I have a 97 blazer. It's had a roaring noise in the right front for some time now and it's getting worse. I can feel the vibration/roaring noise in the floorboard while sitting on the passengers side. It doesn't change or go away if you put it in 4 wheel drive. I figure the reason for feeling the vibration on the passengers side is because the axle tube is bolted the frame on the right side. We never use 4 wheel drive so my thinking was/is something in the front differential has gone bad from lack of use or lubrication. I have replaced the hub and right cv axle shaft and rotated the tires. I'm leaning toward a bad bearing inside the axle housing. I have read some of the post on here and this seems to be a fairly common problem. All thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Have you checked to see if the front axle engagement cable is moving? It is possible that the engagement cable has frozen in the partially engaged position causing the problem you are experiencing.

 

I have put it into 4 wheel drive and back to 2 wheel several times and it engages and dis-engages everytime. What is the best way to check the cable?

 

Been awhile since I posted this problem. Just wanted to give an update to save someone some grief.

After checking the 4 x 4 engagment cable and engagement fork, everything was good. So I figured it had to be a bearing problem. After going thru the torture ( and body damage from punching the left front fender..wife was pissed ) of removing the front axle I replaced every bearing in the housing...EXCEPT the pinion bearing. A local mechanic informed me he had replaced several pinion bearings in the blazers before. Just to give everyone the symtomes of my experiance:

Had a roaring in the right front. Got worse over time. You can feel it in the passenger side floor board.

Replaced both front hubs, axles, inner and outer axle bearings and those high dollar axle seals.

I have hated this POS since we bought it but the wife had to have it. ( long story )

Guess I got that great GM feeling.

I'm not telling you peeps this is you're problems but I thought it might save you some grief and money. Good luck. Can't wait till this POS leaves in somebody eles name.