Front Axle Noise/Grinding

[T4RBoarder]

Afternoon Everyone!

Been trying to track down a noise from my front end since I bought the truck and it's getting to the point where it is driving me insane. I've read so many threads and info seems to be back and forth with various descriptions of failures and symptoms. What I've got going on is:

Rotational Groaning/light grinding/rubbing sound from (what I assume) is the front left
Can feel in the floorboard, mainly through my foot in the dead pedal
Not super noisy but can definitely hear a groan when you load the front end up on that side(ex. coming into a roundabout) otherwise direction doesn't make a huge difference.
Noise and feeling seem to come in around 35ish, worst at 40 and around 55, then levels out beyond that.
Seems to be better (and I could be totally imagining all this) after sitting for extended amounts of time (days) and after getting the underside getting really wet (car wash) and worse if driven for extended amounts on the highway.

Recent maintenance/checks:

Knuckles full of grease, were fairly dry when I bought the truck but the addition of grease (a couple tubes) has made zero difference (seals seem to be good with not a ton of mixing or weeping)
Diff Fluid change made no difference either
Recently cleaned and repacked the wheel bearings (made no difference either)

From what I've read some people say this sounds like a dry spindle bushing? But I've also heard that the symptom of that is like driving on a rumble strip?

If this is characteristic of a dry spindle bushing would I be looking at just removal and putting some grease on the spindle and in those oval like recesses?

Any help is appreciated and I'll clear up any confusion as best as I can...

 

[Jaric00n]

Sounds more like a bearing issue....

lift wheel up and see if there is any significant play, turn it by hand and see if you can feel like "notches" because of deformed bearing races

 

[T4RBoarder]

Sounds more like a bearing issue....

lift wheel up and see if there is any significant play, turn it by hand and see if you can feel like "notches" because of deformed bearing races

No play, there wasn't too much before I repacked the bearings either, they looked to be in decent shape.

 

[subzali]

FWIW, I had a grinding sound a year ago that was a wheel bearing that came loose and was allowing the rotor to grind on the caliper.

 

[BILT4ME]

I had a tough time getting my wheel bearings to "seat". I had to torque them to 50+ LB-FT while rotating to make sure they seated on the spindle, then backed them off and settled on 25 LB-FT.

I would lean towards wheel bearings first.

Yes, it COULD be dry spindles, even if you have filled with grease. You have to take apart the entire left front assembly to grease this spindle bushing, except for removing the rotor or re-packing the wheel bearings. You can remove the hub as an assembly, then pull the spindle and grease and reassemble.

Also check your caliper bolts.

 

[Jaric00n]

check if there is any scoring on the rotor or caliper~~~

 

[T4RBoarder]

check if there is any scoring on the rotor or caliper~~~

I haven't noticed any scoring when I looked down there

I had a tough time getting my wheel bearings to "seat". I had to torque them to 50+ LB-FT while rotating to make sure they seated on the spindle, then backed them off and settled on 25 LB-FT.

I would lean towards wheel bearings first.

Yes, it COULD be dry spindles, even if you have filled with grease. You have to take apart the entire left front assembly to grease this spindle bushing, except for removing the rotor or re-packing the wheel bearings. You can remove the hub as an assembly, then pull the spindle and grease and reassemble.

Also check your caliper bolts.

What I'm having trouble wrapping my head around with the wheel bearing thoughts is the issue was present before the wheel bearings were re-packed...doing that made no difference with the noise at all, did tighten up the front end a bit since one was loose.

I'm going to recheck them this weekend again, inspect the bearings a bit more.

 

[Broski]

Dose the truck have a lift on it if so could be the front drive shaft.

 

[T4RBoarder]

Dose the truck have a lift on it if so could be the front drive shaft.

It has an OME 2.5" Heavy lift all the way around, I wouldn't think something that mild would affect anything?

 

[BILT4ME]

A groan that appears to be affected by being wet and by heat would indicate brakes to me.

Consider checking out free caliper movement (not binding in the sliding axis)
Also check the backing plate to make sure it's not dragging against a wheel or a rotor.

Did you or have the brakes been recently changed? If not consider "Bedding" the brakes. You can do this any time, but sometimes if the brakes were not properly "bedded" they tend to have wear issues and may make noise.

To bed the brakes:
Take truck to 45-50 MPH.
Stand on the brakes to almost locked condition until JUST BEFORE stopping.
Accelerate hard back up to 45-50 MPH.
Repeat this operation 3 times.

Drive about 3-4 miles with mild use of the brakes to allow to cool.

Then accelerate mildly up to 45-50 MPH
Ride the brakes down to about 5 MPH without stopping.
Repeat this operation 3 times.

Drive about 3-4 miles with mild use of the brakes to allow to cool.

