Warm/hot wheel hubs

JOE_ZWICKE · September 29, 2020

I have 60,000 miles on my gmc sierra I've been hearing a humming in the front end along with checking my hubs occasionally. They are warm after any hour or so of hwy driving. I've jacked it up and there was zero play, but since the hubs were so hot I decided to change one wheel hub. I put 500 miles on this last weekend and the noise isn't any better and the new hub is still warm. The rear hubs are cool to the touch. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Eddie 70 · September 29, 2020

The use of brakes generates a lot of heat. That heat will radiate away from the pads, calipers and into the hubs and wheels.

Lsgun1 · September 30, 2020

Completely normal for the hubs to be hot. To figure out which side is making the noise just drive the truck till you get to the speed you hear the humming and start turning the wheel. If you turn the wheel right and hear the sound then the left hub is bad, if you turn left and hear the sound then the right hub is bad. You are essentially loading one side more then the other.

JOE_ZWICKE · September 30, 2020

Is it normal for them to be hot and not have bad hubs? I have tried turning the wheel both ways and the humming doesn't increase one way or the other. Could it just be tires noise/needing an alignment I'm hearing as the tire wear? They have about 20,000 miles on them currently.

Lsgun1 · October 2, 2020

What kind of tires? Run your hand over the tread, if its all bumpy feeling then yes you can be hearing tire noise, usually mud terrain tires will cup/feather like that.