About 2 days ago while going around a clover leaf I noticed a loud hum coming from the right front end. It sounds like a heavy tread hum, but, my tires are 4 yrs old and well worn. I have a feeling its a wheel bearing. It only does it when turning hard right at speed over 30 mph. I know the wiggle trick. But does anyone have any other ideas on how to tell if it is the bearings? I'd hate to replace the right and find out it was actually the left.

 

Jack it up and instead of wiggling it, apply pressure to either the top or bottom part of the tire and rotate.

If you hear it grinding or roaring then it's most likely your bearing.

Also check to see if your tires are evenly worn, if not you could be getting it from the tires.

 

If you were turning hard right and heard it then its the left wheel bearing. Thats how they usually are. Jack the truck up and grab the tire at the top and bottom and push and pull you can also stick a tire iron,breaker bar ect under the wheel and pick up you should be able to feel if it moves. It helps to have a second person look on the inside of the wheel while someone is moving the tire up and down to see if it wheel bearings or the ball joints moving. You will be able to tell if its the ball joints.

 

Here is pic of the Hub bearing. Like has been mention before jack it up and grab the wheel and you see and hear if the bearings are bad. I would check both sides.

 

dakotas are a unit bearing like the ram? Good to know. (not)

 

Yes unless you have a old ram it has a hub assembly. I have them on my ram. I can get a kit to switch to hubs and regular bearings but its 1,400.00

 

Ok jacked it up tonight. Wiggled, pressed, pry-barred both sides. Nothing. They move exactly the same which is pretty much nil. rotated all 4 tires out and went for a test run. still hums at 40+ on right hand turn only..... confused. Also tread wear is flat across, no deviations. So far this is the only problem i have not been able to quickly solve. I have had this 97 since 98 and have done all the previous work on it. This is the first to stump me...

 

What about your front axles?

 

Yeah I have it all torn apart right now. New Control arm bushings needed.. Axels are fine. Bearings are fine. Still making noise... Weird crap man...

 

You can't always tell by wiggling the wheel. I had a bad bearing and it still felt tight. It was only once I got it off the truck and tried to move it that it would bind, spin, bind, spin, bind, spin.

On mine it was a bad left bearing. It quieted down turning to the right.

Basically though, if one side is bad the other will be close behind.