I think I have the answer: bad right front hub. We left for our vacation in the morning. By lunch the wheel bearing had started howling. I turned the truck around and returned home. After it was unloaded I took it out to the shop and jacked up the front end. Sure enough, the right front wheel moved in and out when I shook it at the top. That would also explain why the howling stopped on left turns. I pulled the hub tonight and I'll get a new one in the morning.

Meanwhile we won't make it to the cabin in Eastern Washington. Oh well. At least the wheel bearing didn't die while we were crossing the mountains.

 

It drives much better now. However, I'm wondering if I should get another alignment. It feels like the toe may be off slightly. The truck likes to dart to the left a little bit when the wheel is centered. I may take it in next week. The aborted vacation and the new wheel hub has put a serious dent in my wallet.

 

Now the left front hub is making noise and demanding replacement. I noticed the growling noise again tonight on the freeway and thought I was going crazy. Fortunately I'm sane. When I got out to put gas in the Jimmy I noticed quite a bit of heat coming from the left front wheel. I'll get it up in the air in the morning and replace that one too.

This truck will be brand new by the time I'm done with it.

 

Now the Jimmy has *TWO* new front hubs. The steering is back to nearly perfect. The noise is gone. I did a short test drive and it seems to drive straight. I'm going to take it up to Port Townsend tomorrow. I'll see how it does on that trip.