Clunking and squeeking noise in front end
 

I have a clunking noise on the front drivers side. It happens when i turn the wheel either way and when i'm riding down the road just going straight i have a squeeking noise on the same side. I just put new brakes on and everything looking fine. I took it to the Dodge dealer here in MD and they said they can't find anything wrong with it, they said it was because of the big rotors on the truck!!! Has this happened to anyone else or do you know what it could be. My feeling is that it is a wheel bearing but i only have 50K on the truck

Check the ujoints, they clunk and make wierd noises when they're shot.

sounds like joints.

outer u-joints just had mine replaced couple of months back because of the same thing. I would also look into replacing ball joints and stuff to while you are in there depending on how many miles you got on the truck to.

i only have 50K on the truck so do you guys think that it would prob be time to replace everything, if i have the money!!!!

Could also be a loose lower shock bolt...

FWIW, I had to change all my ujoints out by 75k...they were all bad.

Yup mine were junk at 80k and the balljoints were alright yet but I shoulda changed them but we ran outa time in the day. So everytime I rotate the tires I give them a good once over.

yup i got alittle over 200k on my '03 and i have replaced u-joints and wheel bearings twice. passenger side tends to wear faster than the driver side

Front End Noise
 

I came across this site while researching a problem I'm having with my '05 Ram. Its a 3500 4x4 dually.

Recently its making an odd noise when turning. Its sounds like a rub or metal on metal sound that is intermitten. It doesn't matter if the brakes are applied or not. I had my son idle the truck while turning so that I could walk outside the truck to diagnose where the sound is coming from. It sounds like its coming from the left front hub. When I put my fingers on the center hub cap I could feel the vibration when the noise happened. It doesn't matter which way the wheels are turned for the noise to happen. And of course it doesn't make noise when the wheels are pointed straight.

This thread got me thinking that its the u-joint at the hub. I crawled up under there and I don't see a grease zert fitting.

I wish I could describe the sound better for you guys...

Any advice would be apprecated. Oh, and the truck has 89K on it for mileage. Hardly a lot for these trucks....


If it is the u-joint, is this a tough repair for the driveway?

Thanks for your help!

Its the u joint in the axle O'reilly's has percision brand and they are grease able its a pita to change the Wheel bearing is hard to get off sometimes. I ruined mine and bought two new ones from autozone Timken at $450 each you can find them cheaper in timken brand I was in need of my truck and couldn't wait two or three days.

Earlier today I tossed it into 4-wheel drive high today and the noise disappeared. Does this confirm that its u-joints?

Also, it doesn't want to release from 4x4 mode. I've engaged and disengaged it using the floor shifter, and even put it in low 4x4 and back in order to try and get it to release. Its like the transfer case is back to normal but the differental is still locked. Any thoughts on this?

The truck just clicked over to 90,000 miles tonight.

The easiest way to check he u joint is to cut your wheels hard to the right(for drivers side, opposite for passenger) stick a large screwdriver between the joint and the yoke and pry bar and forth to see if it has any play or slack in it. My truck just rolled over 130,000 and I've replaced the drivers side twice and the passenger side once. Hope you get it figured out.

I jacked it up today and got a close look. I don't have any play in the u-joint, but there's a tell-tale sign - I have rust-colored dust coming off the u-joint. So the "grease-less" u-joint appears that it needs grease. So I'll be planning to replace them.

Also, got the front end freed up from the 4x4 mode. Rocking the tire back and forth checking the u-joint got it loosened up.
:U:

it sounds like u-joints for sure. when you put it in 4-wheel drive it stopped. now it feels like its still in but its not. the u-joint is binding up. my 04 did the same thing. replace u-joints & i bet it will show that transfer case is disengauging.

Thanks, makes sense.
:c:

Second on the U-joints