well my front left side tire has this grinding humming noise. some friends said it might be a bad bearing or ball joint. Something of that sort, how would i go about checking that?

 

Lift up the tire and grab it top and bottom. Push it back and forth to see if there is any movement. If there is movement, put a small pry bar between the axle flange and knuckle to check for slack in the balljoint. If the ball joint is tight, It's probably the bearing.

 

grinding or humming can also be bad axle u-joint. Jack up the tire till you have about 1" off the ground, grab tire and wiggle side to side (tie rod&bearing check), grab tire and wiggle up and down (ball joint & u-joint&bearing check), aslo take a pry bar under the tire and while prying up look at the ball joints, any movment outta these guys and they are toast! I just did a complete front end rebuild on a 97' CTD, These are a very easy frt end to fix with the proper tools.

 

Humming usually sounds like a wheel bearing. It could be either a cupped tire, a bad bearing, or a bad u joint in the front end. A ball joint will not cause this noise.

First run your hand over your tire and see if it is warn cupped. Jack up the wheel and spin it, on a 4wd this may be difficult depending on the disconnect. You may have to jack up both sides. Also as has been mentioned check for play in the bearing.

 

Thanks guys, Ill give those a check. new symptom. while braking its pretty jerky, Feels like the abs keeps kickin on and off but only in the same tire, ne ideas?

 

Sounds like your front wheel hub bearing is going out. The things you describe sound like from what i've had on my truck.