Do I have a bad wheel bearing?

My 2009 with 145k miles started making a "waaaaaa waaaaaa waaaaaa" droning noise at highway speeds. I estimate the period to be maybe 0.8 seconds.

The Michelin Defender tires are near the end of their life but are worn perfectly evenly and still above the wear bars.

I thought the noise was coming from the rear but now I wonder if it's coming from the front left.

It's faster the truck is going, the more pronounced the noise is.

Intentionally swerving does not interrupt or change the noise.

Unloading the drivetrain by shifting into neutral at highway speed does not affect the noise.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

Could be wheel bearing or the needle bearing in the front diff, they are common to make noise. Search ECGS bushing on here, lots of info. Start at each corner, jack the wheel off the ground and try to pin point it.

Edit, if you put it in 4wd and the noise stops I believe I read it’s the needle bearing.

 

Thanks.

Assuming it's the needle bearing, how long do I have after the noise starts before the vehicle becomes undrivable?

 

If needle bearing, I would change ASAP dont want to ruin front differential.

 

Taking it in today. Wish my wallet luck.

 

Doubt it's the needle brg in the front diff, op isn't complaining of vibration which is the primary symptom of one going bad.

 

Wheel bearings on a passenger vehicle are done at 100k.

 

Got the truck back this evening.

‘Twas the right rear wheel bearing.

I was also experiencing a clunk sometimes when accelerating from a stop on a hill. Could this have been the cause of that as well?

 

I don't think the clunk was caused by wheel bearing. Best way to find out - go find a hill.

Clunk can be u-joint, leaf springs, motor/trans mount, center bearing …

 

My starting off clunk was caused by the carrier bearing.

 

When my rear wheel bearing was changed, would it have necessitated draining and changing the rear diff fluid as well?

 

Thanks. I'll give that a try.

 

...what was the charge for the rear wheel bearing?

 

When I did mine, because I just lifted the one side (so tilting the axle up on the side I was working), no gear oil was lost when I pulled the axle. I suppose though, that if lifting from the center or on a lift, some gear oil could be lost, but it's easy enough to check unless your fill plug is stuck, which is a different problem in itself.

 

@WNYTACOMA

$1,196.33

($676.33 OEM parts + $520 labor)

 

HOLY...

I am so glad I could do it myself...IIRC, all the parts, including a new cylinder, and brakes (decided to do them at the same time), new bolts (because the old ones were fairly rusty), etc., came to about $300 for both sides.

 

Are real wheel bearings a common premature fail point in these trucks?

I feel like a wheel bearing should last the life of a vehicle.

 

wheel bearings on any vehicle are considered done at max 100k.

are you a mechanic? Being a mechanic would let you know what the life expectancy of a part is.

 

Where exactly is the 100,000-mile wheel bearing MTBF coming from?

If someone has a truck with 500,000 miles on it and he’s never done a single wheel bearing on it yet, should he immediately stop what he’s doing and change his bearings 5 times in a row lest something bad happen on the next drive?

 

I agree life expectancy for wheel bearings on these trucks is 100000 miles. Yes some last a lot longer but when you get to 100000 miles you should be prepared to replace a wheel bearing or two. My left front bearing got replaced at 98000 miles.
Here’s a little trivia I just calculated. If you are running 30 inch tires that bearing in 100000 miles will make approximately
4.2 billion revolutions. That’s mind boggling. Hard to fathom any bearing could last that long or longer.