I have a '99 4WD Durango with the V8 Magnum engine. The other day a growling sound started coming from the from end. Sounded kinda like I was running big mud tires, bit I am not. It stopped when I turned left and the weight shifted, but started back when I went straight. I thought it was a bad bearing in the left hub assembly, so I replaced it, but it did not help. Could it be the left CV joint? While I have worked on many cars and trucks in the past, this is my first 4wd, and I am baffled.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

NP

 

CV joint would be my first guess, although it wouldn't hurt to look at the ball joints as those are a weak point in the IFS on the Druangos.

 

Check your front differential fluids and put some Gear Additive in it. (Limited Slip Additive). Try see if that works.

 

The front dif is not limited slip, the additive will do nothing for it.

CV joint is a good possibility, did you check the boots when you were under there for the bearing?

 

Although you replaced the left hub, the right one is most likely in the same bad shape. Same material, same number of rotations, same wear and tear. (i just had to replace both last month). But the CV joints would be the next logical solution. If the hub went out it would cause play in the CV joints and also cause unnecessary were and tear.

 

So Bat are you telling everone that the front dif is locked. I've personally spun one front and one back while I've been locked in 4X4.
So if it is please explain yourself.

 

Check your rotors and brake pads... Make sure the outside pad spring in not binding the caliper. The wheel should spin with little resistance. I had the same noise in the front end and also replaced the hub/bearing assy w/o success until I lossened the pad spring on the outside pads. Just a thought....