I have a 2000 Durango 5.2l, 2 wheel drive. It feels like my front wheel bearings/hubs are going bad. The sound is almost unbearable. I thought it was tire noise because I have larger tread now but the noise is louder than the engine. It increases with speed and is now vibing the car so bad my keys shake in the ignition over 55mph. I have new tires and the alignment was just done this weekend, no change. When I make a right hand turn at high speeds it actually subsides a little. I checked the whole suspension system and replaced the upper ball joint before the alignment and the brakes look fine. Any suggestions?

 

check the wheel hubs, jack up the front end and with the wheels off the ground grab the 12/6 position and 3/9 (one set at a time) and see if the tire moves, if it moves in the 3/9 direction thats a bad hub, and in the 12/6 direction it bad balljoints (i think i have those right if im wrong someone plz correct me)

the other thing that comes to mind is are the tires balanced correctly, try rotating them front to back and see if it goes away, gets better/worse bc if the problem started with the new tires that is the most likely issue, take them back and get the tires checked to make sure they are good (no slipped bands ect) and properly balanced, my dads old truck got 2 bad tires in one set of 4 and it drove us nuts until the got new tires then was just gone, front end place couldn't find anything wrong and the tire guy said there was a slipped band in the tire which was causing the vibration and nobody thought to check it)

 

if the noise subsides a bit while turning the first thing that i would check would be the drive axles.. while parked turn the wheel full left, turn off and check for a torn boot on the axles.. turn full right and check the same thing.. both tires..

 

his truck is a rwd only not a 4x4 so there wont be any cv boots or front axles, if it was a 4x4 i would agree with you but its not

 

Wheel bearings can subside while turning due to the weight difference while turning and the bearing moving.


Grasp those wheels and jiggle like Sharp is saying.

 

Someone please let me know if they can think of something else in regards to the front end noise with these Chrysler vehicles. I am also one who has initially thought of the Wheel bearings/hub assemblies. I also thought the Ball Joints mights be Dry and sending road noise through the whole assembly because of metal to metal contact. None seem to be the case.

I have checked both Dodge Forums and Chrysler Forums, and there are numerous post of hundreds of people having the similar problem and everyone is changing the same things. I have seen posts on Dakota's, Intrepids, Sebrings, Stratus's, Cirrus's, LHS's. Everyone is checking the Hub/Bearing assembly, to the CV joints and then to Ball Joints. Some have gone to Mechanics and others are trying to figure it out on their own. The one main connection is that no one has found an ANSWER.... Please help I am also one who has changed Balljoints, Hub's, Wheels, and Brakes on both a 2000 Stratus and an 05 Sebring with no results. Both cars has exactly the same noise, with no improvement.

 

Front end squeak is the sway bar. Very common issue and easily discernible from a BJ/hub sound.

There is NO/ZERO common thread between the models you labeled... Dakota's, Intrepids, Sebrings, Stratus's, Cirrus's, LHS's. To think the D has parts relatives to the Intrepids, Sebrings, Stratus's & LHS's is wishful thinking, silly or somewhere in between.

IndyD

 

The sound is not a squeak. It's a grinding or rumbling soud that increases in volume and with speed. it gets lighter when turning slightly to the right and stronger when turning slightly to the left.

Bluefalcongfe described a similar noise above in this same thread. That the only reason why I am posting in a truck section. Also, there are more viewers in this section, which might yield a better response.

 

Wait...

what are you driving?

 

Have you shaked the front end down yet?