So, this is kind of hard to describe...

when I turn the wheel all the way to the right and start to move, it feels like the front left side of the truck is literally moving laterally, Almost like sliding sideways. In fact it feels like the wheel is going to let go. Very disconcerting! Tends to happen when pulling into a parking space as that's the only time I turn the wheel that far. I haven't noticed any noises while driving however.

It's snowing right now and I just got around to buying a new truck jack (literally took it out of the box just now). In the meantime, does this sound like a ball joint failure? Or can other front end components cause this symptom? The front left tire seems to be worn down a lot more than the other tires, though the tire seems to have worn fairly evenly. I took a video while turning in a circle, in an attempt to see this "sliding" but it's hard to tell...I'm certain I can see the wheel "wobble" slightly and there's a clunk noise when I saw it but my wife watched the video and saw nothing lol.

2002 4x4 with 7700 tow package

 

Whenever I've experienced a bad ball joint, it pops. I would look more at your hub. Does it hum or grind at all when you are driving? Probably a little more when moving the steering from side to side?

 

correct me if I wrong. When you hit the lock it starts feeling like the front tires are hopping? Also a photo of the worn tire would help. I had a problem. If you would turn it to the lock the front end would feel like it was hopping. It did it in reverse too. I basically "flushed" the power steering fluid. ( turkey baster method. Sucking old fluid out and putting fresh mercon v in. Driving a few hundred miles and repeating. That fixed it when I was moving forward. But when I was backing up it still did it. I replaced the tires and that was the fix. It had yokohama geolander h/ts on the truck when I bought it. I replaced them with Firestone destination a/t tires. Factory speed rating and size.

 

When I head out for lunch, I'll take pics of the tires. I have new tires ordered, so these tires will be replaced soon.

I don't know if I would describe it as "hopping". Maybe...I just know that when it does it as I'm trying to park, it makes me feel like the truck is going to hit the car next to me cause the whole front end seems to move to the left! This doesn't happen when turning left. Only happens when turning right. I haven't tried doing it in reverse yet.

Here's a link to the video, which may or may not be helpful. I didn't notice any "hopping" but definitely felt lateral movement in the truck and heard something.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sih1euiq34...0turn.MOV?dl=0

 

Hard to say. I heard a faint hum sound on the highway, but I haven't been able to discern if it is from the bearing. What I hear might be tire noise. I've had a wheel bearing on a 95 Buick regal go bad and the loud hum was unmistakable. I'm definitely not getting the same sort of sounds from what I can tell.

 

does it like. Lunge? I don't really know how to describe it. Mine did it when turning right too. I can't remember if it did it when I turned left. I'd check the power steering fluid. It should be pink. ( it should be mercon v transmission fluid ) I'd change it. And the new tires should help as well.

 

It kind of feels like it's lunging to the side. In the video I posted (if you can manage to download a 75mb .mov), at 20 seconds, the tire moves outward (watch the upper part of the tire) and there's a weird clunk sound.

 

Jack it and wiggle the tire and check for play... go from there.

 

Yeah, jack it up and giving the wiggle test is where you need to go from here. You may need a friend to help while you look inside at the suspension components. The sway bar end links play funny games on these things sometimes.

From your video, I don't see anything I'd call abnormal. You are cranking the wheel to the lock though, and I wonder if you are feeling something with the CV axle. Make sure the CV nut is tightened to spec (250 ft lbs).

 

Are you referring to the nut in the centre of the hub? Isn't that 295 ft lbs?