Need help diagnosing a front end noise and vibration.

11b4v

Well-known member
May 5, 2009
257
17
N. Alabama
Need help diagnosing a front end noise and vibration.


There is a more or less constant "thrumming" sound (accompanied by a subtle vibration) while driving (begins around 25mph). It sounds as though it's coming from the passenger front corner. Also, the "thrumming" sound gets much worse when the wheel is turned to the left (again, while driving and weighting the passenger side front) and disappears entirely when turning right. I pulled both wheels off the front and checked for play in every direction (including in and out)...there is none whatsoever...it is tight as hell. That wheel is barely warm to the touch but, perhaps, a bit warmer than the driver's side. It does, however, sound like there is a little bit of a "grainy" sound when rotating the front passenger side wheel/tire.


I swapped out drive shafts (I have two DIIs), did not solve the problem.

Anyone ever experienced this before? Wheel bearing / hub? IF so, what did you do to fix it?
 

hywy61

Well-known member
May 25, 2004
725
0
atlanta, ga
I'm not saying its your hub but if you do replace it......

I just did mine and it wasn't to hard. If you are in Alabama then you probably won't have rust issues getting it off.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeskSSlcagM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfg6dP2wLoo

I just spent alot of time trying to diagnose a problem i thought was coming from the front passenger but it ended up coming from the back wheel. So just make sure its indeed the area you think its coming from.
 

11b4v

Well-known member
May 5, 2009
257
17
N. Alabama
Yes, its an easy job, plus I have air tools, etc. and no rust given a southern truck.

Right on about the noise coming from the rear. I need to sit in the back while the wife drives. My being machine gun deaf / tinnitus doesnt help either. Working to secure a rear hub and try those next.

Ive tried swapping in a used hub on both, front sides, all to no avail. Checking the used hub in hand, it appears good to go, but still not sure.

The tranny gave out in my 01 daily driver, which is now a parts donor truck. It gave up on a road trip to Atlanta, where it is currently sitting.

Once my now parts truck is back home, (117K) I plan to swap all four hubs and both front axle/CV's. That Uhaul assisted parts truck recovery plan is a week plus away.


Bad thing about these Help threads is the lack of OP follow up. There's a few posted here, and elsewhere, where others have described the same problem, they just never return to say what fixed what.
 

11b4v

Well-known member
May 5, 2009
257
17
N. Alabama
Re: Need help diagnosing a front end noise and vibration. SOLVED.

Problem Solved!!!!


It was the rear driver side wheel hub.


BTW, no brake faults.


Picked up a used hub from a vendor here.


I came across a YouTube video where a mechanic advised and demonstrated turning right, putting load on the left side of the vehicle where the noise/grinding/"thrumming" was present.


The problem I had, inside the cab, the noise couldn't be isolated; it sounded like it was coming from the front; it actually was coming from the rear.


BTW, no CELs, no ABS faults, 200183 miles as of today.
 

hywy61

Well-known member
May 25, 2004
725
0
atlanta, ga
200k? Nice. Have you had to replace a lot of parts or any major issues?

Mine has 125 and I am debating how much longer to hold on to it. It's a 2000D2.
 

11b4v

Well-known member
May 5, 2009
257
17
N. Alabama
Im the second owner, bought at 113K. First owner from Alpharetta kept impeccable maintenance records, kept it stock, never took it off road. Ive got all the records and the original window sticker in the glove box.

It had a pin hole leak in the radiator when I bought it and the rear donut/Rotoflex was looking old, some dry rot present. Other than my mods, two front props, (first by a local drive line shop, went with a GBR on the second) Ive replaced a two or three window regulators, a coil pack, a hub axle seal, both motor mounts, the CATS (one failed, did both anyway), an alternator, and a Crank Position Sensor and now this rear hub.

It'll be getting two new front calipers this, or next month.