HELP, front end sounds like rumble strips

[josh.williams506]

My truck has been making a clicking/clunking sound for about 2 weeks ONLY when I hit a bump or pothole. It sounds like it's coming from the front passenger side of the axle.
Out of the blue today, it starts to shake and rumble, dang near similar to the rumble strips on the interstate. It continues until I stopped...got out and looked at it, when i drove off it was gone.
10-15 min later it does it again, same process.
I had firestone look at it since they were the only shop open and they said nothing in the front end looked bad. I am at a loss. It still randomly does it so what gives? Anyone have ideas?

 

[RNally]

I think I'd take is to somewhere more reputable than Firestone. They tend to be more of the novice technicians. It's hard to believe nothing is wrong in the front end with that much of a noise.

 

[Bluke]

Manually lock the hubs in and take it for a spin. If it goes away you have bad needle bearings in the unit bearing.

 

[josh.williams506]

That's what I was thinking RNally! It only did it twice today, but the clunking/clicking is still there. I can lock the hubs but it's so random and sporadic I don't know if It will do it or not.

 

[josh.williams506]

It is the wheel bearing. I'm probably going to replace the wheel hub with a timken. Can one be replaced or should both be replaced at the same time?
If I can budget it I may go ahead and do warn or yukon locking hubs as well.

 

[Mike's lariat]

Always get confused but mile marker or mile maker lock outs do a good job also. They sell them at advance auto parts.

 

[Layson]

Needle bearings in wheel bearing?

 

[RNally]

It is the wheel bearing. I'm probably going to replace the wheel hub with a timken. Can one be replaced or should both be replaced at the same time?
If I can budget it I may go ahead and do warn or yukon locking hubs as well.

Just one can be replaced. I always use OEM hubs. Had some issues with aftermarket ones so stuck with OEM and have been fine on my and my customers vehicles. Warn hubs would be a nice add on as well, I've installed quite a few sets of those as well as the Mile Markers locking hubs.

 

[dsberman94]

Mile markers work great. I need to take mine apart and grease them up before snow flies, but they turn free every time, unlike my stockers did. MM has the same warranty as warn at a lower price and work just as well. I wouldn't hesitate on saving the coin over buying a bigger name.

 

[Bluke]

Needle bearings in wheel bearing?

Yeah. http://www.guzzle7pt3.com/nblube.php

 

[josh.williams506]

Sorry it's been so long since I've replied. I replaced my hub with a timken and it's still doing the same thing. It was terrible yesterday..so much so that I drove it around the block today and parked it. Still the same rumble strip/mud tire roar with vibration.

I had 2 shops tell me the front end was tight and good to go. Would the needle bearing cause this? If so, would it be included with a new hub or is it something seperate?

 

[Bluke]

The needle bearings come with the new hubs. What happens when you lock hub in on the side you did not replace.

 

[josh.williams506]

Good to know.
I couldn't get it lock by hand. The knob cracked and broke trying to spin it. I'm gonna try to lock it again tomorrow and drive it.
So now I need new 4wd hubs (either warn or mile marker since everything else is out of my price range), I'll just assume the driver side hub needs to be changed. Could a stub shaft/axle cause this?

This has given me such a headache it makes me want to try and get a new truck.

 

[Bluke]

Swap hubs and lock it in. If the noise stops when it's locked in it's the needle bearing supporting the stub shaft.

 

[josh.williams506]

I dropped the truck off at another shop...they said they had no idea, to try a tranny shop.

I did manage to get my hubs locked tonight and took it for a spin! There was alot od background noise but I don't think I heard or felt anything at all. I don't even think I heard the rattle that I was told was a bad shock.
For arguments sake, I unlocked the hubs and drove back to the house and again heard no rumble/roar. I may have heard the rattle though.
What gives? I did pick up a wheel hub and will probably have it changed out tomorrow just to give the needle bearing route a go.
Hopefully it fixes the issue. If not, I may change the stub shafts.

As far as shocks, would it hurt to change the front until I can swing the rear or is it better to change em all out at once.