Grinding/growling noise coming from rear end

[marek4792]

Without reigniting some unsafe trends. Check how is the frame height is in relation to the top of the rear drive tires. Usually flush or slightly lower is where you want to be, and will get you close to spec..

[Redland1]

(08-31-2025 )marek4792 Wrote:  Without reigniting some unsafe trends. Check how is the frame height is in relation to the top of the rear drive tires. Usually flush or slightly lower is where you want to be, and will get you close to spec..

Was just thinking about this whole ordeal a bit further and realized that the front inside drive tire has weird cupping on the inside and was the same side as I walked alongside and heard the noise.
Wheel bearing possibly ?

Found the specs. Ride height is 3” currently and spec is 2.75 “.

[Redland1]

Here’s another pic

[marek4792]

Could very well be.

[Rawze]

(08-31-2025 )Redland1 Wrote:  Here’s another pic

That tire wear has nothing whatsoever to do with ride height.

That is excessive play in the hub bearing(s).

Hub bearings need to be re-torqued on a big-rig every 250k miles. ALL REAR (and most front) HUB BEARING BRANDS/TYPES!!!... but most truck owners completely neglect them until a hub seal blows out from all the excessive play.

Its called PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE for a reason.

about 20 mins in on this video, I show how to check them and what they should be.... including mentioning that tire wear.

[Mrkentee]

On a side note; I had that type of leveling valve rod break at the plastic/rubber piece. Happened on 95 coming into NYC. Not fun. I now have the stock solid metal one.

[marek4792]

Usually when a roller bearing starts to go it will hum like an orchestra through your truck especially when coasting. Like Rawze says the two issues are not related. Too high or too low isn't good for driveline angles assuming the bushings aren't wore out. Get the OEM rod and measure again.

[Redland1]

(08-31-2025 )Rawze Wrote:  ...
about 20 mins in on this video, I show how to check them and what they should be.... including mentioning that tire wear.

Thanks just saw the video. Going to take a look at it. With the grinding noise do you think the bearings are shot ?

[Redland1]

Took it to the mechanic shop of the owner of the company than I’m leased on to. One of the mechanics there checked out the truck trying to figure out where the grinding and growling originated from but couldn’t pinpoint anything. I kept mentioning the hub bearings and he said that wasn’t it so at lunch time when he went to eat I grabbed my bottle jack and jacked up the side where the tire wear is and used my tire bar to wiggle the tires and sure enough there was play. Shows it to him when he got off lunch and he dissembled everything and the bearing but was loose but bearings were good. I’m convinced that we’re all better mechanics than these so called mechanics because he installed the nut back on without a torque wrench smh. Saw this another time with a good mechanic I know that is ASE certified and is a pretty damn good all around mechanic but when it comes down to hub nuts he never uses a torque wrench says he knows how tight to go by feel.

I’ll update if the grinding noise went away.

Also anyone know the socket size for those nuts or are they all different ?
Going to order the socket and a big torque wrench so I can do them myself from now on.