So about 2 weeks ago my truck started to get a loud even grinding/whining in the drivers front end. When turning right. the noise would get louder, when turning left, the noise would stop. It's top the point where i can feel the vibrations on the steering wheel. Tires were properly inflated and all (first thing i checked). The front end is tight as hell. So as most people here suggested, it was probably my left hand wheel bearings.

Unfortunately after spending 2 hours changing the damn thing, I'm still getting that grinding which is louder at low speeds and as it intensifies at higher speeds, fades away.

I'm completely lost as to what else it could be. Anything in the front drive differntial that may be causing this? When I had the truck lifted, I turned the wheel quite a bit and could hear a very faint clicking in the left side of the differential. About half as loud as a bicycle wheel free-wheeling. IT sounded like gears turning and am wondering if it may be that sound I'm hearing, but louder when the trucks weight is applied.

I'm simply lost as to what this could be.

 

drain the front diff. and check out the fluid

 

Take the hub that you replaced on the left front and put it on the right front, your noise will go away

 

I'll drain up the front differential I suppose and make sure it's not some silvery color. I'm very skeptical about replacing the other hub as the sound dies out when the weight is shifted to that wheel and it just doesn't seem to be coming from there. But then again... does the differential even have to stand any weight on the truck? IF it is the differential... then isn't also strange that it dies out when turning one direction.

 

I googled this for you earlier and someone suggested using a Pen magnet and putting it in the fluid hole to see if you can pick up any shavings. This way you'll know if its your gears or not.

You checked the CVC's and everything right?

 

My front diff is making noise, a low growl and I can feel it since I'm so in tune with it. Last time I checked my fluid it was full of silver particles, I mean a ton. I've heard of a retainer breaking that allows the font diff to move up and down and eventually wear out.

 

FYI, front diff noise is not going to change by turning the wheel back and forth.

The way everyone is telling you to diagnose your noise is true.... BUT, if the inner bearing is failed noise is going to be the opposite hub.... I see this all the time at work. I get burned thinking it is the left. replace the left and I will be damned it is the right one making noise. Atleast go check the right front and see if it has play in it...

 

Ok, I'd first like to apologize. I apologize for not believing in god and of all the disbelief I have had in Faith since the age of 12. Because it is clear to me now that theere is a god, and he is punishing the living **** out of me right now. That's exactly what's going on here. There is no other explanation.

Why do i believe this? Because last night while driving to work, a new problem arose. I'm now getting a knocking in my front end. Like a damn rod gone or linkage gone bad. I feel it severely when I go over bumps or I turn. So, today I lifted my truck up, inspected every freaking thing that could possibly move in the front end by tapping with a heavy hammer. And guess what? NOTHING. I couldn't find a single damn loose thing on the whole f**ing truck. So I took my mini-sledge and started tapping and hammering the living **** out of the right hub (the one i haven't replaced) and there isn't even half a damn millimeter of movement. When turning the shafts with the brakes disconnected, there is no odd feeling or resistance.

I am going to lose my freakin mind. I have never had a problem in finding anything wrong with a vehicle. But this is nuts. The little knocking and grinding I feel in my steering is pretty severe at this point and feels like somethings about ready to fall off.

After switching my tires and over-inflating them, I tested my steering and it's very tight. I move my steering wheel by a centimeter and the wheels clearly move, there is zero give anywhere.

So here's the general issue:
1. Getting a grinding noise/feeling from my front end. IT stops when I turn towards the left. It is a continuous whine that diminishes and goes up in sound frequency with the speed of the vehicle.
2. I am now getting small rapid knocks when going over uneven rough road.
3. Tires have been switched, and inflated at different levels.
4. The Left wheel bearing is already replaced, as this is the side the noise is coming from and when the weight is applied on this side, the noise is worse.
5. Every link and joint is appears solid even when tapping with a hammer.

The only thing I haven't checked is the fluid in the differential. Verify with a magnet if there are any particles or if the fluid is abnormally silver. Guess I'll look at that next, but considering the axles turn very smoothly and are tight, (no rough or gear-like feeling) I can't see that being the prob either.

 

Well... I gave in. For the first time in 6 years, I went to a shop to see what's going on with a vehicle. They spent about an hour looking at my truck and driving it three times (thank god he gave me a free estimate as they were referred to me by a friend).

In the end, the guy who drove my truck told me that the problem is very theoretic. Other than being sure that my truck has a problem, they couldn't determine the problem.

They basically said the problem is not apparent enough yet and may be difficult to find. Finding it and narrowing it down would most likely cost hours of labor ranging into a completely unknown figure.

The guy knew that I know a decent amount about cars and was basically saying that although it goes against what he's suppose to tell me, something's already broken, so I'd be better off to keep driving it until the problem becomes more apparent. Worse comes to worse, I break down and pay a fraction of the price for a tow truck than to pay him to find the problem.

Ugh, I know there are many many shockingly bad "mechanics" out there who don't know squat, and I don't know if he's one of them.

 

I have a feeling it's in that diff and it only gets enough load to manifest the problem when it's driven. I'm no expert;it's just a hunch based on what's been said so far.