Okay. I have this screeching sound coming from the front. It sounds like brake squeal and it only does it while I am turning at speeds above 10mph. It is not the hubs as I have just replaced those as I thought that was the problem and it did eliminate the grinding sound but I still have this other noise. Could it be the calipers sticking? But wouldn't I hear that all the time? Warped rotors? Though I have no pedal pulsation. I look forward to hearing from you guys!

99 Durango SLT, 4X4, 5.2L

 

Could be the idler pulley which has a tendency to squeal when flexed and old. Mine was when in reverse, so perhaps while turning. Dunno.

Does it sound like the wheel area or under the hood?

Wheels could be the squeak tabs on the front pads. That means it is nearing time to get a brake job up front.

Regarding the squeak tabs, most are set up to squeal when you really still have a lot of pad left. See... most folks don't react to the squeaks, etc and drive along even after the squeaks start.... even though you still have a lot of pad left. The tabs are designed to give lots of warning time. I have seen over half a pad left over when the tabs start squealing and that is way to early to even have to consider a brake job IMHO.

When I do installs on my own Durango, I bend the tabs back to just barely over the end of the pad depth. That way I know when it squeaks, it's done and there is no more pad and not a lot of time (a week or two) left before I need to get the job done and the brakes repaired/replaced.

Hope that helps,

IndyDurango

 

It is hard to tell but it sounds like it is coming from the wheel area. I guess it could be the engine area. Pads are still in great shape. They have at least 50% of the pad left. Idler pulley is pretty cheap so I may give that a try. Might as well change out the tensioner pulley too. Thanks for the input.

 

Well I changed out the front calipers and rotors and still have the sound. Next is the idler pulley. Hopefuly it fixes it.

 

Now I am really getting irritated! Changed idler pulley and tensioner, although it did need to be done, it did not solve my problem. Sound is still there! What are the odds that both the new hubs I installed are bad? Doesn't seem likely though.

 

Get a friend to find the sound for you.

 

I think I have found it. I believe it is the p/s pump on its way out. When I replaced the pulleys I put on a new belt. Yesterday I had belt squeal until it warmed up. So I put the old belt back on today. It is still in good shape. I played with all the pulleys and the p/s pump pulley doesn't turn very well and makes the same metal on metal whirling sound that I have when I turn. So after I put the belt on with no squealing on a cold motor I listened to the p/s pump with a stethoscop(?) and it has a very distinct metal whirling sound emitting from it.

 

What did the idler pulley and tensioner cost you? Where did you get them? Sorry that wasn't it.

Power Steering pump issues can almost always be felt/transfered into the steering wheel. You can feel it as "different" as you drive. Since you didn't mention it, I dismissed the PS pump and pulley right away.

Glad you found it!

IndyDurango

 

Tensioner was 64.99, idler pulley was 27.99. Got them both at autozone. No problem. The tensioner needed to be replaced anyway. The spring was pretty well worn.

I have only been back driving it since late April so everything feels different compared to my SRT8 Jeep that I drove daily for 2 years. Still getting used to everything. Especially the brakes. I miss those 14" rotors and 4 piston brembo calipers up front.

 

Indeed! Our undersized brakes suck badly. You have to pony up for mega improvements just to get it to stop correctly.

4 piston brembo's eh? Nice! I have always liked the JGC SRT8. To bad they never SRTd a Durango.

IndyD