Sounds like I'm on boggers after steering gear replacement and alignment.

[mcfixstuff]

Just like the title suggests, I replaced my leaking steering gear box with a remanufactured unit, and the install, while a PITA, went successful, and I have no more leakage. I replaced my inner and outer tie rods while I was at it, and took it in for an alignment.
Before the repair, I didn't have any significant road noise when driving. While driving it to the shop after the repair and before the alignment, I noticed a disturbingly loud amount of road noise coming from my tires, but I assumed it was the alignment being off. After the alignment, the road noise went from incredibly loud, to just loud, but not like how it was before the repair. I checked my wheel bearings, and there doesn't seem to be any issue with them. It doesn't pull one way or another when driving.
The noise is the loudest between 40 and 60 mph, then gets a little quieter after 60mph. It also doesn't start making noise until after 20mph.
The noise hasn't changed after rotating the tires.
If I roll down the window, I don't hear the noise from my tires, but that's the only thing I can think of that would make sense.
Do you think I got a bad alignment? They gave me a paper showing all the numbers in the green after the alignment.
I put new bearings in 20k miles ago, if they go out that quick, I can put new ones in, but I don't wanna have to spend money if that's not the issue.

 

[mcfixstuff]

For more information, I'm driving on 31" 10.50 15 BF Goodrich Rugged Terrain T/A tires.
Got them 1.5 years ago, and they still have plenty of life.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

is the noise constant, or when you turn?

 

[mcfixstuff]

is the noise constant, or when you turn?

Constant the whole time. If there is a gradual bump in the road, like if my car is putting less pressure on the ground for the split second the weight is reduced coming off of the incline to the decline, I can hear the noise get a lot quieter for that second, making me think it's noise coming from tire contact with the road.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

are the tires inflated properly? no flat spots? just checkin! could also be something like cvs? not 100% sure

 

[DaSovietPotato]

are the tires inflated properly? no flat spots? just checkin! could also be something like cvs? not 100% sure

I am not sure if this is also true with the 2nd gens, but the 1st Gens have u-joints instead of cvs.

 

[mcfixstuff]

Correct on the u-joints. The u-joints are fine, and the 4wd being engaged or disengaged doesn't make a difference.
Tire pressure is fine. Tire wear is fine. Rotated back to front just to make sure it wasn't the tires themselves

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I am not sure if this is also true with the 2nd gens, but the 1st Gens have u-joints instead of cvs.

whoops, thinking like a 2nd genner right now, forgot about TTB vs tbars... my bad!!! i forgot whats in the ttb so i cant comment anymore

 

[J_C]

Tire noise usually sounds quite a bit different than any other worn part.

I'm going to make a wild guess that your alignment toe setting is off, that while they can align to the numbers, suspension wear (maybe control arm bushings if not also BJs) is putting it off while in motion. Do check fhe BJs for wear/play. The shop should have checked suspension before doing the alignment and declined to do it if that would be a problem, but they might have missed something.

You could take it back to the shop to see what they'll do, or you could DIY by adjusting a tie rod end X # of turns (so you can put it back to where it was if no different or worse) and seeing if the noise decreases.

If that doesn't help, try turning it the opposite direction and another short, road test. If that seems to help, you should undo half the adjustment made, and make the other tie rod end the same length with an equal adjustment. The thing is, just decreasing noise doesn't necessarily mean it's perfect so...

Since the tires are in good shape still, I wouldn't do any of that, instead be persistent asking the shop to redo it and let you do a road test and readjust till it's right.

 

[Roadrunner777]

I think I might call the shop and see if the tech can remember what he adjusted, and use that as a potential starting point.