Reference to tire hum

jojo

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Dec 12, 2013
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This may sound ridiculous, but I need some feedback regarding front tire hum. Initially when I bought my 02 used, I just thought that the off-road type tires were to blame for the front end hum, but know that I put street tires on, the hum is still audible. As if the tires were mudders or some aggressive off-road type. Is this normal?
 

Hot COCOAL

May the farce be with you
Jun 9, 2012
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This may sound ridiculous, but I need some feedback regarding front tire hum. Initially when I bought my 02 used, I just thought that the off-road type tires were to blame for the front end hum, but know that I put street tires on, the hum is still audible. As if the tires were mudders or some aggressive off-road type. Is this normal?

Probably a bad wheel bearing(s) and or CV shaft(s)
Pretty normal wear and tear items for our rigs and when they start to ga bad do mimic the noise aggressive tires make...
 

Awenta

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Sep 28, 2014
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Not normal. Check the wheel bearings


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May the farce be with you
Jun 9, 2012
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Anyway to isolate to diagnose?

Yeah, take the weight off the tires, jack and stands, lift or whatever
Bearing check:
Grab the wheel in question with both hands on opposing sides and wiggle it, if it wiggles at all, its shot.

CV check:
At both ends where the boot is, there is a mechanical joint, if the joint within the boot has movement or you can make an audible "click" noise and move it up and down, its shot, check both ends
 

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
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Feb 14, 2007
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I just replaced a bad wheel bearing that had no play in it. You should also spin the wheel and listen to see if it makes a growling noise, but don't confuse a bad bearing with normal brake/rotor noise.
 

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May the farce be with you
Jun 9, 2012
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I just replaced a bad wheel bearing that had no play in it. You should also spin the wheel and listen to see if it makes a growling noise, but don't confuse a bad bearing with normal brake/rotor noise.

For sure you're right Josh...the wiggle test by hand, check, is the "yup, its friggin shot" test
:roflmao:

Spinning it pretty important, lol.
And sometimes they don't really make noise and will have movement! Sometimes it can take the leverage of a pry bar to isolate the play in a wheel bearing

Isn't there 4 bearings in the hub, inner and outer on each side of the hub? It isn't always as straight forward as the wiggle test

And then when my CV was going bad I thought it was a wheel bearing and I'd check that damn thing every few days, stumped..lol
:eek:hgeez:
 

jojo

New member
Dec 12, 2013
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Southern California
Been busy, but finally got to it and ended up changing out the hub assembly. Looks like the truck never had a hub assembly service. Going to order another assembly since now that I can hear without the grumble, the passenger side sounds like that assembly is rattling. Thanks for the input.