So my driverside front wheel had been lightly clicking, now it sounds like one of those old bikes with a playing card in the spokes, it also grinds on turns. My mechanic says, 'don't drive it' and it will cost around $200 to fix. Does that sound about right?

 

Sounds like a spindle bearing going out. Is it 4x4? Could also be a number of other bearings, but if your mechanic says not to drive it, I sure as hell wouldn't.

If a spindle bearing, $200 sounds right. If it's upper and lower ball joints, that sounds about right. If it's just a single ball joint, that would be a little high. Thing is, when you say U-Joint, that means drive shaft problems. If it's coming from the front of the truck, that would be the 4x4 transfer case u-joint and typically, it wouldn't make noise unless you were in 4-wheel drive.

So I'm not real sure what part you're referring to.

 

I'm referring to the coupling between the front axle and wheel, I call those U-Joints.

 

Mine would do the same thing when the front U joints were going bad. It wasn't to noticable unless driving by a privacy fence or cnocrete barrier. Then the sound would come back to me. Mine have been replaced three times. 25000, 65000, and 100000. The price of having an excellent turning radious. Dealer did the first two under warranty. The last one was while aligning the front. They had it on the lift so I let them do it. There is a few write ups on doing this if you search and want to tackle it yourself. $200. and they should do both sides while at it.....

 

i just had the same u joint in the exact same spot changed for $100 make sure you buy a spicer u joint the best there is. usually run u about $30 then labor $ about 70