Need help diagnosing a grumble type of noise in my "97 Blazer LS, AT, 4WD. My right front axle seal is leaking. When I drive the truck I hear a grumbly kind of sound at all speeds and the noise increases proportionately with vehicle speed. When I turn the vehicle to the right the sound goes away. Does this indicate that the wheel hub assy needs to be replaced? If so left or right side? Is the right front axle seal the problem? Or a comibination of the two? Or is it something else entirely different?

 

to test wheel bearings turn to one side and "load up the bearings on the other side" (the same way your body weight shifts in the car, is the same way the car wieght shifts to that side) ....you said when you turn right it goes away so when you turn left it should be loud and you should hear the bearing on the right.

be carefull with leaking axle seals....sometimes it's just a seal...sometimes it's a scored axle....and a few other times it's a worn differential causing the axle to woble slightly and not seal.

also you don't need two posts for the same thing.

 

Ok thanks for the feedback. I greatly appreciate it. Today I will be jacking up the front end and put on jackstands and try the old grab the wheel and check for any wobble or play. The right front axle seal has been leaking for sometime. Could the scored axle be the result of the axle seal leak? Could the grumbly kind of noise I hear be the result of a scored axle? Like I stated earlier when the wheel is center or turning left I hear the grumble and I feel a slight vibration in the steering wheel and through the floor pan. When I turn to the right all sounds and vibrations go away. Thanks again!

 

if all sounds go away when you turn to one side...then i say it's a wheel bearing.
a scored axle just leaks, doesn't usually make a grinding noise, easily diagnosed when removed to do the seal anyways.
to check the diff for play grab a pry bar and pry slghtly on the axle...make sure it is tight.
then change seal if all checks out ok.

 

mine is doing the same thing did you ever get it fixed? and if so how did you do it?

 

mine too!!