Hey all,

Been having this grinding noise coming from my front driver side for a while. Weird thing was that I had PF leak a few weeks ago and when that happened, the noise stopped. After getting a new PS pump and high pressure hose, the noise is back and seems to be louder (something to do with the PS?) I have no idea what's wrong with it, check out that vid and give me some tips/ideas on what you think it might be. The noise happens randomly and you can hear it best when I let go of gas and it comes to a stop. Its a loud noise because when I drive it people be looking at me so I know definitely there is something wrong with it.

 

Is truck two wheel or four wheel drive?

I have a 92 two wheel drive. If mine sounded anything like that, I would think the wheel bearings are shot.

 

I had a noise like that in mine a long time ago and it was the front CV axles needing to be greased. Something to look at. Hope it helps.

 

Yeah, that sounds really bad. My first guess (like snippets') is wheel bearings (though it could be any moving part in the front end). Jack up each wheel and turn it with your hand. If you can feel any vibration the bearing is almost certainly bad.

 

Its a 4x4, at first I thought the wheel bearing but I would imagine it make a howling noise (from other vids I've seen) but this sounds like rubbing/grinding. At the time I took it to my mechanic to fix my PS, he said that sound might be from the PS control unit (it did have a little leak) but it will cost an arm and a leg. Before I go that route, I want to exhaust all other possible issues. You guys think it has something to do with a bad speedo cable? Before my speedo needle was crazy loose so I greased up the ends to the cluster and transfer case (could not with my life pull out the cable to grease it up). My needle is now fixed and doesn't jiggle as much but it did make the sound stop for a minute before coming back. From things I've read, a bad speedo cable can also make noise but idk what the noise sounds like.

 

The speedometer cable is the easiest thing to eliminate, disconnect it from the t-case and go for a short drive.

 

Jack up a wheel? How much easier can it get?

 

A loose or bad speedometer cable or gauge cluster can sound similar to that, and just start at a certain speed like yours does.

Is the sound louder and more frequent in cooler weather?

Did the sound start not long after you fixed the bouncing speedometer needle?

It could also be a drive line noise as well. It never hurts to jack up the front end and see if anything isn't tight and smooth.

 

@akwheeler thanks for the heads up about the speedo meter, I disconnected it a took out my truck for a drive and it seems to not make the noise so often (but it still makes it). So from that, I guess the speedo cable isn't the issue. Weird thing is that I put it in 4H 4x4 and drove it, it made the noise in a higher pitch and faster sound.

@old87yota Weather does not seem to make it sound worse, it happens anytime of the day regardless of the outside temperature. Before I acquire the truck from my father in law, from what I could remember the needle has always been bouncing so it seems to be independent of it. But I remember the first time I greased up the ends of the speedo cable the needle stocked bouncing the noise seemed to go away for a short time period before coming back.

I will be taking it back to the shop in the next few days lets see what they can say. I wish I had a garage so I can do my own DIY stuff, I live in an apartment complex so I can't fix my car or jack it up

 

If your mechanic suspects the power steering remove the belt and take another drive. Be very careful, obviously it will be hard to steer!
is there a difference in the sound when driving in 4x4 vs 2wd?
Do you have manual hubs or automatic?

 

I had a 93 with bad front wheel bearing and it sounded a lot like that. As said above. Jack up front end and spin tires listen/feel for the bad.

 

I have automatic hubs (ADD). Here’s the sound of it on 4x4.

So from what I’m gathering from other posts and what you all have said, here’s my thoughts.
1. Bad wheel bearing
2. Spindle Bearing
3. CV Axle
4. PS Control Unit per my mechanic
5. I thought it was Speedo Cable But isn’t
6. Bad Cluster (I’m 99% sure that’s not it).

Do you guys think it has anything to do with the transfer case? I’m still driving it around with the speedo cable unplugged and for some reason it doesn’t make the noise to often. I mean it still happens but not as loud and not as often as if I had the speedo cable hooked up. I was almost certain that the speedo cable was the issue but after having it unplugged for a day so far, I drove it around and the sound is a hit or miss.

 

Here's my thoughts, if you disconnected the speedo cable at the t-case it is not the cable or the cluster, 100%.
From your video I am assuming that this is an automatic judging by engine rpm.
The noise doesn't change with engine rpm, it only seems to be speed related.
I think you can rule out the power steering since changes in engine rpm would effect the noise.
With the ADD hubs your CV axles and front driveshaft shouldn't be spinning when you're in 2wd, so unless one or both of your hubs are remaining locked you should be able to rule out the spindle bearings and CV shafts. You could eliminate this as a possibility by either removing the hubs or jacking it up and verifying that they are unlocked by spinning the front wheels (also spin the driveshaft to see that it is indeed disengaged when you're in 2wd).
My opinion is that since you say disconnecting the speedo cable seemed to have an effect and that the noise starts at about the same speed and changes pitch as you slow down that it is probably in the t-case.

 

Akwheeler, I thought with ADD the front axles are always spinning regardless of 2wd or 4wd, and it is the opposite with manual hubs.

 

I'm not too familiar with ADD but, now that you mention it... don't they have drive flanges at the front wheels? That absolutely would mean that the CV shafts spin all the time.
With automatic hubs or manual hubs unlocked they would not.
Could someone educate me more on this? I haven't worked at a Toy dealer since around 95 when my 4runner was built and when I bought it in 2012 I ripped the entire front suspension out and did a SAS without paying much attention to what was in my way.