I have an '03 4x4 S-Crew and for the past few months I hear a squealing noise coming from the front drivers side...happens at just about any speed, but gets lower and higher pitch as the speed decreases or increases.

The problem started when I replaced my front rotors and pads late last year, and having not rotated my tires for a long time, the aluminum wheels were good and stuck to the hub, so I really had to whack the hell out of the tire with a sledgehammer to break it free. (I know, I should have loosened the lugnuts a bit and done a bunch of figure eight's in a parking lot...hindsight...)

Since the brakes are quite new, I am almost 100% positive it is the wheel bearings that are squealing. It looks to me that I cannot get at them...almost as if the hub is a self enclosed unit. If this is the case, are there any problematic issues with replacing it? Where can I buy the hub for a reasonable cost?

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Jeff

 

Raise it up and turn the wheel. You'll be able to pinpoint the noise easier. Sometimes the backing plate gets bumped and rubs against the rotor.

 

If it turns out to be the wheelbearing, it is a sealed bearing and you will have to relace the entire hub. Can get one for from Oreily for around 140 bucks. Nothin to puttin it on. just remove the caliper and caliper bracket, rotor, the abs sensor in the hub if it has it, and then there is three bolts in a triangle pattern on the hub. from there it should slide off the axle shaft and then do it all in reverse to put it on. the new hub will come with a new abs sensor(or should.)

 

x2 on the backing plate. I have never heard a wheel bearing make a squealing noise.

 

Thanks for the replies folks. I thought it odd that a bearing would squeal like this is doing. I spin the tire and it is super smooth with zero slop. Tight as the day it came off the floor.

What is odd is sometimes I can get the noise to stop if I drive on the right sided of the road crown and have the steering wheel drifted slightly left. It is just annoying as hell at times.

I will look at the backing plate tomorrow. I appreciate that tip.

 

Wheel bearing will have a roar and when you lift it off the ground will have a sound when you roll the tire..sealed bearing most of the time will not have slack so you cant go by that..I just replaced a front wheel bearing on my 1997.