front end grinding/ whining noise???

[taylorjm]

I'd do the wheel bearings. My 03 seems to eat them. I have 117k and I think I've replaced them both twice now. I just replaced them with timikens and hope that will help. Bearings can make weird noises at different times. I had a whining noise when my truck was in auto 4wd or 4hi and was told my front differentials needed to be rebuild. I was also told by another shop my wheel bearings were fine. I went and replaced them both anyway. The whining noise in 4wd stopped.

 

[jplemons]

Well after extensive research about have the night while I was at work. I'm about 90 % sure its the carrier bearings in the differential. The resonant I say that is it only does it when I give it gas and quits when I let off so I know it shouldn't be a wheel bearing even though that was my first guess. I have found several articals on ppl having problems with these bearings especially model years 2000-2003. I have found a master bearing and seal kit between 130.00 and 230.00 . Hopefully here in the near future I am going to drop the diff and replace them just a little low on doe at the moment. But from what ive read if it is the bearings it shouldn't cause to much of a problem to let it go for a little while. I was just afraid of it locking down and costing me a transfer case and who knows what else. I'm gonna call around locally and see if I can get them for cheaper......