2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission 70 mph howl

[kess]

I have somewhat of a problem.

At approximately 70 mph, I start to hear a noise (I will describe it as a howl), and I do not know where it is coming from. I thought I had a bad wheel bearing, but I checked each wheel today (just by jacking each wheel up and checking for slop). I also checked if the hubs were hot after a long drive. Neither seemed to indicate a problem. I then checked the fluid in both differentials. Although dirty, fluid level was OK. I also checked the fluid in the T-case, and it was OK. I don't know if I have a tire out of balance or what. I also cannot tell if it is coming from the back or front. The funny thing is that the sound is not constant. It can be loud or non existent. I have a slight vibration in the wheel, but nothing as described in the death wobble threads. All my steering components are stock, and I have approximately 60,000 miles on my truck. Approximately 12000 miles ago I bought 285-75 tires and have been rotating every 3,000 miles. I don't know what is going on. The sound can be heard at 68-72 miles an hour, but fades at faster speeds. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks so much and Merry Christmas,

Kess Berg

 

[Joe G.]

Does it make the noise at a certain boost pressure?

 

[DBentley]

Kess if it is a long bed it may be the carrier bearing in the rear drive shaft. Mine did a similar rumble noise when it went bad a year ago. If not mabey a universal joint bad??The front ones are also turning even when in 2wd check them over real good. Hope this helps.

 

[kess]

First, thanks for the help.

There is no certain boost pressure that the noise occurs. I should have stated that if I run the same rpms only with the OD off. The noise does not occur.

DBently,

What is a proper method of checking the universals. I cannot say that I know. The other thing, mine is a long bed, but I don't think it has a carrier bearing. I may be wrong, I will check.

Again thanks for the quick replies,

Kess

 

[jandtjil]

Kess, maybe it is the driver of the PowerStroke that you are pulling to the Ford dealer. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (add doppler effect)

Sorry couldn't resist... tis the season and all :-laf



JJ

 

[AKAMAC]

Check the carrier bearing. You can check it by putting a heavy load in the bed. 800 to 900 lbs should do it. It will change the load dynamic and help eliminate pinion deflect.

 

[kess]

Thanks for the advice.

I do not have a carrier bearing. I should have stated that I do have a long bed, but it is a standard cab.

Thanks,

Kess

 

[Forrest]

Kess, maybe it is the driver of the PowerStroke that you are pulling to the Ford dealer. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (add doppler effect)

Sorry couldn't resist... tis the season and all :-laf



JJ

He likes it too . :-laf

 

[Cummins Pilot]

Over 97mph it goes away. :-laf

 

[DBentley]

U joints are sometimes hard to tell if there bad or good. I look for slack in them when pushed and pulled or some rust drooling out of the caps. Sometimes you need to take the cups off and look for powder instead of needle bearings and if they are good after you get that far i would replace them any way with greasable ones. If they are greasable try shooting some grease in them and see if it gets quiet for a while.

 

[Loren]

Kess if it is a long bed it may be the carrier bearing in the rear drive shaft. Mine did a similar rumble noise when it went bad a year ago. If not mabey a universal joint bad??The front ones are also turning even when in 2wd check them over real good. Hope this helps.

This is incorrect regarding the front u-joints. The front driveshaft is disconnected from the transmission at the transfer case when in two-wheel-drive. When the 4WD light on the instrument panel goes out, that indicates that the front axle disconnect has shifted into 2WD mode. When that happens, the front driveshaft is disconnected from the axle. In this condition (normal 2WD) it does not turn.



Loren



P. S. (Edit): The latest trucks, that do not use Dana axles, have done away with the front axle disconnect. Those trucks' front driveshafts will turn in 2WD.

 

[Warpig]

Howl

My truck makes a howling noise at 70 mph. since day one. It's not as bad since installing a HOG exhaust. My howl pulsates loud/soft. I believe mine is exhaust drone. Mine also does not do it with od turned off at same rpm or at higher speeds.



Tim W.

 

[DBentley]

The front u joints at each wheel (axle u jounts) do turn in 2wd because dodge decided to stop using real hubs that unlock in 1994. The axle u joints can be a noise maker but are worse on turns and sometimes make the steering wheel not return to straight after a turn.

 

[MThorn]

If you have a roof rack, headache rack etc or anything made of pipe/smallbox tube with the ends uncapped on your truckyou can get some real strange howl/whistleing noises, I once made a 400 mile trip doing 50 mph till I found out the noise wasnt my wheels falling off but the roof rack I had just put on!



Monk

 

[kess]

First of all, thanks for all the input. To update, I have replaced the u-joints in the rear driveshaft, and have the front shaft off of the truck at the moment. I still have the noise that I described earlier. I also have noticed a harmonic noise at approximately 35 mph. This sound has me puzzled. I have driven long distances with the sound, and it has not gotten louder, and nothing seems to get hot to the touch (wheel bearings, t-case, differentials, etc... ). The other weird thing is at 70 mph the sound will come and go. Maybe it will be heard for a mile, and then nothing for a mile and so forth. If any of you have some ideas, I surely would appreciate the advice.

Thanks so much,

Kess Berg

 

[ceastmen]

vibration/howl @ 75mph

I had a similar if you will howl @ 75mph right where you cruise on the interstate, it was annoying to say the least! I replaced the u-joints and had the tires re-balanced, it helped some.

A friend suggested having the drive shaft re-balanced since the new u-joints may have changed the balance of

the drive shaft. I did that and it is the best it has ever been, now I find

that it is hardly audible @75-85mph. Hope this helps as I was not liking my truck then!

Chuck E.

 

[sfritts]

This one will get you. I developed a sound that seemed to come from the left front of the truck. I checked everthing I could think of and checked the threads till I said someday it will either fall off or break. Then one day I was working on it and had taken the Firestick antenna off the front drivers side fender to get it out of the way. Well after I was done I took it for a test drive and found the sound was gone and when I reinstalled the antenna the sound came back.

 

[Neibe]

The noise is normal it is the result of having heavy duty axles with little or no load on them. Mine does the same thing it seems to be when I'm slightly off throttle and it doesn't do it at all if I'm pulling or loaded.