1994 v6 4runner

So, my rig has started to make a groaning noise when backing up with the wheel cranked pretty far to the right (clockwise). It's not super loud (no stares in parking lots yet).

It is NOT the steering stops, I know what those sound like.

It starting doing this late last summer after a couple months of lots of dirt roads (maybe 1000 miles) and a couple short and shallow (bottom of the doors) water crossings. At first it only happened occasionally, but now it does it all the time. I hit all the grease zerks after the water crossings, but didn't mess with the hubs. I don't drive the truck much in winter; all this has developed over maybe 500 miles.

There is a little play in the passenger front hub (maybe 1/16th in movement at the edge of the tire).

So, two questions for your collective experience:

1) Are these symptoms likely to be a failing hub?
2) Is the amount of play I'm describing enough to cause the symptoms?

Thanks for your input.

 

Do you have manual hubs or still the ADD live hubs?

 

Sorry, they are ADD hubs.

 

power steering fluid low?

 

Hubs don't really go bad...

Check your steering linkages first. It's possible it's a CV joint too since you're ADD and they are always turning. Maybe even wheel bearings?

 

PS fluid is fine.

Man, I don't know why I wrote hub, TWICE, in the first post AND the title. I meant wheel bearing. Tired I guess.

 

Did you drain the rear axle fluid? Water and oil don't mix in your diff.

 

Yawp, full fluid change on diffs, transfer case, and gearbox since noise started. No water inside anywhere, by the way. Or metal, for that matter. Everything looked skooky.