So I did what you mentioned. I have had the hubs locked since yesterday. It's been cold, so I didn't really notice anything yesterday. Today I got a little more speed and then left off and coasted, and whamo, there was the vibration and the sound. So, since it's still doing it, is it safe to say that it's not my stub axles? I'm wondering if it is the carrier bearing.

 

Does the frequency of the vibration directly follow vehicle speed up and down? If so, yes, it's the bearing. If not, it's not in the driveshaft, period.

 

All I have to do us get up to 30mph and then left off the pedal and coast and it happens everytime. I also get a vibration at 70mph everytime.

 

When chasing vibrations, I like to eliminate the easy places to check first. Don't know of this has been brought up, but tires are always the obvious first place to look.

Have they been balanced?
Are they running with the proper air pressure?
Do they need to be rotated?
Do you have a bent rim?
I ALWAYS hand tighten them on my F250, never use an impact. I'll snug them with an impact, but I always use a 1/2" ratchet to get them tight on my F250. On my F350(DRW) and F450, I just use them impact.

 

My tires have been balanced and rotated and are all inflated properly that was the first place I started

 

I just did the hub assembly replacement on my truck; f250 2000 4wd, and all of my research prior to doing the work indicated the needle bearing within the hub assembly is the usual culprit. When that bearing runs out of grease, it ruins the race on the stub axle shaft. The outer stub axle on both sides is supported by this needle bearing and also another needle bearing within the hublock. The actual wheel bearings within the hub assembly are sealed and are not serviceable, however, both needle bearings can be serviced.

Fortunately for me, both needle bearings on both sides were still good and the stub axle races were good on both sides. Not knowing this ahead of time, I ordered and replaced both stub axles also. In the future, I will make servicing both needle bearings a routine maintenance item and hopefully not have to replace the hub bearing assemblies again. Truck had 134,000 miles when I did the work and the OEM hubs are still serviceable, as are the original stub axles.

One u-joint between the inner and outer axles was bad and I replaced both u-joints. Note that the hub assemblies containing the wheel bearings are not adjustable for end-play and should not be greased as a special grease is used for the bearings and is the correct volume of grease from the factory. If more is added, it will contaminate the factory grease and force its way past the seals under heat.

I also replaced the knuckle seal and the outer axle housing dust seal at the same time. The knuckle seal helps keep the wheel bearing assembly clean and the dust seal is a poor design and fails rather quickly, but it does not do anything other than keep dust out of the axle housing.

I hope this bit of info helps someone else with their front end problems and will be glad to provide any other info I can.

 

Yep, tires are inflated properly and balanced. Just had them rotated along with an alignment. All my lugs are torqued to spec. I'm pretty sure it's the carrier bearing. If that doesn't fix it, I'm at a loss for ideas.

 

Thanks for all the information brother. It's always good to get a refresher. I have replaced numerous wheel hub assemblies on this truck thus far. Ever since finding the needle bearing maintenance on guzzle's page I have added it to my maintenance list. This last time was exactly that. I had a vibration up front and was wondering if it might be that. I checked the d/s and it was good, re-lubed and put back on. P/s no good. Took it off and all the needle bearings came out. The stub axles on both looked great. No grooves, gouges, burn marks nothing. So put new hub assembly on p/s and buttoned everything up. Still have a vibration which I believe now to be the carrier bearing thanks to some of the fellas on here.
So far what has been replaced on my front end: numerous wheel hub assemblies, sway bar bushings, ball joints, knuckle seals/dust seals. I have not done tie rod ends, or stub axles. I also have not changed out the u-joints in the front. Which, how can u tell if those are bad without taking them apart? The clunking metal sound I continue to have I believe is coming from the steering box. I plan to put a red head in and see if that fixes that noise.
So, my truck sounds like a frigging buck board. I'm going to start with the carrier bearing. Hopefully that takes care of that vibration/noise. Then I guess I can replace the u-joints and tie rod ends and see if that fixes any other vibration/sound. Then the steering box. If the truck still sounds like crap after all this I'm done. I'm done dumping money into this thing. I don't even have the high mileage like most and I have this many issues. How much more am I gonna have to do when this gets around the 250,000 300,000 range?

 

So I'm still trying to verify this spicer carrier bearing part # 211359x. I can't find anything that says it's the equivalent to f81z-4800-fa. I just want to make sure I get the right part. Anyone have an idea if this is it or know someone who does?

 

may not be any help to you,but truck in my signature has E4TZ-4800-A installed

 

So just an update the spicer carrier bearing part # 211359x is the right one. The new bearing is installed, finally! My vibration is gone. But, took it out on the highway tonight and got to 75mph and I have a serious resonating sound. Kind like how the front end sounds when the hubs are locked. It's pretty loud and sounds like something is going to explode.
Now I just got done replacing the wheel bearings up front, so I doubt it's that. But I'm not sure what can be making that sound. It's the only time you hear it, is when you get up to that speed. I've never had it before. So, what else do I need to check now? I'm sooo tired of constantly fixing this truck....

 

Did you rotate the tires?

Check the air pressure in them?

Look for anything touching the body, bed, or frame rails. That can cause the sound too.

 

Yep, tires have been rotated just recently. Air pressure is good. I looked around underneath and can't find anything that is touching or rubbing.

I tell ya, here recently this is all I have been doing is playing doctor to this truck. And never knowing exactly what's wrong with it. It's really frustrating. It seems harder and harder to find others that have the same symptoms as you.

 

I chased a bearing song for weeks. Like you I can now replace front hub assemblies in 30 minutes per side. Mine too was the center bearing. Whoda thunk?! I've never had one sound like that when it was going out.
Did you do the whole hub assy or just needle bearings? (I didn't read you grocery list )
I did find my center U-joint bad as well as no grease in the slip yoke.
Good luck, my brother of the same headache.

 

I changed out the whole hub assembly. It was just easier. Yea I lubed the slip yoke while I had the shaft out. I did not change the u joints on the front drive shaft that goes into the t-case. I guess I could do that, but I wouldn't think that would cause this sound.