I've got a 2002 4wd that has developed a "hum" while driving down the road. It sounds similar to when you leave the hubs locked in on an older 4wd truck.

How do the hubs work on a Dakota 4wd? Are they full-time engaged, or automatic locking? I lifted the front wheels off the ground and spun each wheel (in 2wd), and I can see that both half-shafts are turning with the wheels. If the hubs are full-time engaged, then this makes sense. But, if they're automatic locking, then it sounds like something is causing them to engage when they shouldn't be.

The other thing I've considered is that it could have a wheel bearing going out, causing the noise.

Any thoughts?
Thanks

 

Anybody? TTT

 

not exactly sure what your problem is but a friend of my cousin's who has the same truck as me said that he's had to replace the half shafts in his like 2 times now, his truck has 160k on it but that could be your problem I'm not too good with suspension stuff so that's just a guess

 

Sounds like the wheel bearings. How many miles on the truck? The OE ones tend to go bad around 100K. Raise the front end of the truck again and grab hold of the wheel/tire and see if there is any up & down play in it. You can remove the wheel and move the hub up and down, side to side and if there is slop in the hub or you see or feel it moving around on the spindle, the bearing is bad. Napa sells the entire hub/bearing assembly for about $106.00.

I have heard you can take the numbers off the bearings on the factory hub assembly and Napa can cross reference in their parts books and order the bearings separately, but then you have to get a shop to press the old ones out and the new ones in. Seems easier to me to just replace the entire assembly and have a much more reliable repair though.

You could also rotate the tires first to rule out a problem with the tire. This sounds like the wheel bearings to me though, and if it is it isn't exactly safe to drive the truck.

Jimmy

 

I'd say the wheel bearings sounds like a reasonable guess. I'll lift it up tomorrow and check that out. FYI, it's got 105k miles on it.

Thanks for the input.

 

It turned out to be the right front wheel bearing. I replaced the whole hub assembly for ~$108 from O'reilly's. Much better now!

 

Glad to know you got it fixed. I'll have to start listening to mine now, I'm at 94K.

Jimmy

 

I hope it's OK to dig up this old thread...

I'm trying to change my right front bearing / hub right now and can't seem to get it off. Is there anything holding it on besides the large nut and the 3 bolts that go into the hub assembly from behind? My cv shaft (name?) moves in and out of the hub assy easily, so it's not stuck on that.

Can anyone help? Thanks

 

Nope nothing else holding. I have changed two of these before and both times they were really on there. Your best best is a big chisel like object, like a log splitter, and a BIG hammer. Give it a few good whacks around where the hub meets the steering knuckle.

 

To answer your original question, the truck has a live axle up front, meaning that the axles shafts spin with the wheels 100% of the time and do not unlock.