I have a 99 RAM 1500 4X4 Auto 5.2L that I bought at an auction. It's making a deep grinding/rubbing sound in the front end somewhere (can't tell if it's left or right). I thought it sounded like the front axle is engaged even though the transfer case is clearly in 2WD. The kicker is that the noise goes away when I apply the brakes and the sound comes back as soon as I release brakes. I pulled the wheels off, checked the calipers and they're tight on both sides. Ideas anyone?????

 

RamExpress. I think you might want toconsider your hub bearings as being a possible source of thenoise. When my front universals went, the symptom was the steering wheel jerking as I tried to turn at slow speeds. Unfortunately, after I replaced the u-joints, I developed the same noise as you and had to take the front end apart again. Good news is I never seized everything, especially the hub bearing which are the hardest part of the job to take apart, and everythingwent smooth.

I also, thought the problem was the brakes but it wasn't. If you are driving down the road and turn the wheel slightly left and right does the noise go away? Also, after driving a few miles, does the noise go away? If so, since you will be deep enough to check the u-joint and hub bearing at the same time, suspect the hub bearing. While there however, even if the u-joints are good, change them as they will be next to go and they are easy after getting the hub bearingsout.

I bought my hub bearing at NAPA. They give a life time guarantee. Unfortunately, I think they were about $240 each. U-joints are cheap.

 

+1 on hub brgs and/or u-joints. these turn even when 4wd is not engaged.

put it up on 4 jack stands. safely. put it in 4wd to get the wheels turning and track your noise. beware, removing the sealed bearing can be a pita and sometimes they break apart and have to be replaced anyway.

another approach is to spend about $500-600, tear it down once and replace everything, and be done with it forever. since you have to pull the axles, replace the axle seals as well. also check ball joints. anti-seize the brg assy into the knuckle. replace the track bar as well. its likely worn out too.

see here. http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech/hub.php

 

Thanks to Crabman and dhvaughan. In response to your questions, no, the noise didn't go away after driving a couple miles and no, the noise didn't go away when turning the wheel left or right. It would, however, diminish slightly during turns.

I put the front end of the truck on jack stands. I didn't have 4 to put the rear end onto. Anyway, I wiggled the drivers side wheel and found the upper ball joint isworn out. While that definately needs to be replaced, would that cause the noise? I'm apt to believe that the hub bearing is shot as well. Also, what is the track bar that dhvaughan referred to?

I checked thelink to the pavementsucks.com article on hub replacement. It seems to me that the hub bearing could have been replaced and put back intothe old hub assy without replacing thewhole hub assy. That would surely be much cheaper.

I'll keep you posted on progress.
Thanks again.