'02 xls Bent Axle perhaps?

[czersalad05]

ok so like 2 days ago i was heading to work and i was running late so instead of deciding to stop at the light i sped so i could make it on yellow, i probably went around 40mph+ and took a hard left, i made it but i heard a clunk and i kinda drifted a bit, after a while the back side of the vehicle was kind of shaking, i moved my left hand mirror si I could see the left rear wheel, i noticed it was spinning all crooked and wobbling as if the lug nuts were loose, so i pulled to the side of the road and took a look at all the tires, i noticed the rear passenger wheel was slightly slanted while the rear driver wheel was very slanted, and the lug nuts were tightly on. I continued driving slow and after a while the rear left door locked up and i was dragging it, so i reversed it a short stretch and continued driving. I continue driving it, every time i hear some metal scraping or the brakes making friction with the rim i just reverse it, I know I shouldn't continue like this but in the meanwhile i don't got transportation to work. After I drive for a while the rear drivers brake seems to be touching the rotor because it stinks every time i have my window open and i top at a stop light.

What might be the problem? I don't have much money right now to fix it, i just got my cellphone jacked along with my wallet at a gas station because i left the window down while i went inside to pay for gas, I have bad luck right now.

 

[John Wayne]

Any pix? Loosen right rear lugs... Jack the rearend up after chocking the front on level ground. Put jack stands under the frame rails after both wheels are slightly off the ground. Take off the back wheel and look at the rotor for bad gouges and wear. Gently try to move the rotor side to side for play (gloves on of course). Same for the upper and lower control arm. Inspect the CV shaft that connect to the hub/wheel. By this time you should notice something looking, moving, missing and or damaged. Without pix I cannot try to help you friend. Post some pix and I am sure some people on here will chime in.

 

[Carguy3J]

Rear wheel bearings/hubs. It is pretty common on the 3rd gen Explorers w/the IRS setup. From the sound of it, they are long past the "you can get by for a little while" stage. As the previous poster said, jack up the rear end. If there is ANY wobble of the wheel (which it sounds like there will be), you MUST replace the bearings/hubs ASAP. PERIOD. If you can't afford it, you're walking until you can. Driving with a failed/failing bearing is extremely dangerous. The rear wheel/tire can very easily come off the vehicle when the bearing finishes failing. Seriously, you could kill yourself or others on the road.
These are what you need:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...String=search&itemIdentifier=972632_155668_0_

You should be able to remove the complete "knuckle(s)" from the vehicle yourself, but you'll need to bring them (and the new parts) to a shop to have the bearings pressed in/out.

 

[swetrid]

^^^^ I agree