There is a “ratcheting sound� coming from the driver’s side front wheel in my wife’s 98 Kick.  At highway speed it turns to a hummmmmm.

I propped up the front end this weekend and took off both wheels.  The drivers side has a slight ratcheting sound when rotating the wheel.  Its louder when rotating backwards, but is still there when rotating forwards.  There is about 1/8 inch play in the side axle from the hub to the front end.

On the passenger side there is less/almost no play in the side axle and no ratcheting sound.  BUT the axle rotates when I rotate the wheel.  The axle DOES NOT rotate on the drivers side.

Both hubs were unlocked.

What gives??

Sounds like you need to check the hubs. I would take off both hubs and look at them. It's possible the driver's one is bad/broken causing the noise. The passenger side might be locked in - stuck.

You need to take them off and inspect them, and clean /re grease them if possible.

Sounds like some bad wheel bearing to me.   They are a press fit and make the exact sounds your describing when they go.   They are kind of a bitch to do, But they arnt that bad.  You can repack them aswell.  They come apart as an inner and outer inside a sleave and should be repacked,  from a maintanence standpoint.

Sounds like some bad wheel bearing to me.   They are a press fit and make the exact sounds your describing when they go.   They are kind of a bitch to do, But they arnt that bad.  You can repack them aswell.  They come apart as an inner and outer inside a sleave and should be repacked,  from a maintanence standpoint.

Ah, yup, could be the wheel bearings too.

I'll take a peak at the hubs this weekend.

Bearings . . . I might bring her to the garage for that.  Right now Im thinking its a wee bit out of my league.

Tks.

check your passenger hub carefully. the detent spring in the dial may have broken, this will cause the hub to try & lock the axle as you go down the road. passenger side rotation makes the hub dial spin to the locked position. And yes ,check the bearings. Same thing goes for the drivers side.My buddy had this exact problem. Both of his dials had broken detents.