I got a 98 cherokee sport. Recently I noticed a strange squeak noise when my tires are rolling. The only thing I can compare it to is a tree rat when they make those annoying sounds to other tree rats. It's like a reereereeree sound.

Also it sort of sounds like when tires are turning on a smooth garage floor, they make the rubber squeak sound. It doesn't sound like metal on metal, more like some rubber gasket that's gone bad.

I don't think it's the breaks because that's a squeal noise. I don't think it's a belt because if I coast in neutral it's still there. I'm thinking wheel bearings but I'm not sure. It's most noticeable driving through the neighborhood. When I hit the highway it turns a little more high pitched then disappears after a while. Then when I get off the highway it's gone for a few minutes, then comes back. But it's not as bad as when I first drive it and everything is cold.

 

If the squeek sounds like its the same frequency as the tire rotation its probably a wheel bearing or a axle ujoint. If the squeek seems to happen at three times the tire rotation it could be front driveshaft ujoint or cv. Mine was the front driveshaft CV joint. $164 with Spicer ujoints and CV joint, labor included. I did remove the driveshaft first to verify where the squeek was coming from. Price was with me removing the driveshaft, and dropping it off at Florida Power Train. A real bargain, Jeep service wanted $600, not including labor and told me they could not be rebuilt.