dodge ram drive shaft UJOINT Humming

[bratt]

I have a 96 dodge ram van

I can hear the UJOINT on the driveshaft humming when I drive.
It only makes noise when the van is in motion.

Should I change it? Why would this happen. I just had a replacement ujoint put in.

[alloro]

Bad u-joints don't hum, they make a clunking or a snapping noise. The noise is more likely coming from the rearend and is traveling up the driveshaft, making it sound as though it's closer to the front.

[Scrapper]

if your sure it's u-joints but sounds like to me it's a bearing? or the pinion bearing if you don't hear no clunk when you put it in drive or reverse.also it could be a tire howling.

[csquire69]

it's probably the axle bearing in the rearend that's humming. My 2000 ramvan is doing the same thing and it's the bearing. My 97 jeep cherokee had the same problem too and they both have the same rear axle.

[bratt]

How hard is it to change the axle bearing? Can I pop up the axle casing and change it? I hear the differtial fluid is hard to replace?

Does anyone have the step by step instructions in mind?

[bratt]

I just checked the manual. There are 4 bearings in the rear differential. Not to mention, the rear differential will take days to open up and rebuild. Rebuilding is a requirement in order to get access to the bearings.

This will be a difficult task!