Help Diagnosing Wheel Bearing or CV Axle

[RammaR]

My 4wd '96 XLT is making a loud hum / howling noise with driving straight or turning to the left. However, if I turn the steering wheel a few degrees to the right, it all goes nice and quiet. It doesn't really make the noise while rolling in the driveway, I've gotta be about 20+ mph.

Front diff fluid is fine and so is the power steering fluid. I've jacked it up spun the tires - the driver side feels and sounds a little rougher than the passenger side. But I can't pin anything to the wheel bearing / hub assembly or the cv axle. The dust boots are fine, no cracks or leaks.

The tires have only 10,000 miles or so and it was recently aligned. The alignment didn't help the noise and they didn't say they had any trouble with ball joints or getting it in spec.

Any advice on how to tell if it's the bearing or the cv shaft? I'm leaning towards the hub because when it turns right (loading the bearing?) it goes silent.

Thanks

 

[jremington59]

Jack it up and grab the wheel at 12 and 6 and push and pull it and look for play.

 

[delexploder]

Sounds like the unibearing cuz that's exactly what they do cv joints go click pop or bang when turning and if u can swing the cost I would do both sides cause if u fix one its almost guaranteed the other one will start singin to ya! Lol just my experiance ....on several fords of this vintage

 

[my98nnj]

Turning a few degrees right takes a slight load off the right wheel bearing.
Jack the car up and spin each front wheel and I think you'll find a bad right wheel bearing.

 

[RammaR]

Thanks for the advice. Jacked it up again this morning and the driver side wheel has a good bit of play when tugged at 6 and 12. The passenger side feels nice and tight.

After reading other threads, it sounds like most like the Timken hubs - a little over $100, much better than I was afraid it would be.

 

[dking]

Not trying to hijack your post. Looks my wife's 2000 Explorer has just started doing the same thing. Will check it out.