Scraping sound from front..front hub bearing?

[fck55mph]

I have a scraping sound coming from what seems like the front of my 98 4wd. I have looked and there is NOTHING..trust me NOTHING rubbing such as exhaust,axles,etc. It doesn't do it all the time, it seems more pronounced if I let off the gas or when I hit the brake and sometimes when I hit a dip/bump. To be honest, I think its one of the front hub bearing assemblies going bad. 4wd works fine and engages and disengages as it should.The brakes are perfect all around so I know it isn't that either. Has anyone else had a front hub bearing assembly go bad and make a similar sound?? Thanks for any input!!

 

[JKmotorsports]

Bad bearings will usually sound like a grinding noise and start off when you decelerate or go around corners/turns, and progressively get worse. From your description, I would check the front bearings first and go from there.

 

[fck55mph]

well, it aint the front hub bearings or anything in the brakes...replaced em all just a lil bit ago. i cant see anything rubbing so im wondering if maybe a bearing in the rear end or maybe even a worn trans/or trans case mount causing the noise...im stumped!

 

[Dianne Skinner]

If the sound changes substantially when you swerve quickly from right to left and back again, there is a good chance that one or both of those hub bearings is bad. These '98 and '99's can go through them pretty quickly. Don't order new hub sets by the book. Order by original part number only. I have personally seen three different ones on the Z71. Best of luck.....

 

[mygreen98]

did u check the front driveshaft ujoints, i had a similar problem, and found a bad ujoint in front.

 

[fck55mph]

yeah, i checked them all and they are all tight. im stumped...i just figure i will see if it gets worse or just fails THEN i will know where it is!! haha

 

[Rick90467]

well, it aint the front hub bearings or anything in the brakes...replaced em all just a lil bit ago. i cant see anything rubbing so im wondering if maybe a bearing in the rear end or maybe even a worn trans/or trans case mount causing the noise...im stumped!

Anytime I hear a whirring, squeak or scrub during deceleration have found wheel bearing throwout bearing (manual tranny) or u-joint probs due to no load - tires driving the truck as opposed to truck driving the tires (I know my wording is probably goofy sounding).

But when I hear sounds during light/normal braking, to me that is kinda sign of brake problem. And oddly enough, hitting bumps and dips I have experienced front disc brake probs as in once due to a bent wear indicator on the pad and one other time I had so much mud packed up into the calipers that it had dried up in there and occasionally a piece would fall out and cause a scrape on the disc. See if you can get an eyeball on those brake pads that were changed a lil bit ago. Sometimes that piece of metal that is supposed to be a wear indicator gets bent during packaging and will start dragging on the disc within weeks of installation.

 

[blk87brd]

I know you have probably checked this already, but you never know. Have you checked the front backing plates on your rotors? I had a similar problem a number of years ago and found that I had bent one of the backing plates enoungh so it would rub when I turned to the right but not when I spun the wheels when I had it jacked up.
Regards
Tom G.

 

[fck55mph]

not a brake issue, i checked them and even replaced them all..front to back. changed front bearings,trans mount and even took the rear axles out and checked the diff. nothing! no exhaust rubbing...no nothing! im just waiting for something to fall off or blow then i will know what it was.

 

[Rick90467]

Sounds great.

please let us know which interstates you'll be using as a courtesy.