Hey y’all,

new to the forums here so excuse me if I’m posting this in the wrong place. I’m having an odd noise coming from the front of my vehicle while driving and I tried to capture it with the two videos I attached. Not sure if it’s a wheel bearing or what but I’ve been told it maybe could be that. Car seems to drive fine, noise only starts around 2k RPM, but I may just not be able to hearing before then. If you have any ideas or recommendations please let me know. Also if I am posting this in the wrong spot or the videos aren’t coming through, please also let me know and I will move the post or try to re upload the videos. Thanks in advance!

 

Welcome to the forum

Its good to include Year of Ranger, engine size, manual or automatic, and in this case 2WD or 4x4 since it might be wheel related
You can do all that in your signature if you want so it appears on all your posts, like my "I've missed more than 9000 shots.........."

All I hear is wind noise in that attachment

Not sure what the reference is for "2k rpm"????
Are you thinking the noise could be engine related, which is possible, could be a fan belt pulley bearing is failing
Cold engine, remove fan belt so you can spin each pulley by hand, you can usually tell if something seems wrong, and no you can't spin the power steering pulley

Wheel bearing noise tends to come and go when you turn a little left or a little right as that shifts the vehicle weight more to one wheel or the other, but you would replace BOTH side regardless

 

shoot I meant to include all of that information. My ranger is a 2003, 4.0L, 2wd, automatic.

I figured the video would be nothing but wind noise but included it regardless. The noise speeds up and slows down as I do, and you can’t really hear it until about 2000 RPMs. It sounds like it’s probably coming front the front right (passenger side) of the vehicle. Originally I was thinking maybe something with a belt or water pump because my AC just started going on it, it’ll create condensation around the vents. Though I’m sure this could also be completely unrelated. The car has fairly little miles, only a little under 97k and most parts seem to be stock. I’ve had a few things replaced so far, Ujoints, Brakes & ball joint on the same side as the noise, and a few other small things here and there. Hopefully some of that info is a bit helpful, I appreciate your response

 

With the low miles the wheel bearings would be a good guess, they are "lifetime" bearings so can't be lubed
Low mile vehicles would sit for long periods so when driven the lube would have all settled at bottom so you get high wear at first
Rear wheel bearing are a little different but they can wear out as well with low miles

On 2003 2WD the front wheel bearings are not hard to change, just wrench work, no special knowledge or tools required

 

I had a very similar noise with my 2011 2wd 4.o v6 and I continued to drive on it and my first instinct was the wheel bearing and low and be hold that is what it was once the bearing blew up do to no grease