I hear a clicking/ticking noise when im driving down the road. It happens when i go over small bumps. When i say small i mean small enough to where you can barely feel them inside the car. It started about a month and a half ago and has gotten worse. It makes no difference if im turning or not and it happens in neutral too. I jacked up the front end of the truck and the drivers tire has play in it from side to side but not top to bottom. What im saying is with the tire off the ground you can grab the sides of it and try to turn it, and it moves a little from side to side but not top to bottom. I think its a wheel bearing but im not sure. If it is a wheel bearing could yall tell me the cheapest way to get it fixed? Ive heard that it costs upwards of 600 to get it fixed or you can buy a tool for about 250 and do it yourself. Any suggestions on what it is and how to fix it... cheaply?

Thanks
Sam

 

Side to side is probably a tie rod end. The noise could also your CV or even a shock bushing.

If it is a wheel bearing...The bearing is about $50, you need 2 seals and a new snap ring so parts are less than $100.

I just had my bearings replaced by the dealer and in the process they busted one of my spindles with their 17 ton press trying to press out the hub to replace the bearing. That cost me another $300 +. You need a serious press to do this work don't try it yourself.

Take your spindle out and take it to the dealer, the bench work shouldn't be more that $100 if everything goes OK.

 

jim, the dealer didnt have to pay for your spindle? that sux

 

I replaced my wheel bearings without a press. Just a good brass drift, hammer and some time will do it.

 

17 tons with a hammer and drift? I don't think in my case that would have worked.

Yeah, the dealer really didn't do anything wrong, the hub was basically stuck in the bearing.

But now I have manual hubs!

 

so if it is my tie rod ends... what do i do there?

 

BUMP because i really need help. Anyone??

 

Get new ones.

 

 

I wasn't trying to be a smart a$$ or anything, it's just I don't think you can rebuild or repair tie rod ends.

 

I don't see how many miles you have? I had a similar noise in my truck that would rattle when I went over railroad tracks, it turned out to be a bad bushing, so it could be a lot of things. If this play you are talking about is just side to side and not up and down, I don't think that would point to the wheel bearings. You have that rack and pinion steering right? I don't know anything about it but a lot of people have had problems with it.

 

If it was a bearing it would have the same play up and down as it does side to side. Its something with the steering.

Jim and Mt Goat, you are talking about old junk vs. newer junk. On the old junk you can remove the bearings with your pinky finger after you get everything dissasembled. You can tap the bearing races out with a drift and LFH. New Timkin bearings are like $12 each at AutoZone.

I haven't studied up on the newer IFS junk enough.