hub too, o i also did the axle seals the ones that sit in the knuckles good luck let me no how u make out

 

Thanks for the input. After doing a little more reading, it seems that movement at 6/12 would indicate ball joints and movement at 3/9 indicates unit bearings.

Priced at Autozone, they have Timken for $360 or Duralast for $120. Obviously the Timken's would be better, but how about the Duralast if I'm ok with only getting a couple of years out of them??

 

Thats what i asked when i was going to buy new ones.. i looked at it this way.. there's a big gap between prices. so something is different. quality yada yada. i also have a friend who works a auto zone... i love the place. he said deff go timkin. i guess the duralast just don't last. not sure if those come with a lifetime warranty tho.. most of the stuff from auto zone does.. and i like duralast products.. i use them for brakes and nick nack stuff . i also told myself that if my new timken doesn't last the life of my truck i will personally drive to where the timkin products are made and throw it through there window.. ( there is a timken building in my area,)

 

Ha, that's funny! According to what I saw today, both Timken and Duralast only have a 1 year warranty. In all honesty, I may not even have the truck in 2 years, so it's a pretty big difference from that angle. There's also the doubt that if I pay $400 to replace that and the grinding is still there from another part failing, then I'll have to throw that much more $$ into it. That doesn't help my case in the never ending battle of Ford vs Chevy between me and my wife!

-Chris

 

ooo the ford vs chevy......... i just heard a funny thing today.. my boss has the new 2011 1500 shortbed. he plowed with it over the winter.. the truck has just over 12,000 miles.. The transmission is already slipping.. he has the tow package.... i have a 2002 F 250 with 141000 my transmission is firm and doesnt have a issue. LOL

 

2005 Suburban 1500 2wd, had to have the tranny rebuilt at 76k (bought it used so it may not be entirely GM's fault). And they're still better than a Dodge!

-Chris

 

I will be looking at my truck in the morning. It is making a clicking/clunking noise at about 20mph and up. It is a roational noise that increaes with wheel speed. I replaced my driver wheel hub 3 years ago when it was making a similar sound , i waited till it was grinding, but this time I have to fix it before i go to spring charlotte in a few weeks. thats 400 miles from here and I don't want to take a chance of being stuck on I-77 waitng on a tow.I hope its only the hub. By the way the driverside hub was an Advance auto brand hub. Its been 3 years and almost 35,000 miles.