97 Ram 1500 4x4, odd squeak at drivers side front wheel. So I was in a small parking lot that was more like a horse shoe driveway. With cars parked along my right side to get around the horseshoe I had to turn left. With the wheel at full lock while turning (almost at idle) the front wheels started hopping or skipping, almost like if I was in four wheel drive. Since then I’ve had this squeak at the driver side front wheel when driving slow either straight or turning to the left, it goes away when turning to the right. It kinda sounds like wet rubber and I can feel a slight thump when I brake somewhat hard at a stop. Everything in the front end is new. I changed upper and lower ball joints, inner and outer tie rods and ends, upper and lower control arm bushings, track bar, drag link, right and left front u joints, steering stabilizer, sway bar end links and bushings all with in the last year. Recently changed front brake rotors and calipers with no rubbing on either end. Noise seems to go with the rotation of the wheel with maybe a one second pause in between each sound. Only thing I can think of would be the axle seal? I changed the one on the right side last year but didn’t do the driver side since I don’t have a spreader to get the carrier out of the diff. Haven’t really had time to diagnose yet so I thought I’d get some possibilities or a general idea of what it could be. Thanks for any help

 

Can you jack it up, turn the wheels all the way to the left, and spin the tire by hand? Hear the noise?

 

I’ll check that after work, after driving it home from work for lunch I noticed it’s more noticeable under 35 mph, if I turn the wheel left it changes to a higher pitched squeak, if I turn the wheel all the way left it goes away.

UPDATE: so I live 10 min. away from work and literally the last 5 min. of driving back to work after lunch it stopped… just wanted to add that.

 

Welp, jacked up the front end and found out the wheel bearings are toast

 

OOOpsie...... Back in ya go. Sorry man.

 

They're quick unless your 12pt bolt heads are rusted or the wb is fused to the knuckle bore.

But if you just did u-joints you just had it out.

Also I don't think it would be possible for the inner axle seal to squeak. And you almost surely don't need a case spreader. Pry it out and pound it in. Drop the tie rod for a straight shot if necessary.

 

Keep in mind those axles nuts get torqued to some truly stupid value...... It's listed in the service manual...

 

trust me I had all my weight on a pry bar and that bitch wasn’t moving, even tried it with a ratchet strap hooked to another vehicle and she wouldn’t budge. So I said screw it I’ll deal with it another time. Driver side seal isn’t leaking anyway so I’m sure it’s fine for now.

 

It's actually good if it's that tight. Vevor (who is a Chinese company trying to copy every item ever sold) sells an affordable case spreader. I've got one but haven't used it yet, so it might be junk but it looks functional.