Diagnose this please

-Intermittent grinding noise coming from driver front wheel. Frequency increases with speed.
-When I lift the front end, and spin the wheel, it is not there, so only there when under pressure.
-I cannot find anything that is rubbing.
-I re-torqued the nuts to 150 ft lb, no change.
-At low speeds, sounds almost like metal under stress.
-Steering angle has an effect – on center, almost no noise, right turn it gets a little louder, but turning to the left, it gets real loud – embarrassingly loud.
-Braking has no effect on it – other than slowing down with the speed decrease. I cannot feel anything through my brakes. Someone suggested brake wear indicators, but that would be consistent in any steering angle right? And I’m not sure if my Wilwoods have them. I have less than 20,000 on my Wilwoods, so they couldn’t be wearing out yet, and if it was them, wouldn’t they make a different noise when I brake?

I currently suspect my front bearings, but wouldn’t that make noise even when lifted?

 

is your truck 4wd?


Doug

 

i have a similar problem with mine. i have been told that it could be the 4x4 soleniod trying to engage or a leak on your vacuum hose. try putting the truck in 4 hi when you hear the noise it should stop. mines going back to the shop next week

 

Nah, with no weight it won't make the noise. I would pull that front wheel.

 

Thanks for the replies!

It's a 2wd.

I cannot get a new hub/bearing from Wilwood until next week. Would it make sense to go in and re-grease it or just wait? I hate taking off that spindle nut with that "DO NOT REUSE" stamp on it - $32 a pop!

 

I have never been one for "DO NOT REUSE", I would want to know what is going on in there first.

 

place the jack under the lower control arm, and lift up the wheel with the suspension still weighted down, and then spin your tire.

Sounds like wheel bearings to me. How many miles on the truck now?

 

Only about 29,000 total, but i had to put on a new hub and bearing with the Wilwoods in 2/07. The 22 inch Foose are heavy and add considerable "unsprung weight, but i didn't expect to have to replace them this soon. $300 for one hub!