Ok so lately my truck (84 carbed SR5 pickup 4x4) has been having some pretty bad vibrations when going at certain speeds. You can definitely feel it just driving in a parking lot, and there has been a slight squeel that has been progressively gotten worse. Im thinking one of the front wheel bearings might be shot. This is actually the first time I have even worked on this truck besides changing tires and wheels. So is there any definitive way to check to see if one of my wheel bearings is shot?

 

Jack up the truck with the wheel off the ground and try and rock the tire top and bottom. (left hand on top of tire right hand on the bottom and push in and out) if there is excessive movement then the wheel bearing is shot. Also could eat the spindle up. Best way to inspect is to take it apart and visually inspect though.

 

Ok I feel like an idiot. I actually took off both front tires and checked the bearings, thinking for sure one of them would be fubared. Well they were perfectly fine. I didnt think to check the rear driveshaft until after taking off both front hubs etc. Turns out my rear driveshaft had a bad u-joint in it and was causing it to vibrate. Just changed it out in 20mins and shes good to go now.