Hum from the front end

I have a 2015 DCLB trd sport with 105,000 miles. I have added OME 884 coils with Bilstein shocks. I have a 3 leaf progressive add a leaf with Bilstein in the rear. I run 255/75/17 BFG KO2s on stock wheels. I have developed a front end hum that starts around 40 MPH and gets worse around 60. At first I thought I needed to do the bushing swap, but I have played with putting it into 4wd and cannot tell a sound difference. What I have notice if I am running down the interstate when I go around a left hand turn the noise goes away. If I go straight or turn to the right it remains. I thought maybe a wheel bearing. I had a shop investigate the bearing and they stated they were not bad and thought the noise was just tire noise. I am not convinced.

Any thoughts?

Ernie

 

Usually when a noise like that occurs it's a bearing but could be a tire. Those would be the most obvious top two root causes. Couple ideas:

- How many miles on the tires? What is the current tread depth? If you don't know, go buy a $5 tread depth gauge at your local parts store.
- Try swapping the two front tires and see if the noise moves. If it goes to the right side, could be a tire. I suggest doing fronts only at first because we are making an assumption on those two tires versus doing a full tire rotation which would be 4 variables.
- Try the same with a full tire rotation. Who knows there might be a difference, tires are funny like that sometimes. I had KO2s at one time, mine were a bit noisy like that.
- Check the wheel bearings again. It seems in our Tacomas they don't need to have major movement like other vehicles to make noise. Sometimes they feel rock solid and make noise. Might need to just replace it and see if that works. Buy a good quality unit - Napa supposedly has Koyo bearings, else there is a forum member that sells them also with high quality bearings. Spend the $15 and replace the inner hub seal, it's cheap insurance.
- Check for play in upper and lower ball joints and bushings. Very unlikely this is your hum but hey I've seen crazier things. Cyclic vibrations/hums are sometimes maddening to find so might as well check the basics.
- When I did the bushing swap, I never noticed a difference in noise. That being said I did it before I lifted my truck and after lifting I can very much see how it can get louder. Maybe start planning to do the bushing swap, at least it will cross something off your list and you'll never have to do it a 2nd time.

 

Sounds like a front right wheel bearing to me. You can not do the traditional “grab the wheel and push/pull” on these trucks.

The bearing will make noise long before you get any play.

FWIW, I never just do one wheel bearing.
If one is bad, the other isn’t far behind. Unless there are other circumstances that caused one to fail prematurely.

 

Another vote for wheel bearing. I replaced one last summer, due to the noise you are describing. I picked the wrong one. Noise persisted. I have another bearing, just waiting for warmer temps to do the work.

 

Wheel bearing was just done on my 2010 with about the same mileage last year. Mine was drivers side due to Illinois/Iowa road crown.

 

Another vote for wheel bearing. I had noise and a tiny bit of play in my front passenger and I replaced both. You can hit up 05taco4x4 for wheel bearings on here.

 

I had the exact same issue you have, noise straight ahead and to one side, then no noise turning the wheel to the other side. It was the wheel bearings. I had them replaced and the noise is gone. This was on my 2007 Tacoma with 225,000 miles.

 

Thank you to all who replied. I will rotate the tires and then order wheel bearings if needed.