1997 Explorer Axle Problem

[firejust]

My friend's 1997 V6 4wd Explorer is having an issue with the passenger front axle. Here is a video of the problem:

There is clear wear on the inside of the caliper, on the rotor, and the tire has excessive negative camber. It looks like the CV axle is loose to me but I have no experience to base this on. I was only able to take off the wheel as I didn't have any of my tools with me. The rotor moves up and down and moves the axle along with it as can be seen in the video.

What exactly is wrong with this axle, how difficult is this to fix, and how much would it cost to have it repaired by a competent mechanic?

 

[imp]

My friend's 1997 V6 4wd Explorer is having an issue with the passenger front axle. Here is a video of the problem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcCJf3-_c8w

There is clear wear on the inside of the caliper, on the rotor, and the tire has excessive negative camber. It looks like the CV axle is loose to me but I have no experience to base this on. I was only able to take off the wheel as I didn't have any of my tools with me. The rotor moves up and down and moves the axle along with it as can be seen in the video.

What exactly is wrong with this axle, how difficult is this to fix, and how much would it cost to have it repaired by a competent mechanic?

Looks like ball joint shot; cannot precisely see location of "play" in vid. imp

 

[lounge lizard]

hub bearing unit is gone,

needs to be replaced asap!

 

[my pos mounty]

hub bearing unit is gone,

needs to be replaced asap!

x2

 

[G-96XLT]

The CV is fine. It floats and will always seem lose.

A wheel bearing job is probably a 1hr charge at the mechanic. Most of us can do it in 20 minutes but we've been there before. If you already have it up on a jack and the wheel off you are halfway there.

 

[safn1949]

X3 on the wheel bearing,don't delay that repair.

 

[firejust]

Thanks guys, I guess I have a wheel bearing to replace today. My friend said he drove it for over 50 miles like this so I am concerned he damaged other parts. Is there anything I should specifically look for that could have been damaged?

 

[my pos mounty]

Driving on a bad hub bearing in that condition MAY contribute to premature CVaxle wear, but that is not a given.
Replace the hub bearing with a Timken unit so you won't have to do this job again in as little as a few months from now. If you need it, there is a very good write up on this forum for this job.

Might want to do a brake job too.

 

[firejust]

Everyone here who guessed wheel bearing was right. Thank you so much for your advice. However, it seems like my friend has driven on this for a long time given the damage I found. I don't know how anyone could drive this thing making as much noise as it must have made.

My first clue there was a problem was when I saw the amount of negative camber:

Then I got the caliper off and discovered this:

I finally realized just how bad it was when I removed the bearing and found this:

Clearly the big part that the bearing bolts to has been ruined, there is simply metal missing and pulling off.

Here are a few pictures from the rear of the assembly:

What is the correct term for the huge piece that the wheel bearing bolts up to? Does anyone know how expensive this is and if there is a write-up on how to replace it?

Also, do I need to replace his axle given the wear on them?

 

[my pos mounty]

What is the correct term for the huge piece that the wheel bearing bolts up to? Does anyone know how expensive this is and if there is a write-up on how to replace it?

Also, do I need to replace his axle given the wear on them?

Where to get the steering knuckle (the part you are talking about) would depend on how much time you have. If you need it fast, www.car-part.com would be a place I would use to find one in a local junkyard. If you have some time, there are 2 guys that sell used parts that are forum sponsors.
"ped5stang" is one, and for some reason you can't send a PM to him at the moment. He has a thread HERE. He is in Kansas
"kbabiak" is aonther, send him a PM by clicking on his name if you like. He is out of Pennsylvania.

Replacing the knuckle would be much the very same procedure as replacing the upper and lower balljoints. If he drove that thing around like that for a long period of time, he should consider himself very lucky to have made it. It could have let go at anytime.
Personally, I would replace the hub bearing, the CV axle, upper and lower balljoints, tie rod end and do a front brake job on that, along with a replacement steering knuckle.
Front end alignment would finish it up, oh, what do the front tires look like? At a minimum, get them on back and put the "good ones" on the front for the alignment.

 

[firejust]

Thanks mounty. If this was my car I would replace everything you mentioned. However, my friend is a broke college kid. Is there any possibility of getting away with not replacing the cv axle? He was already freaking out over the cost of the wheel bearing alone. There is no way I will be able to convince him to replace the ball joints or the tie rod unless it is totally destroyed like the steering knuckle (Thats what I thought it was called but the guys at auto zone told me that it absolutely was not called that).

Essentially he is looking for the very cheapest way to get this back in a driveable state.

