I HAD JUST STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND MY STEERING WAS ACTING FUNNY - SORT OF JERKING TO THE LEFT SLIGHTLY. AS I LEFT THE INTERSECTION AND GOT UP TO ABOUT 20-25 MPH, THE TRUCK SUDDENLY JERKED HARD TO THE LEFT AND I COULD NOT RECOVER CONTROL. I CROSSED TWO LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND FORTUNATELY DID NOT HIT ANYONE - I ENDED UP IN A SNOW BERM ACROSS THE STREET. I HAD THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE MY BRAKES STICKING BECAUSE OF THE COLD WEATHER IN ALASKA. IT TURNS OUT IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE WHEEL BEARINGS. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEALED WHEEL BEARINGS - THE SEAL GOES BAD, THE BEARINGS DRY OUT, THEN THEY LOCK UP. IT TYPICALLY RESULTS IN A TIRE FALLING OFF AND AN ENSUING ACCIDENT - OFTEN FATAL. MY 5 YEAR OLD SON WAS WITH ME AND I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE TAKEN THE HIGHWAY WHERE I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. I'M QUITE CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE IF NOT MY SON AND MYSELF. I HAVE A 1998 DODGE 2500 WITH THE CUMMINS DIESEL AND IT HAS 99985 MILES ON IT - THE DIESEL ENGINE EXACERBATES THIS PROBLEM DUE TO THE NOISE LEVEL - I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR THESE BEARINGS GOING OUT SOONER. I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND OTHER MISC PARTS THAT WERE TORN APART - EITHER WHEN THE BEARINGS WENT OUT OR I HIT THE SNOW BERM. *TR