Squeaking front end while moving

[dtbback]

Hey Guys,

I did a little reading on this but here it goes anyway. I was driving my bronco the other morning and started noticing this horrible squeaking sound. It only occurs while I'm moving and seems to correlate with the speed I am traveling.

I read a few threads on FSB and decided to replace my idler pulley since it didn't spin smoothly with the belt off. All of the other pulleys spun fairly well when I checked so I thought that was the issue. Also after replacing the pulley I revved the motor and there wasn't any sound coming from the engine bay. I think it is coming from the front end.

I jacked up the front end and spun each tire but the only sounds I heard appeared to be normal rotor and pad contact to me. Other than that no noise.

Any thoughts?

[VintageIronFab]

Cool spring noise?

[dtbback]

I don't think so. I haven't done any mods or gone off road so I don't think a spring could have been unseated.

[Rmc]

I have an issue that I get a gnarly squeak at 80mph and disappears at 77mph. Here's the thing.... It's gets worse to 85 then gone, well at least the wind and tire noise make it no longer audible. It's a hard dry bearing grind. So I yanked the hubs, jacked up the rear and ran it and nothing. I parked it and haven't messed with it but I caught an important detail. I noticed hearing the fan running, so I started really listening hard to see if I could hear the fan being engaged at other times. I'm figuring my fan clutch has failed in the closed position. I have yet to hear it disenguage and my thought is it starts to slip at higher rpm or greater wind resistance. I can't say conclusively what it is yet but it's a few of the oddities I noticed. I'll keep you posted as to what I find. But my issue is not engine rpm related as I am unable to duplicate with the engine in nuetral. So next up is universal joints and replace the fan clutch.

[VintageIronFab]

Robert some great deals on name brand fam clutches on eBay.

[dtbback]

I never even considered my fan clutch. Hmmm maybe. My souND is a definite metal to metal chirping like sound. Only occurs while in motion. I think I may have to start on my front end replacement list sooner than expected. Wheel bearing and etc.

[dtbback]

So here's an update. The squeak is really more like a consistent chirping. It sounds like a flock of super loud effing sparrows while I am moving. It make no noise while I am stopped but is right on cue as soon as I start moving. i am stuck with her as my daily driver until my Lincoln LS gets back from the shop.

Does anyone think it could be the dust cap for the spindle? I read a thread on FSB where they can rattle loose some times. Anyone have any experience with that? The sound is driving me effing nuts.

[Broncodawg]

Chirping, sounds like a dry u-joint? With no sound when stopped as you say, might look there.

[dtbback]

Of the three u-joints up front which do you think it might be?

I crawled under the truck and felthe the center u joint and the front drive shaft u joints. They weren't warm at all. However the middle of my front drive shaft was warm for some reason .

[VintageIronFab]

I've got a chirp too- mine is at idle and goes away after the engine warms up. Mine is front of the engine related. Not sure how to find it honestly. Part of me thinks it's the alt, fan clutch, or the belt

[dtbback]

Well I thought I heard the chirping while at idle the other day so I decided to recheck my pulleys. My alternator pulley was really wobbly. I'm hoping that is the culprit. Oddly, enough it is charging much better than it was over the summer. I think I'm going to uparade to a 130 amp econolive 3g since I'll eventually need to anyway.

[VintageIronFab]

Yea the 3G upgrade is a no brainer for sure-- just retain the factory sized pulley for the belt size.

[dtbback]

So I took my bronco to get smogged today and found out the source of my terrible squeak. It's the rear end. Time to get moving on my 9 inch swap.

Does anyone know where I could get the rear end stripped after I pull it apart?

now on to some good news. My motor is running so clean that I have decided to table my stroker build till such time she does not. SUCK IT smog Nazis!!

[Mesozoic]

Sounds awfully like a U-joint about to fail... not sure what in the rear axle would chirp. The 8.8 tends to whine when the bearings get crushed, but never heard a chirp.

[dtbback]

I am pretty sure it is the flange u-joint on the axle side. I am going to be doing a 9 inch swap very soon. I am hoping she will limp along till then.