hey everyone, im 21 years old guy just got myself a 1998 dodge Dakota SLT its a 5.2L 318 V8 4x4 manual trans and love it i feel so free driving

there has bin this horrible sound its bin making kinda sounds like a tea kettle or a loud dog howl sound
you notice it at around 1500rpm going about 60kmh but gets real loud at around 2000ish rpm going around 90kmh
on the high way but the odd part is that its only around when your resting your foot on the excelerater maintaining speed
you let up on the excelerater and the sound goes away, floor it and sound is still not there, only when maintaining speed !

i gotta say its extremely annoying and a bit scary and concerning when high way driving ive already broke down once, scared to go far in it now, please help any ideas ??

 

Does it cluck going between forward and reverse? I'm not an expert on the 4x4 or manual trans systems on these trucks, what you describe can sometimes be a U-joint, but usually it will be more of a vibration and forward/reverse clunk than a whine. I don't know if CV joints use that same rule or not.

A wheel bearing would be more noticable when turning and noise would increase proportional to vehicle speed. So I think that can be ruled out.

Aftermarket lights on the roof or A pillar can make a whistling sound (Rigid lights are known for this) but that would require lights and would be omnipresent.

Tire roar would also be omnipresent and change with steering.

You've got me. I'm thinking it's up front somewhere.

 

what tires do you have on it?? if you have mud tires, they will howl, and the faster you go the louder they howl...

 

hey, noo it doesn't cluck and or have a vibration but the sound is hard to pinpoint sounds like its coming from the back sometimes but yet im sure its not! i got no lights on it its pretty bare-bones as i just got it but boy do i got plans for it !!

 

And it doesn't matter how fast or slow you are going or what gear you are in, as long as you are holding constant throttle/speed it is there, but not coasting or accelerating?

If it's there at all speeds and engine RPM, that should rule out any balance or tire issues. Would also rule out the output stage of the transmission, typically.

Try something for me: on a flat, level surface, put the truck in gear with engine off and clutch engaged, parking brake disengaged. Try to rock the truck back and forth. There should be about 1/4" of front/back play total, representing the lash in the (axles to spider gears), (spider gears to eachother), (ring gear to pinion gear), (pinion shaft to yoke), (yoke to transmission output). Maybe 1/2" max. If you have more than that..... have to start narrowing things down.

 

yes it doesnt matter how fast im going or what gear im in, just getts alot louder the faster im going, there new tires and all balance and what not in January so im sure its not the tire issues im going to take a video and see if you can hear it, kinda sounds like a house vacuum now that ive bin thinking about it alot more

 

so you cant send videos on here, so i just put the video on my email here is the link to it

https://1drv.ms/f/s!At8NPbDwhR-_jDs9VnE4j21LbXo_

 

im sure its a wheel bearing, jacked up my truck and the bearing is so bad that theres about 1 1/2 inch play in the bearing oops! went down the the napa got a nice new one, but **** i cant get the old one out now ........ looks like im walking my fat *** to work anyways lol **** my life !!!!!!