I have an issue with binding during tight turns and loud growling. I am not using 4hi/lo when this is happening and I only use it during snow to get started then turn it off once I'm going. This started on a dry day, clean pavement, and no ice. I can do gentle turns with minimal problems.

i have a constant growling/hum while driving so I know I have a bad wheel hub, and have replaced one side and plan on replacing the other side soon, but I have heard so many things that this could be that I don't know where to even begin.

I did take it to a shop and they said I was missing one brake bracket bolt and the other was loose and deemed the problem fixed, so 2000 dollars later and a not so gentle reminder why I don't take my cars to shops, I'm back at square 1 but I'm in worse shape than I was before.

Any help is appreciated!

 

Can you expand a bit on the vehicle, please. Hard to tell when not knowing about what we are talking.



i.e: Year, model, engine, transmission (auto/manual), transfer case (electrical/manual)

 

It's a 2003, Blazer, 4.2 (I think), auto trans, with electric transfer case.

 

Are your rims stock, and what size of tire are on it?

Thinking about this...
Being an '03, and a 4.2(?), is it a Trailblazer by chance?

 

It is not a Trailblazer, it's a Chevrolet Blazer LS with 235/75R15s.

 

To eliminate an easy one I would do:

- Lift the vehicle (safely!) on the front or put it on stands or even better on a lift.
- Give the wheels a slow spin by hand. Try them holding at the 12 and 6 o'clock position and wiggle. (If the wheel bearings are shot you can either hear it while spinning or feel it when wiggling)
- Have someone turn the steering to one side and hold it there (engine off), then the other side. (Pay attention to have your hands out during turning.
- See if you can find a spot where it touches something *
- Remove the front wheels (wheel).
- See if you can find a spot where it did touch something. Also on the brake assembly, brake shields, lines, ABS sensor cable, suspension struts etc.
- Have a very close look at the tires and the wheels. (scuff marks)
- Before mounting everything back, check all the parts visually, suspension, all screws on the plastic liners, hoses, brake, pads wear, discs.

* Turn the wheel slowly by hand and look along the circumference of the tire on either side (outside/inside) if it can touch somewhere.
It is difficult because the suspension is in it's most extended position (no load position).
Eventually you get lucky and see where it touches. Have a flashlight ready and look along the edges of the thread in the wheel housing. If it touches somewhere it will leave a scuff mark.

Hope it is some dislodged plastic (happened to me) and you get an easy fix.

 

​​​​​​I knew I had a bad hub on one side (replaced one side and still had growling) so I had already done most of that before I wrote my post. I think I got it figured out now though. My outer tie rod end blew out and it pulled out of the adjustment sleeve a little at the same time. So that might have something to do with it.

Also I noticed that on one side my brake pads were worn seriously uneven (wear at the top on one side and wear at the bottom of the other).

So now I have replaced all the tie rod ends, the adjustment sleeves, and all four calipers (rears were froze, again), the remaining hub, and an upper ball joint.

I'm hoping this does it.

 

Glad you have that fixed.

 

Thank you!