Drive normally.

This will frequently straighten out warped rotors, it heats the pads to set the resin in the pad material and helps remove the glaze that occurs sometimes.

You don't have wheel spacers do you?

 

[Sarmajor]

80 series front calipers don't have floating mounts. They have solid mounts and pistons on both sides of the caliper.
Sounds like a dry spindle bushing or a buggered wheel bearing to me.

 

[mudgudgeon]

I'm also thinking wheel bearings. The fact the noise is worse when cornering on that side points to wheel bearing IMO.

 

[BILT4ME]

80 series front calipers don't have floating mounts. They have solid mounts and pistons on both sides of the caliper.
Sounds like a dry spindle bushing or a buggered wheel bearing to me.

Oh, yeah.....DUH! (on my part!)

 

[izzyandsue]

When you repacked the bearings, did you changed the races? Those could be damaged if still original

 

[T4RBoarder]

When you repacked the bearings, did you changed the races? Those could be damaged if still original

I did not, just cleaned them up, didn't notice anything but admittedly didn't look too hard either. It's all coming apart this weekend again. I have seen these spindle grease tools, has anyone used these with much luck? Ideas for future PM.

 

[Broski]

It has an OME 2.5" Heavy lift all the way around, I wouldn't think something that mild would affect anything?

It petty easy to pull the front drive shaft to check. When I installed my 3 " lift I got a similar noise grinding and it was the drive shaft

It has an OME 2.5" Heavy lift all the way around, I wouldn't think something that mild would affect anything?

A OME 2.5 heavy life is more like a 4" lift if you have no load in the truck or with out a heavy bumper & winch.

 

[Tools R Us]

I did not, just cleaned them up, didn't notice anything but admittedly didn't look too hard either. It's all coming apart this weekend again. I have seen these spindle grease tools, has anyone used these with much luck? Ideas for future PM.

The races and bearings should always be changed in pairs, they are pretty durable, rarely replace them. If the knuckle grease is at the proper level, the spindle bushing will self lube, no need for a tool.

 

[Broski]

A groan that appears to be affected by being wet and by heat would indicate brakes to me.

Consider checking out free caliper movement (not binding in the sliding axis)
Also check the backing plate to make sure it's not dragging against a wheel or a rotor.

Did you or have the brakes been recently changed? If not consider "Bedding" the brakes. You can do this any time, but sometimes if the brakes were not properly "bedded" they tend to have wear issues and may make noise.

To bed the brakes:
Take truck to 45-50 MPH.
Stand on the brakes to almost locked condition until JUST BEFORE stopping.
Accelerate hard back up to 45-50 MPH.
Repeat this operation 3 times.

Drive about 3-4 miles with mild use of the brakes to allow to cool.

Then accelerate mildly up to 45-50 MPH
Ride the brakes down to about 5 MPH without stopping.
Repeat this operation 3 times.

Drive about 3-4 miles with mild use of the brakes to allow to cool.

Drive normally.

This will frequently straighten out warped rotors, it heats the pads to set the resin in the pad material and helps remove the glaze that occurs sometimes.

You don't have wheel spacers do you?

To me a noise or groan that starts 35 mph to 55 mph indicate drive line. Brakes & bearing are a constant noise with a pitch change as you go faster.

 

[Berzerker76]

I don't mean to hijack the thread here but… I've got a similar issue myself, except mine shows itself only under a load, like accelerating from a traffic light or getting on the gas going uphill and mine seems to be on the right front side. I've replaced both front and rear diffs (gave me the excuse I needed to install eLockers), ring and pinions bearings, seals etc…, rebuilt the knuckles with new birfs and wheel bearings, replaced all u-joints and had both drive shafts balanced. All things I was planning on doing anyway just not quite so soon. I'm now thinking the front output shaft bearing on the t-case may be the culprit, for me anyway. I'm running out of things to throw money at.

I too feel I am slowly losing my mind, chasing down the mystery grumble, groan and grind.

 

[T4RBoarder]

It petty easy to pull the front drive shaft to check. When I installed my 3 " lift I got a similar noise grinding and it was the drive shaft

A OME 2.5 heavy life is more like a 4" lift if you have no load in the truck or with out a heavy bumper & winch.

I have the ARB and Winch on the front

The races and bearings should always be changed in pairs, they are pretty durable, rarely replace them. If the knuckle grease is at the proper level, the spindle bushing will self lube, no need for a tool.

Took it all apart this weekend, looks like the spindle bushing then is fine as there was a little grease coming out the end of the spilne. The bearings and races still looked good but since I had ordered new ones and they were cheap I replaced them (had a hell of a time getting the new grease seal in though). Buttoned it all back up (stripped a flange nut ) and no difference in the sound at all.