Rolling/thudding sound, worse on turns. Ideas?

[draco880]

I have a stock 94 XLT with about 180k on it. The hubs are manual warn hubs, though, which I suppose aren't stock. Anyway, over the last few days, it's been making a rumbling, thudding sound, which is worse during turns. It's absent when the car isn't moving, and it gets faster as speed increases. It seems to be coming from the front driver's side wheel, so I took off the wheel tonight and took a look. Everything seems fine, and I put the wheel back on tightly with no change in the sound. Pushing down on the front driver's side corner of the truck generates some squeaking from the shock and more bouncing than the other side. Is it likely that the front shock on that side is dead? The sound seems to be getting worse, so I'm trying to avoid driving it much.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[MrShorty]

Could be a shock.

Does the sound change with the hubs in Free and Lock? I might try rotating the tires to see if the sound follows the tire or not.

 

[Tony H]

The rotation of the Drivers side will loosen the Spindle Nuts if the nuts and locking washer is not tightened and installed correctly on the manual Hub setup. Maybe the spindle nuts backed off a bit.
With the tire off the ground, is there movement top to botom and Left to right?

 

[draco880]

With the tire off the ground, is there movement top to botom and Left to right?

No, the wheel felt pretty solid when I jacked it off the ground last night. Now that it's light out I'll try rotating the tire, and locking the hub to see if that makes any difference.

 

[Tony H]

No, the wheel felt pretty solid when I jacked it off the ground last night. Now that it's light out I'll try rotating the tire, and locking the hub to see if that makes any difference.

Thats the beauty af manuals. you can troubleshoot easier by Locking in one side at a time.
You didn't mention... this sound is there when the Hubs are unlocked as well as locked?

 

[draco880]

I drove for a bit with the driver's side hub locked; no change. I'll try rotating the wheel and see if that changes anything.

I did notice that the sound seems to get louder when the brakes are on lightly, and then disappears when the brakes are fully on.

 

[Tony H]

I drove for a bit with the driver's side hub locked; no change. I'll try rotating the wheel and see if that changes anything.

I did notice that the sound seems to get louder when the brakes are on lightly, and then disappears when the brakes are fully on.

Please check the tightness of the hub on the spindle again. All your symptoms are screaming 'loose Hub'.

 

[draco880]

Please check the tightness of the hub on the spindle again. All your symptoms are screaming 'loose Hub'.

Will do. Thanks for the advice!

 

[draco880]

Okay, you were right, the outer spindle nut was loose enough to turn by hand. Do you think I should take off the outer nut, re-tighten the inner nut, and then tighten the outer nut, or can I get away with just tightening the outer one?

Thanks for your help on this.

 

[MrShorty]

I would re-tighten the inner nut. The outer nut's purpose is to hold the inner nut (which isn't on there very tight) in place. If the outer nut has been loose, then there's a good chance the inner nut has had a chance to back off as well.

 

[79broncojosh]

My 93 was making the same noise when I got it and the spindle nuts were loose and there was a hair line crack in the rotor on the drivers side. It made a light thumping when brakes were not on, then made a deep thumping with them on.

Fixed both at the same time and noise went away.

 

[draco880]

Well, I tightened both spindle nuts down, but the noise remains. I guess I'll look for a crack in the rotor, then. Does anyone have some more tips or, ideally, pictures on where to look?
It's odd that the nuts were loose but apparently not the problem. Could it be the bearings on that side, maybe?

Anyway, thanks again for all the help.

 

[79broncojosh]

You should really change your bearings with new races. Even if they dont look bad, they could still be worn and not allowing the bearings to set right.
Not sure if thats your problem or not just a thought.

The crack in my rotor was very small and it went from the hub out to the edge of the rotor. When the rotor would come around to the pad it would hit and make that thumping sound.

 

[Tony H]

Okay, you were right, the outer spindle nut was loose enough to turn by hand. Do you think I should take off the outer nut, re-tighten the inner nut, and then tighten the outer nut, or can I get away with just tightening the outer one?

Thanks for your help on this.

as MrShorty said. you Absolutely need to check it out the tightness of the Inner nut..
The inner Nut has a Pin in it that is supposed to fit in one of the holes in the washer then the Top nut acts as a Jamb nut.
You need to take the outer nut Off, slide the Washer off and correctly tighten the Inner Nut. The rotation of the Drivers side wheel is counterclockwise.. It wants to loosen that nut. Just Retightening the outer nut onto a Loose Inner nut will not fix the issue.
Make sure the Inner nut has that Pin pressed into it. Make sure that you set the Washer correctly onto that Pin then tighten the outer nut.

 

[draco880]

as MrShorty said. you Absolutely need to check it out the tightness of the Inner nut..
The inner Nut has a Pin in it that is supposed to fit in one of the holes in the washer then the Top nut acts as a Jamb nut.
You need to take the outer nut Off, slide the Washer off and correctly tighten the Inner Nut. The rotation of the Drivers side wheel is counterclockwise.. It wants to loosen that nut. Just Retightening the outer nut onto a Loose Inner nut will not fix the issue.
Make sure the Inner nut has that Pin pressed into it. Make sure that you set the Washer correctly onto that Pin then tighten the outer nut.

Yup, did that. I took out the bearing behind it, too, but as far as I can tell they're fine. I think the looseness of the spindle nuts may have caused some sort of crack or other structural problem, so it might be time to take it to a shop.