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4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/Noise from driver side tire

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Expert: Carl Brandt - 10/27/2009


Question
once I hit 15 MPH in my 04 Chevy Blazer I get a whirring And here recently a grinding noise from the tire well and some vibration. I assume the fact that the inside of the tire is worn down to showing belts has something to do with it also and for some reason if I backup with the wheel turn hard right, it feels like I am running over something. Most of this started when I changed my brake pads if that has anything to do with this I don't know. Any Thoughts?

Answer
Chris,

First of all, there is no way that you should be driving on a tire that is bad let alone one that is completely shot.

If the inside of the tire is worn that bad, then you have a bad alignment, or some extremely worn out steering components.  The brake pads should have nothing to do with this problem.  You need to get this rig into a reputable alignment shot asap, and get a 4-wheel alignment.  Also, you need to replace the tires and probably the shocks before it gets back on the road.

Carl

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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