Humming/slight Grinding Sound When Turning Right (sounds Like I'm

NickS · April 14, 2011

Ok, long story short, I just and my other axle replaced because of a cv boot torn. Truck was fine when I went to get my new tires put on. The cv boot busted about a month ago and was slowly leaking grease out. Well last week, I went to get my new tires put on (went from 285/60/18 toyo open country to 285/65/18 nitto terra grapplers). After I had the new ones put on, I noticed my steering wheel cocked a little to the side on my way home. Not bad, but just a little bit.

As I was pulling into my neighborhood, I heard a slight grinding sound (almost like it was in 4wd). It didnt do it when I turned to the left, or at least I couldn't feel it because I wasn't on that side of the truck. I just figures it was the cv on my drivers side had finally run out of grease, or maybe it was the new tires with way better tread biting into the road.

I had the axle replaced with the new cv earlier this week. I told the guy (he's a pretty good mechanic) to check everything on the front end while he was in there, tie rods, ball joints, Etc... He said the ball joints were tight, and everything was good.

I picked the truck up yesterday, it it is still doing it. It don't seem like it does it when I turn left, but I can't tell. And it didn't start doing it until the day I got new tires put on. It almost sounds/feels like I'm turning in 4wd. Does anyone know what I should check or what it could be? It doesn't feel normal, but then again, it could be the tires maybe. The shop said everything was ok under there. It's the truck in my sig.

SsgBulldawg · April 15, 2011

do you have a torsion lift/leveling kit? i had the same problem when i first put on mine.... i ended up finding i cranked too much on the drivers side and ended up putting the drivers side cv in too much of a bind..... i was driving on the highway and the wheel bearing locked up and disentigrated my wheel almost fell off...... luckily my cv held it on. wise thinking ive learned is to do the torsion cranking with a empty tank of fuel. just a suggestion..... id jack up the front end and see if you can wiggle the drivers side wheel in and out grab the top of the wheel and push it tward the inside of the wheel well and pull it back.... if it moves, check for metallic dust on the wheel.... if both those things are prevaliant, i would take the wheel and rotor off and check the wheel bearing.... catch it now and you wont have the scary feeling of doing 90 on the highway and almost having a wheeloff..... youll end up pullin your undies out for the next week. hope it helps, not sayin thats exactly whats wrong with yours. but its a thought.

NickS · April 15, 2011

Yeah, I don't have torsion bars, it's a NNBS. I do have a leveling kit, but it didn't do this until the day I put my new tires on. And I know it isn't them rubbing.

Judson · April 16, 2011

Did you check your wheel bearing?

NickS · April 16, 2011

I jacked up the front end , and there was no play in my wheel. Any other ideas?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿???????

OH1 · April 16, 2011

I jacked up the front end , and there was no play in my wheel. Any other ideas?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿???????

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me. Jacking up the front might not find it if it is just starting. There is too much holding the front together. Unless the bearing unit is really really bad you may not be able to move it.

You might have to tear it down and take the axel out. It might have play in it then...

10_point · May 22, 2011

when you replaced the axle, did you notice any red rust on the drive axle and back side of the bearing? if so i would replace the hub assembly .

NickS · May 26, 2011

No dust, actually, I just got it aligned yesterday (was given a company car right after the tires were installed). The alignment was off, and the tires had a little too much pressure in them. I didn't think to look at that because none of the tire sensors were correct anyways. They checked everything under there on my front suspension, and all is good and tight.

edomangue1 · March 18, 2012

My 07 z71 has an almost identical problem. Installed the level kit myself, installed bigger tires, and had the front end aligned. Noticed the steering wheel turned just a little to one side, but thought i was crazy. When you replaced the wheel bearing did it correct everything? Im concerned that if i replace the bearing, it will just eat another one because something else is actually wrong with it.