Hello, I'm new here and really, it's my first post on ANY automotive forum about a problem I have with a vehicle, so please be gentle. Sorry if this is long, but I want to be as detailed as possible.

I've got a 2014 RAM 1500 V8 Outdoorsman. I bought it used almost 2 years ago. It's always been a little noisy at high speeds, but I initially chalked it up to brand new tires. Recently, I've become convinced it's more than that.

Symptoms:
- My best description is a "rubbing" noise from the front driver side of the truck. I initially thought it was just the sound of new, beefy tires, but it's only on the right side and sounds...off balance. It's not a metal-on-metal sound. It does get louder the faster I go, and I can feel it in my feet through the floor/pedals.
-The truck seems to drag or feel like it's braking when it should be coasting. Not sure if this is related to the above problem or not. I've read this may be engine braking or a stuck caliper.
-It sort of feels like there is resistance when driving as well that seems to pull to the right. This seems to vary in intensity....and could just be my imagination/paranoia.

Things I've Tried/Looked at:
-I've pulled off the driver side front tire and inspected the area. There is no visible damage or obvious broken parts.
-I initially thought it might be part of the inside wheel cover that had come loose based on the sound, but it's secure and not touching the tire anywhere.
-I tried rotating the tire/rotor to see if I could replicate the sound, but I couldn't. Likely I wasn't moving it fast enough. There was, maybe, a slight noise from the differential, but it was negligible at best.
-It was slightly difficult to spin the rotor by hand if that matters. Not sure how easily it should spin.
-I have NOT had the opportunity to try coasting in neutral to see if the engine braking symptom clears up.

I've done some reading on forums and I've narrowed it down to either a stuck caliper, the CV arm, or the differential. I have already purchased some new calipers for all four wheels, so that's coming regardless. I could probably change the CV arm myself, but anything to do with the diff is probably above my skill level. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance and feel free to ask me any questions. I'm not a seasoned mechanic, but I'm learning, so I'll do my best to answer any questions intelligently.

 

Welcome to DF!

First, go for a drive. Find a road with little traffic, preferably paved...... run it up to about 30mph, then change lanes, HARD, both directions. Is the noise different going one way, vs the other? If yes, it's a wheel bearing.

If no.... Jack up the drivers side, spin the wheel by hand, shouldn't be too difficult..... pay attention to how much force it takes, then, pump the brakes a couple times, and try again. Is it harder to turn? If yes, crack open the bleeder valve, and try again. Easier now? If yes, bad brake line. (they collapse internally, and act as a check valve....) If no, then possibly a sticking caliper.

Could also do some low speed maneuvering... See if the noise changes while you are turning..... (cut it pretty tight....)

 

The suggestions above are valid. You can also try carefully touching each wheel after a relatively long drive to see if one is noticeably hotter than others. If any are so hot that you cannot touch them without feeling like it's going to cause a burn, and you weren't just doing some aggressive braking, that or those brakes are likely hanging up. Could be due to a bad hose, bad caliper, or slide pins that are not moving freely. Take the wheel off and see if one pad (inner versus outer) is quite a bit thinner than the other.

The pulling slightly to the right, but inconsistently, could be just due to the crown of the road, especially if you notice it more in town. That crown helps rain water flow to the gutter/shoulder and has a side benefit of helping guide an inattentive driver away from on-coming traffic.

If you're not familiar with bleeding brakes, you may want to reconsider changing out the brake calipers on your own, or ask a friend with that experience to help. Properly functioning brakes are pretty important.

-Rod

 

Thanks guys for the suggestions. Haven't had a chance to try everything yet, but....

I did get a chance to try this, and it does get a bit more....crunchy when turning fast as described above. More so to the right than the left. So I guess I'll start shopping for some bearings.....

 

That'll be the LEFT side bearing. The wheel on the outside of the turn gets weight transferred to it, and if its already noisy, it gets noisier.

 

Question about replacing the bearing assembly......There's several I'm looking at purchasing. Some indicate they are for 4WD and others do not. Is it important that I buy the ones that specify for 4WD, or does it really matter? (Nevermind, I did more digging on the actual part number and confirmed it is for 2014 4WD) Also, is it recommended to change bearings in pairs (driver side and passenger side), or can I only change the offending bearing? I was leaning towards doing both, but wasn't sure if it was necessary.

 

I only change the one that is causing problems. They are not inexpensive. That, and the factory bearings tend to last longer than the aftermarket fellers....

Just be sure to torque things to the proper values. That is THE most important step in ensuring longevity of your bearings.

 

Just a quick update. I did manage to change out the bearings and its running much better now! It was a pain in the butt to get everything apart, but once that was done, it was cake. Thanks for all the suggestions and help!!

 

I also recently did both of mine, using SKF bearings. One was obviously bad by wiggling the rim by hand, but the other one that didn’t do that was also crunchy when I tried to spin it once it was out. The truck rolls noticeably quieter now. They’re both the same age, if one failed at 125k, how far behind is the other one. What I thought was unbalanced tires also improved nicely.