whining from the front end
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2001
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whining from the front end
i have a pretty loud whining sound from my front end of my '96 bronco. it does not occur until i reach about 10 mph and you can hear it until i reach about 30 mph. if i touch the brakes it is still there, but it goes away when i slow down below 10 mph. i have spun each front wheel and can not hear or feel anything so i dont think it is the bearings. any suggestions?
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Salt Lake City USA
whining from the front end
That's funny, most whining comes from the rear of vehicles. (But only when there are kids riding in the car.)
Seriously though, I would think it would be the power steering pump. From your description, I would guess that the pump is making the noise only when it gets above a certain RPM level. When you get above 30 MPH, the engine slows down with the transmission shift.
I know that my Bronco only sees over 2000 RPM when I am accellerating.
But this is just a theory. Can you give a little more description of the noise? Does it occur if you rev then engine while parked? (This will rule out either the engine components or the suspension as source of the noise.)
Seriously though, I would think it would be the power steering pump. From your description, I would guess that the pump is making the noise only when it gets above a certain RPM level. When you get above 30 MPH, the engine slows down with the transmission shift.
I know that my Bronco only sees over 2000 RPM when I am accellerating.
But this is just a theory. Can you give a little more description of the noise? Does it occur if you rev then engine while parked? (This will rule out either the engine components or the suspension as source of the noise.)
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2001
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whining from the front end
no it does not occur when i rev my engine in park. it is a somewhat medium to high pitch whine that is comming from under the front of the truck. if my windows are up you can barely hear it, and when my windows are down it is a lot louder. also it is not something that always occurs. some times it happens sometimes it doesnt. it has made the same sound for a while and has not increased in loudness so i dont think it is something wearing out (if it was it would most likely get louder with time) i had someone tell me it could be my brakes rubbing.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Loveland, CO.
whining from the front end
My 90 does this. I am almost positive that it is the brakes, it needs rotors and I just have the cheapest pads on there now until I get new rotors. I only hear it if I am driving with the windows down and am next to a wall or something.
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From: Westbrook USA
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Freshman User
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From: Littleton USA
whining from the front end
Are your hubs locked? If you have automatic hubs this could possibly be the problem.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Loveland, CO.
whining from the front end
In my case, it is definitely a whining squeal from the front end, and almost certainly the cheap brakes dragging on the worn rotors. I'm not sure about his, but the way he described it, it sounds the same.
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Joined: Sep 2002
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whining from the front end
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Sep-02 AT 08:02 PM (EST)]Try greasing your front wheel bearings. A bad bearing will make some noise. I had a bearing go bad and it didnt make noise when I jacked up my truck and spun the wheels but when I started driving it would start making noise after the first couple miles of driving.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,809
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From: Loveland, CO.
whining from the front end
Could be, that was my other thought. That will all get done at the next brake job when the rotors get replaced. But it does not seem to do it all the time, you would think a dry bearing would be constant. Also, usually bad bearings will give a low hum, not a high pitched squeal.
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Joined: May 2002
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whining from the front end
Check your front differential for shavings. Take out the fill plug (fluid shouldn't come out) and check the backside for shavings. Usually a whining like this is when a diff is going out.
If it was brakes the sound would either stop/start when you pressed/unpressed the brakes.
Have someone else drive and try to spot the source of the noise. If its in the middle - its probably the front diff. On one of the side, could be a wheel or axle.
Try grabbing each of the front wheels (while the bronco is off) and jerking from top to bottom. If the wheels move, your bearings need to be repacked. However, I don't think that is your problem. Again, check for shavings in your front. U-Joints are another option to check out and should be easy to diagnose.
If it was brakes the sound would either stop/start when you pressed/unpressed the brakes.
Have someone else drive and try to spot the source of the noise. If its in the middle - its probably the front diff. On one of the side, could be a wheel or axle.
Try grabbing each of the front wheels (while the bronco is off) and jerking from top to bottom. If the wheels move, your bearings need to be repacked. However, I don't think that is your problem. Again, check for shavings in your front. U-Joints are another option to check out and should be easy to diagnose.
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Loveland, CO.
whining from the front end
It's not any of those kind of sounds. Anyway the diff fluid was changed. It does go away as you brake, just not if you put the brakes on lightly as you drive to try to see if it goes away. I think that is what he meant. I'm not concerned with mine, when I do the brakes and clean and repack bearings and replace the rotors, I don't expect that I will be hearing this anymore.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2001
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whining from the front end
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-Sep-02 AT 10:39 PM (EST)]ok i have manual hubs, so the front axle does not turn. it is real loud if i am driving next to a wall too. it does not go away when i touch the brakes, only when i go below a certain speed. but it does not occur all the time, sometimes it is silent, sometimes it isnt. i have tried to figure out what is different when it makes the sound and when it doesnt, and i cant find anything. it has been making the same sound for a while now, and i was told it was the brakes, but i am still not sure.
i dont think it is anything that would be wearing out cause it is a constant whine and has always been the same. if something was getting worse i would think the sound would change.
also the engine speed does not do anything to the sound, so it is not coming from the engine. i can be idleing and rolling at 10 mph and i can hear it, or gassing it and i can hear the same sound
i dont think it is anything that would be wearing out cause it is a constant whine and has always been the same. if something was getting worse i would think the sound would change.
also the engine speed does not do anything to the sound, so it is not coming from the engine. i can be idleing and rolling at 10 mph and i can hear it, or gassing it and i can hear the same sound
