Before I take the truck to a repair shop wanted to see if anyone has any ideas on what I can check. I have tried everything I can think of and cant pin point the issue.

When I drive the truck and have the drivers window down I can here this faint clicking sound. As I speed up the clicking speeds up and as I slow down the clicking speeds down. Today while I was driving it on the highway doing 70MPH all of a sudden I could here this strange faint whining noise, as I slowed down the noise went away.

Before I take it in does anyone have any suggestions on what it could be and what I should look for or at?

Thanks

 

Everything that turns and rotates is suspect. Any driveability issues? Vibrations?

 

No driveability issues, it drives the same as it always has. No vibrations either, one thing I did notice on my way home from work was as a car would pass it seemed like it was coming from the front of the truck but not for sure. On my way home it never did the whining noise either just the clicking noise. It is a 96 dodge ram slt ext cab 4x4 with the 5.9L and auto trans mission.

 

I've had the wheel bearings make that noise before getting bad, can you get the front axle jacked up off of the ground? That way you could move the wheels around and see if there is play in the bearings. Could be other things as well, obviously.

 

Check the front u joints also as they turn whether in 4wd or not.

 

Sounds like it could be your serpentine belt also. Mine made a ticking sound I kind of thought was an exhaust leak, changed it because it was developing a split and the ticking sound went away.

 

Jack up the front and spin the tires.
This is what a bad u-joint sounds like if the needle bearings have turned to dust.

 

Sheriff420 that is exactly what it sounds like. I think I may have also pin pointed it to the left front side. My wife rode in the truck last night with me and with her window down she cant here it but with my window down I can. How hard is it to change them out, about how long does it take to do it. I am pretty sure it is the left front drivers side and about how much should I expect to pay for the part.

thank you
Bill

 

Not hard, just a little time consuming. Have to pull the axles. Be careful putting them back in so you don't knock the seals out of place, especially on the drivers side. Pull the CAD for pass. side to realign the axles. Might as well change out the 2 bushings there as long as the axles out, they're cheap.

 

It is the left front divers side, will I need any special tools to do the job?