2005 humming noise between 40-50mph

Hey Guys,
When I get close to 40mph I start to hear a significant loud humming noise.
The intensity/pitch of the noise peaks just below 50mph then lessens over 60…
Anyone with any thoughts?
Wheel bearing?
Rear differential?
Transmission?
It’s a 2005 2wd SR5 4.7 engine…177k miles
I had to replace the drive shaft a few years back but haven’t done anything else non engine related
Started in April

 

Wheel bearings tend to have a wub-wub pulsing sound in my experience, similar to what I initially hear in the 1st one (had to throw in earbuds). Often droning at those speeds.

I'm nos disputing it's a wheel bearing, but ... Have you checked your bearings with a push/pull, and spinning each wheel individually?

 

Does this give you any info
Both front wheels seem to have play at 3 and 9 o’clock
No play at 12 and 6
I can’t tell if the shuttle noise when spinning the tires is normal or not it’s is audible in the video
https://youtube.com/shorts/zZbimdUaSdQ?si=Ldz9vjefkm0m3APF

thanks!

 

Wheel bearings can be loud and obnoxious without any play what so ever with that method. That will always be play at 3 and 9. This is really a very rudimentary check.

When you're cruising at 50 or so with the noise, pop the trans into neutral to see if noise remains.
When you're cruising at 50 (either with throttle or without, as long as you're getting the hum) add a little side loading to the wheels by taking a route that has a slight turn to it. A nice gentle curve will do. Note if the hum changes at all - whether it goes away completely or gets louder...

Both of these tests, if positive, point to wheel bearing (not diff).

 

Sounds like a bad bearing when spinning, if the caliper isn't grabbing. You only had one wheel jacked at a time while doing that, right?

The 3 and 9 action, you can get that in a few cases, including when you jack both wheels up while doing it, and if your rack bushings are bad. Be sure to look for other play when doing it to make sure it's not the rack, and it's not the LBJ. LBJ are a catastophic killer in these trucks.

All that to say, I agree fully w/Noah, he's totally on-point.

 

When I put the truck in neutral the humming noise is unaffected…yesterday I drove on some windy roads and I really do not notice a change in the noise while turning left or right…it is very consistent from 40-50 mph…

 

Do you have another set of wheels and tires you can try to swap over? What kind of tires (size/type/wear pattern on them) are you rolling?

 

So I got friend with the identical truck
He is coming over in the morning and we are going to swap tires…thanks for the idea..
The front tires are definitely wearing in the outside edge more. I’ll attach pictures…worth ruling out that it’s not tire noise…
Those are the front tires the back tires are wearing evenly
Thank you!
I’ll post the results tomorrow

 

Thank you for the advice!
I swapped the four tires out with my friends truck and the noise WAS 100% GONE….
Definitely the tires…much better than the other possibilities
I have a nice quiet ride again!

 

Interesting. That said, I'm still suspicious of the play in that video. But without being there and being able to feel/see with my own hands ...