First I am new to this forum, so here's hello. I have a 97 dodge ram 5.9l with 80000 miles on it. Around 70000 miles ive noticed a loud metal squeaking sound coming from the right passenger's side front. Every time i back out of the drive way and turning at an angle it sounds dreadful. Enough to wake up the whole neighborhood. its even more noticeable when traveling down the road when i go over bumps or enter parking lots. I know my wheel bearings are permanent seal and that may be the soucre of the probleam but i dont know how to go about diagnosing it. Ive recently replaced my front disk brake pads but the squeak was there before that since i know elevating the front end can cause the bearings to go bad. Ive also recently notice some play in steering and cornering. Any help and/or advice would be very helpful.

 

sounds kinda like u got a bad ujoint check for play in all of them

 

Wheel bearing!

 

I am looking into to trying these ideas out this weekend after I get my lawn mower stuff straightened out. If I can do the repairs myself, I surely will.

 

Wheel bears and u-joints are both easy, and its probably one of those. Unless it just brakes rubbing, like the wear indicater. Sometimes it'll only rub when you turn.

 

If you can feel it in the steering wheel then I would NOT drive that truck!!!

Usually by the time you feel it, the bearings are getting ready to give out within the next 5 to 10 miles, it might make it another 50 or 100 but you don't know for sure and yes, it's that close to giving out.

You need to at least find out if it is the bearings.

For a quick test, jack it up until the wheel is off the ground, and see if you can wobble it by hand, and if you can, watch out. I'm dead serious man, that wheel can come off any second if it's that bad, and if that wheel comes off you'll be looking at fixing a whole lot more than what you're dealing with right now, it would likely ruin your whole brake system, maybe parts of the suspension and whatever else gets to scrape along when it happens.

Wheel bearings are not that bad to DIY, I don't mean to scare you but don't drive it no more until it's fixed, I wouldn't.

btw, I had one car where the wheel was only holding on by the cotter pin by the time I got to it (and I thought I got to it fast), it's how I know these things.

 

I've just noticed this morning that the passenger's side front tire while on the ground points slightly outward from the bottom. Just yesterday, the squeaking stopped when i went over a large bump , but came back on the way home. I will be driving my 76 buick electra until the middle of the week, when i can get some time off to look at it.