I hear what sounds like a squeaking noise coming from my front right tire. I don't always hear it. I put my right window down this morning and as I was driving down part of a bumpy road I heard it squeak a lot. I sometimes hear it as I'm making a turn but not always. I also sometimes hear it as I take off after the truck has been sitting still for several hours, but not after I have driven it around town for a bit. Is this something I need to worry about? Any and all info would be helpful because I more than likely will have to fix it myself.

 

Welcome to the club of crappy front u-joints!!!! I just got new, greasable Spicers put in after having the exact same problem that you describe. If you can't do it right away, you can pick some of the sealing away and lube it with wd40, it might buy you a few days, but they do have to be replaced. While you're in there you might as well do axle seals also.

 

where is it located and how will I know what it looks like? Also why would I need to go ahead and replace the axle seals too?

 

So nobody can help me on my last post? I looked under my truck and I don't see any place near or around the wheel where the u-joint is suppose to be located. The u-joint that everyone is talking, is it not exposed to the outside air? Isn't it visible from under the truck?
Right Front Wheel

 

You have a 2x4 not a 4x4 that has front axle joints. Update your signature line to show its not a 4x4. That will keep the misconceptions at a minimum.

Have you changed brakes lately or checked them?

Have you check ball joints? Shock mounts, sway bar mounts, etc?

How about chekcing and greasing wheel bearings? Not sure of the 2x4's have unit bearings or an adjustable.

 

Ive got to do the u-joints on my 03. Is there anything particular to these front ends, that I should be aware of, before tearing into it? I'm gonna price them this week, and try to do them this week end. Thanks guys.

 

If you have not had the unit bearings off and liberally used anti-seize on them be prepared for a fight. They are the single biggets problem about changing u-joints.

 

How or what is the best way to check each of these? Except for the brakes, I checked them about a month ago when I was getting my tires rotated.
Also another symptom is I don't get any noises when I back-up.

 

Back in March, the shop did all 4 ball joints, so I may take it back and let them do it. I will see if I can locate my tools, to do it myself. Otherwise, they'll be doing it.

 

RamGazer, I just had a similar sounding problem and it ended up being my front drivers side wheel bearing. Started as a very light squeak, but it would come and go. I didn't think much of it until one day on the way to work it went from "I think I hear that dang squeak again....to holy $&%# something is grinding apart!" all within a couple of miles.

If you lift the front end and spin the tires you may be able to hear it.

 

O.K., I lifted the front end and turned the wheel by hand. I would hear a squeak off an on (like something is out of round), I also spun the wheel backward and didn't hear any noise at all. I asked a mechanic at my work at what I did and what I heard and he said it's not my wheel bearing. If it was my wheel bearing I would hear and con-stance grinding noise that could be heard inside my truck. I took my wheel off and turned the hub with a very large screw driver and still heard the same kind of noise. I also checked my brakes visibly through the check holes and heard them dragging on the rotor. It was a con-stance noise and not a on and off noise (I know the rotor isn't warped). Should I change my brake pads even though they have a lot of life on them and see if the noise will go away? Is there any place I should grease that can't be seen from the outside? I'm hoping I don't need to replace my wheel bearing / hub assembly cause that is one unit and it costs from $269.00 to $334.00! Ouch!!!!

 

Remove the brake caliper assembly and spin the rotor/hub. If the noise
goes away then your have a frozen brake caliper. A rebuilt one would be less than $60.00.

 

I think you might be right. I just removed it this afternoon and the noise stopped. I put it back on and it started to squeak again. I bought a new one this evening (rebuilt) and am going to talk to a mechanic @ my bus barn (the ISD transportation dept. where I work) and see if he will help me at least bleed the brakes. No one here at my house will be able to help me out.

 

Update, I changed it out (the right front caliper was dragging) myself and had my 13yr old son help me bleed the brakes about a month ago. I jacked up my front left wheel just yesterday (I think the squeaking has been coming from this wheel along) and spun it around w/ the wheel on both forward and backwards. I heard a squeak on and off in both directions but couldn't tell exactly where in came from. After I let the wheel down and started to back out of my driveway it started to squeak like a stuck pig and going forward down my alley! It has never sounded like that before and I can't see why it would do that after I spun it around by hand. I can only hear this w/ my windows down b.t.w. I try to listen to see if I can hear a pattern (outside temps, speed, turning left or right) but every time I think I know the pattern it changes on me and blows that out of the water. I fear it's going to be my sealed wheel bearing w/ the sensor on it. I'm just trying to figure this out before I go on vacation in June driving more than 2,536 miles w/ my 5,000 lb travel trailer (dry). And of course that doesn't include any extra weight.

 

Got another question for you guys. I jacked-up the truck again this afternoon and tried to feel if there was any play in either front wheel. There was none that I could tell. When I spun my left wheel it didn't want to spin a freely as my right wheel did. With the squeaking on and off (can't be heard inside cabin w/ windows up), the not wanting to spin as well as my right tire, and a noise somewhere up front (can sometimes feel in on the floor with a rum-rum noise) as I'm driving on the road. With these symptoms you think it's still the wheel bearing or something else? I'm just trying to make double sure before I go out and spend a lot of cash.