Chrysler Repair: Front Vibration at high speed, radial runout, radial variation

Question
First of all I want to thank you for taking the time to answer this question and all the questions that I have had in the past. You have really been a great help with an aging vehicle. My question this time regards a vibration at high speeds. I am thinking that it could be the inner CV joint. I have a 93 Chrysler Le baron v6 3.0 liter. I am also having a lot of popping and "spring creaking" noises coming from the front as well. I am pretty sure that I am going to have to replace most of the front end suspension here pretty soon. My last part of this multi part question is what would be the symptoms of a front wheel hub bearing going out. I have checked for play in the wheel and find none, what else should I check for. Thank you again.

Answer
Hi Bob,
The tires are a possibility. You could try rotating the rear to the front and see if that changes anything. If vibration happens at all speeds it may just tire balance needing to be re-done.
If it happens most notably at 45-65 mph it could be radial run-out variation which you measure by putting a fixed pointer close to the tread and observe for how much variation there is in the space between the pointer and the tread as you rotate the tire. Of course it should done shortly after driving the car so you aren't just seeing the 'flat' that results from leaving the car parked at one spot. The radial variation should be less than 0.9 mm. Similarly you can check the lateral run out and it should be less than 1.1 mm measured at the shoulder of the tire. Radial runout greater than 1 mm may be reduced by remounting the tire on rim so as to cancel out radial variations between the rim and the tire. A tire shop knows how to do that, which is called 'match mounting'.
CV's usually manifest there problem by clicking, when they run dry of lube due to the tearing of the boot. So check at the boot and also look at the adjacent chassis/engine surface for sign of grease having been 'spun' from the boot.
A wheel bearing is usually manifest as a 'roaring' sound whose intensity is also affected somewhat by whether you are turning or going straight ahead. But that symptom is even more noticeable for the outer cv joint which clicks more loudly when turning. The inner cv would not be affected by turns.
You are very welcome. I hope these I ideas yield some improvement for you.
Roland