So I just bought my KJ in January in Salt Lake City... You know the one, the most gangsta KJ around.

Anyway, It had a hum to it on the ride back to MS, the hum turned into a roar (definitely in the front). At first drive I thought it was the wheel bearings. I did the usual swerve test, with it mostly going away with a swerve to the left. Well I got to looking around and the LCA bushings were bad, this caused the tires to feather (cup?) and I attributed that to the roaring.
Just put new Yokohama Geolander 265/75s on it with new OME front struts and new LCA bushings. It is Frankenlifted. Had it aligned and took it for a drive excited as hell. BUT, the roaring is still there. I'm assuming it's the wheel bearings in the driver side since a left swerve still relieves the roar/vibration.

Is there a better, more definitive test?
I've done some searching and reading on LOST and see the Timken and SKF are the bearings/hubs to get but also hear NAPAs aren't too bad. So what's the consensus? RockAuto has the Timken for $150 and SKF for $212

yea, its a bearing. i just replaced mine recently...jack up the jeep so the front wheels are off the ground. try shaking your wheel. it should be pretty sturdy...if it wobbles, it might be the wheel bearing

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Steve
2018 RAM 1500 Rebel
2003 KJ
Mods:Exterior: Frankenlift + 2 extra rear iso, JBA UCAs, ARB Bumper w/XRC8, Safari Snorkel, 265/75/16 AT, Mopar Skids, Boulderbars, RL Gecko Sport Rack
Interior: Infinity Reference speakers, 12" Alpine Type R Sub, Alpine radio, Gauge Pods (Oil, Volts), Cobra Cb, All J Interior Rack

I feel pretty confident it is as well. Forgot to mention my ABS, ESP BAS, and traction control light was coming on intermittently and is on for good now.

Looks like I'll probably just be doing both the fronts.

Shook both wheels and no play at 12&6 or 3&9. I did notice it was pretty difficult to spin the wheels. Only one wheel up at a time and it has a TruTrac in the front. Also, the inner CV joints seem to have a little play in them.

Could this be a CV Axle problem and not a wheel bearing issue??

Ihad the same thing, replaced the CV axle and hub/bearing 10K ago. Fixed it. Now it came back with a vengence. Shook the wheel, off the ground, no play, but very hard to turn. Bought a good hub this time(not the crap $60 one like last time, cheap lesson...) and put it on yesterday. Roaring is gone!!! So it doesn't always have play, just really hard to turn.

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05 CRD Sport 2 1/2" RR lift, EHM, ORM, Predator II module
99 Ford F350 6" Superlift, V10!, 38.5x15" TSLs, 4.56s.....

Put on both front Timken hubs, problem solved!

The ABS lights were of course corroded wires in the rear.