Wheel Bearing going bad? Lots of grinding noises

[cobbcfi]

Lately I was hearing what sounded like my brakes were starting to scrub and go bad, but realized that I changed them and had the rotors turned not to long ago so that cant be it. Also my braking is perfect and no feeling in the brake pedal. Then I started hearing a humming sound on the interstate and by the time I got home it sounded like some kid rattling marbles in a plastic container. I just jacked up the truck and spun both front tires and didn't hear anything and didn't get any resistance. Whats my next move?

1999 Yukon 4dr 4X4 with 220k

I dont get any feeling in the gas pedal, brake pedal or steering to indicate anything other than the hub bearings but spinning the wheels off the ground didn't help me much easier unless being in the air they arent supporting all the weight that would cause the grinding.

 

[HDRock1]

Did U check the rear ?

 

[BattelWagun]

the noise change with suspension movement? Find a wide, empty road and try werving at around 10-15mph. If the noise goes away, then its probably your front wheel bearings. The ABS light is a good indication of that too. It could also be your rear pinion carrier bearing. Happened to mine a few months ago. It started as a quiet whine and after about 8 miles I felt like I had rocks in the rear end. When the carrier bearing goes, the gears dont mesh properly and grind together pretty hard, and the sound of the broken needles in the bearing itself dont help either.

 

[HDRock1]

Where is sound coming from ??
Keep in mind sounds do telegraph

 

[noJeepshere]

Check the front hubs by jacking the front end off the ground then pushing the top of the tire in towards the engine. If it moves at all, the front wheel bearings are shot. If it makes the sound even at low speeds, have a friend drive the truck while you walk alongside it to see where the sound is coming from. Lastly, support it on jackstands, put it in nuetral and crawl underneath and spin all the driveline parts by hand, you'll be able to hear a little grinding noise coming from the suspect bearing.

 

[Donnie Yukonie]

Check the front hubs by jacking the front end off the ground then pushing the top of the tire in towards the engine. If it moves at all, the front wheel bearings are shot. If it makes the sound even at low speeds, have a friend drive the truck while you walk alongside it to see where the sound is coming from. Lastly, support it on jackstands, put it in nuetral and crawl underneath and spin all the driveline parts by hand, you'll be able to hear a little grinding noise coming from the suspect bearing.

x2 sounds like the hubs to me

 

[cobbcfi]

I did not check the rear.. I'll check those when it cools off outside and post back later..

 

[cobbcfi]

Jacked up the rear-end, and started spinning the wheels while in neutral. After I had spun the wheels about 10 times around I was hearing a slight grind the it almost like they engaged something started grinding like crazy and became considerably more difficult to keep the wheels spinning. Went and double checked that I was in neutral and that it hadn't slipped into drive. Turned the wheels opposite direction and it was turning smoothly again. Turned them back again the other way and after a few rotations it felt like it engaged something again and became harder to turn..

What do I do now? Anything else I should check while it's still on the jack-stands?

 

[SunlitComet]

put the tranny in park and do it again so the drive shaft does not move. if the issue is still there when you spin the wheels you likely have issues with the differential.

 

[cobbcfi]

"Park" would just lock the back wheels. The drive-shaft was not spinning when I tires were turning..

 

[SunlitComet]

actually it just would lock the drive-shaft. at any rate you have the same effect as what i was trying to achieve. remove your drum for inspection of a binding or loose brake mechanisms getting caught up between the the brake shoes or loose shoes themselves. if you find nothing turn your attention to the drive shaft bearings in differential.

 

[Donnie Yukonie]

did you ever check your hubs? by jacking the front of the truck and grabbing the top and bottom of the tire and trien to shake it vertically?

 

[cobbcfi]

I checked the front hubs, no movement and no grinding. Spinning the back wheels after about 8-10 rotations it's like the rear-end has engaged something and its starts grinding and the wheels become difficult to spin, or spin less freely. There is definitely something in there that grabs out of no-where causing grinding noises.

---------- Post added at 11:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:26 AM ----------

Pulled the drive shaft and both U-joints are greased and in good condition. Pulled the caps and they are full of grease.

 

[noJeepshere]

I think what you're experiencing is your gov-loc doing its job. Look on the glove compartment door for G80, that is the production code for the gov-loc. To test the rear axle outer bearings, jack up the rear, pull the tire and drum off and grab the axle flange and wiggle it around. Any more than a teeny bit of movement and they're bad.

 

[cobbcfi]

I checked the glovebox door and scrolling through the list I found the G80 code.. Can you give me a little know-how what a gov-loc is??

I am going to pop the back tires of and check the rear hubs again in just a sec and will update..

Just to let you know that other than the loud grinding sound with the wheels off the ground when I have been driving it, there doesn't seem to be any cluncking or banging like you would expect from a "ring gear" or the likes..

What are the odds of a failed "carrier bearing" and how would I test that??

 

[SunlitComet]

open it up and here is an example of a gov bomb failure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zit49L-7_A

 

[cobbcfi]

That guys sure loves the "Gov-Loc".. Now he's got me spooked..

---------- Post added at 08:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:21 PM ----------

OK, so I pulled the left rear tire and drum.. Everything looks good other than normal wear. Pushed and pulled back and forth from top to bottom and side to side and no rocking motion at all. Pulled straight up and and dropped it and heard a click. Pulled out my dial gauge and and set it up, pushing down from a resting axle I got -.002 (Neg 2 thousandths of an inch) pulled it all the way up from resting position and got .008 (8 thousandths of an inch) of travel for a total travel of .010 (10 thousandths of an inch). Is that within a respectable margin of error? Headed out to check the other side now..

Thanks for any help

 

[SunlitComet]

So far so good.

 

[cobbcfi]

On the right side tire, I get a very very limited rocking motion only up and down.. Very limited rocking but it does slide in and out almost .035 (35 thousandths of and inch) and it seems to be a little more suspect because the driver side doesn't move in and out laterally at all.. Passenger side lateral movement .035..

Not sure if that makes it a culprit though?? Obviously it's not good but is it bad?

---------- Post added at 09:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:47 PM ----------

THAT'S IT!!! What does the "Gov-Loc" engage?? Both rear axles turn freely in both directions without a sound!! More than 10 revolutions in the forward direction WHEN that "Gov-Loc" (I guess) engages here comes the grinding sound that I am talking about. It's NOT at the hubs or drums, it's in the differential somewhere.. When I make the grinding noise turning the hubs once the "Gov-Loc" is engaged, from either side the grinding sounds like its coming from the far side I.E. the middle of the truck/axle.

THIS SOUNDS EXPENSIVE!!!

 

[SunlitComet]

If you don't want a RRaction control device to can just replace it with an open differential in there if it is the problem.