Need help identifying noise

[chadsy]

I have long noticed a noise coming from around my front wheels that is more present when driving at low speeds with the windows down. The best I can describe it is a "jingling" sound. I first thought it may be the brake pads rattling around and I may need to replace the hardware. Well, I recently inspected my brakes and I was able to eliminate the possibility of it coming from the brakes.

I found that the noise was coming from the hubs on both sides. The noise is very apparent when I spin the wheels by hand. The sound juding by the setup is coming from behind the hub plate where the CV spindles would be located. I have attached a pic of where the noise is coming from.

I appreciate any help or suggestions anyone might be able to provide.

 

[Brian757]

Do you experience wobbling or mild shuddering of the steering wheel while driving?
Did you notice the sound after you did your brake pad replacement?
Have you checked your brake shield?
Have you taken the rotor off and narrowed it completely to hub?

 

[chadsy]

Do you experience wobbling or mild shuddering of the steering wheel while driving? Yes there is a mild shudder to the steering sometimes.
Did you notice the sound after you did your brake pad replacement? The noise has always been present even before the replacement.
Have you checked your brake shield? Brake shield is OK.
Have you taken the rotor off and narrowed it completely to hub? Yes, I took the rotors off this weekend and was able to isolate the noise coming from the hub.

See quote for responses to each of the questions.

 

[Brian757]

See quote for responses to each of the questions.

You could just need new wheel bearings. You will need a press to get them out. The parts aren't expensive but the labor is arduous. I had to do my front passenger wheel bearings and I just took the whole hub out (UBJ and LBJ and had a shop press mine in for me). It totaled at $15 at a shop near my house.

I hate to tell you this but you will be fine driving on it for just a little while. Let the problem get worse and it will present itself to you.
If you could post a video, possibly having someone sit in the passenger seat and video tape the sound, I could pinpoint or at least gauge how bad it is.

 

[nevada]

pop that cover off and visually inspect it.

 

[NachoPitt]

I am going to wager that you have loose cotter pins in holding the CV nut in place. When the wheel rotates the pins shift back and forth and make a metallic jingling noise. You won't hear it at higher speeds or with the windows up. Just pop the covers off and bend the pins tight.

Ask me how I know.....:eyebrows::nerd:

 

[chadsy]

I am going to wager that you have loose cotter pins in holding the CV nut in place. When the wheel rotates the pins shift back and forth and make a metallic jingling noise. You won't hear it at higher speeds or with the windows up. Just pop the covers off and bend the pins tight.

Ask me how I know.....:eyebrows::nerd:

Thanks for the tip, Nacho! That would certainly be a lot more cost effective than new bearings on both sides. The truck has 270K on the odometer so I', sure they've probably worked themselves loose by now. I will investigate further this weekend.

 

[NachoPitt]

It happened to me after I pulled my CVs to change my front diff. I was moving a little quickly on the reinstall and they made noise. It took longer to remove the wheel than to fix the problem. Hope this is what it is!

 

[chadsy]

It happened to me after I pulled my CVs to change my front diff. I was moving a little quickly on the reinstall and they made noise. It took longer to remove the wheel than to fix the problem. Hope this is what it is!

Nacho, you called it! Popped the dust covers off today (Boy, what a pain that was.) and found looser cotter pins that was allowing the lock caps to jingle around in there.

Thanks for the help! :trophy:

 

[NachoPitt]

Nacho, you called it! Popped the dust covers off today (Boy, what a pain that was.) and found looser cotter pins that was allowing the lock caps to jingle around in there.

Thanks for the help! :trophy:

Glad to see it was something simple! Enjoy your new quiet-er ride!