You asked about the tires:

He clearly needs a new one.

No idea if you guys on this forum like pictures of destroyed parts, but here are a few pics of the bearing I took off today:

I assume this shouldn't look like this, ever.

 

[my pos mounty]

Thanks mounty. If this was my car I would replace everything you mentioned. However, my friend is a broke college kid. Is there any possibility of getting away with not replacing the cv axle? He was already freaking out over the cost of the wheel bearing alone. There is no way I will be able to convince him to replace the ball joints or the tie rod unless it is totally destroyed like the steering knuckle (Thats what I thought it was called but the guys at auto zone told me that it absolutely was not called that).

Essentially he is looking for the very cheapest way to get this back in a driveable state.

#1: Stay away from Autozone. My opinion of them, and all the "flashy supermarket style autopart stores, is: buy oil, fluids, sealants and air fresheners there, filters and switches too. Other than that, nothing, not even a lug nut. Trust me when I tell you, that stores "lifetime warranty" sounds good on the surface, but when you repeat the job in 6 months and have to use your "free" replacement, that isn't much of a consolation. Then in another 6 months, that replacement will be on you again. As always, your labor is free.

2: Actually, after looking at those pics closer, you may not need a knuckle. There is a "dust exclusion seal" that is torn up in your pic. You can drive it out with a punch and a hammer. It really is not necessary.
Start with the TIMKEN hub (about 135-150) 2 tires that match the tread pattern of the others and pray to the mechanical gods to smile upon you. Hopefully the stresses did not kill the balljoints or the CV. Might be worth a shot, but tell him that if he hears something that does not sound right, for gods sake don't ignore it.

By the way, if the rear tires are significantly larger (diameter wise), that can cause issues with the auto 4WD system. The ABS sensors may read the different speeds as a condition that would warrant 4wheel drive. If that is the case, he could be replacing axles again soon after, and if he isn't as lucky as he was this time, it may include driveshafts or differentials.
Pay a little now, or a heck of alot more later.

 

[firejust]

1: Agreed. I personally purchase everything I can online. But it's his only vehicle and autozone was closest.

2: There was some wear in the actual knuckle it seemed to me. If you look at the first picture I posted taken from behind the knuckle you can see metal missing from where the bolt head meets the knuckle. That bolt's head was missing a little over a quarter inch of metal taken out in a circular shape. However, if you think I can get away with the old knuckle and beating that seal out I will try it out.

 

[lounge lizard]

I would use it for a temporary fix. I would put the front tires on the back to save more money.
if you can put it all back together and everything fits then you should be good to go.

BUT!! as already has been stated! this is a temp fix. it will buy your friend some time to get the correct pieces to finish the puzzle. don't skimp out just because it is back together and it is working.

find the parts and finish the job. get the money and buy new tires to match what is on the truck or get a whole new set.

 

[Blee1099]

Your lucky you didn't have it go while your driving. On my old 97, my hub failed while on the highway and it seized to the knuckle.

 

[my pos mounty]

That bolt's head was missing a little over a quarter inch of metal taken out in a circular shape. However, if you think I can get away with the old knuckle and beating that seal out I will try it out.

Try the car-part link if you don't want to chance it. A replacement knuckle shouldn't run too much out of a junkyard (My wild azz guess is about 50 bucks).
The issues may magnify as you try to disassemble the upper/lower balljoints and the tierod from the knuckle. Separating them from it may damage them to where they will have to be replaced.

 

[G-96XLT]

Do you want stuff cheap ? Go to the wreckers. That piece takes no time to pull off since they already have the tires and other parts off most of the time. You might just get lucky and pick it up off the ground. My wreckers would charge $20-$50 max for everything depending on what day you catch them. Then pickup a new lower BJ for $20 and you're good to go.

 

[my pos mounty]

Do you want stuff cheap ? Go to the wreckers. That piece takes no time to pull off since they already have the tires and other parts off most of the time. You might just get lucky and pick it up off the ground. My wreckers would charge $20-$50 max for everything depending on what day you catch them. Then pickup a new lower BJ for $20 and you're good to go.

Thats what the car-part website will show him.
Junkyards all over, with the part listed, by condition, price, contact number and distance from his zipcode. Just sayin

 

[storlied]

That's how mine looked, my biggest pain was it dug into the knuckle even deeper... half of the head of one of the hub bolts was clean missing.... it was a mess... brakes completely destroyed... I'm still running the same CV, it's still good. But the knuckle Had to be replaced. Looks like you got lucky, a new hub assembly will have that truck back on the road.