2004 Explorer driveline noise @ 66 MPH.

[Rich R]

Hello, I'm a first time writer. I have a 2004 Explorer 4x4 with V-6. Everything is as it came from factory stock. Just rolled over 99,800 miles on it with a 100,000 mile power train Ford warranty. I have a driveline road noise that comes at 62 MPH and gets its worst at 66-68 MPH. It's more of a drive you crazy in your ears noise than verses being a vibration. It does seem worst sitting in the rear 3rd seat than in the driver's seat. Ford has replaced the rear Ring and Pinion about 15,000 miles ago and the rear Drive Shaft about 10,000 miles ago. At the time, it seemed like the noise pretty well went away.
Today I lifted the vehicle on a garage rack and removed the "front" drive shaft. While on rack with the tires 6 inches off the concrete, got it up to 66-68 MPH and the noise is still there. Re-installed the front drive shaft and removed the "rear" drive shaft and repeated the "on rack" test at about 6 inches off concrete at 66-68 MPH. The noise was reduced considerably.
With the rear drive shaft still removed, I let it down off the rack and took it out for a road test. At 66 MPH running on the front drive shaft only, the noise still apppears to be the same and almost the same intensity. Is there any other home garage test short on putting a dial indicator on the Ring and Pinion to specicifally pin point this drive train noise that starts coming in at 62 MPH and gets its worst at 66-68 MPH problem? Does it sound like the problem is leaning toward a re-occurring Ring and Pinion problem? Obviously I would like to get this problem figured out before the warranty expires very shortly. Ford service has about 4 hours shop labor time into it and at this point unable to pin point problem. Anything here sound familiar, obvious, or most likely? Thanks!!

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the stock 2002-2005 section. It might be a problem with the bearings.

 

[dndsam]

I agree with Brooklynn Bay, it sounds like wheel bearing. I had a similar issue with my 02 and it was both the front and rear bearings on the driver side that were bad. Had them changed out by Ford, quiet as a mouse now.

 

[Rich R]

Thanks for moving my request to the proper location. I'm brand new and definitely learning.
The noise I'm hearing has no grinding sound, it only starts at 62 MPH or faster, turning the steering wheel to the left or right and putting a load on the wheel bearings does not change or affect the noise while driving at noise generating speeds on the highway.
Considering all the previous conditions I mentioned, and things tried while slightly lifted on the garage rack in addition to highway trouble shooting attempts, does this really fit the category and sound like a candidate for wheel bearing failure? Thanks for any further guidance and input.

 

[Gino]

I'm noticing the same type deal on my 2003 XLS....

When I get up to 55+ and I make a slight right, it sounds like a low moan... similar to a power steering issue...

 

[Rich R]

Gino
Thanks for the reply. Mine doesn't get either better or worse when I turn the steering wheel either direction. I wonder if slightly turning the steering wheel at that road speed puts more of a load on certain bearings being either wheel bearings or bearings inside the rear differential and generating the noise. In my case, since turning the wheel has no effect on changing the noise. I'm sort of questioning if something the rear differentail such as ring and pinion gear set-up or related parts could be the culprit since I can't make the noise level change at all while going 66 mph. This one has had the local Ford Service scratching their head.

 

[jp450]

How are your tires? Are they cupped or feathered? When were they balanced last? How is your alignment? My 05 had a bad "noise" at about 65, had the tires balanced and the noise was gone.

 

[Rich R]

The tires have about 80% of thread life still left. There is no sign of cupping or abnormal wear. I had them balanced and rotated about 10 days ago at the local chain tire store. I questioned or wanted to double check that option and had them re-checked and RF balanced 2 days ago Monday. On the way home from the tire store same noise was there starting at 62 mph and getting worse at 66-68 mph. However, no such luck. I probably should not have been surprised since the noise did go away when I ran it in gear on the rack with the rear drive shaft removed and all the wheels 6 inches off the garage floor. I was really hoping that would be the problem.

 

[jp450]

Then I would suspect a berring. You did say that the drive shaft was replaced, right? There was a bad batch of them that were not balanced right.

 

[Rich R]

JP450 ---you were right on target with the Drive Shaft theory. Strangely enough Ford installed a new Ring & Pinion gear set about 13,000 miles ago and a new drive shaft 7,000 miles ago. However, after 6 hours of shop time at the Ford Service they brought in a "FSE" Ford Engineer with a multi thousand dollar diagnostic tool to pin point the noise. Ends up being an out of balance problem between the last 12" of the rear of the new rear drive shaft and the flange yoke hub that is mounted on the rear differential. They added weight to the flange hub by tapping a partial stud into one of the open holes that are between the 4 anchor bolts that fasten the rear drive shaft to the differential and also added a small amount of weight to the rear of the rear drive shaft about 12" from the end of the shaft. I suppose if the Ford Engineer had not came in with the special tool that the Service Dept does not own, we would have either had to give up and live with the annoying noise or started a series of parts changing that still may not have caught it. Who would think that with new Ring & Pinion and new Drive Shaft the problem would still be in that area. Anyway, at this time, the noise is gone. Thanks for the good ideas and suggestions from everyone.

 

[jp450]

So your "new" drive shaft was out of balance too. Nice! What happend to the Ford quality? No wonder many of my friends that owned Fords in the past are now getting Toyotas. Not that they are all that much better but I bet the driveshafts are balanced BEFORE they get sent out!

 

[Brownstar]

I get a similar thing around 80-100 kph.........Ford dealer recently rotated he tires and the vibration was very noticible. I had the wheels swapped and the vibration is a lot less but still there. I seem to hear a more pronounced knocking/vibration noise when cornering sometimes.

 

[db04]

hey rich

I have a 2004 Eddie bauer 4.0 and mine is also the same problem how did they fix the problem just by them adding weights or a new rear shaft thanks

 

[swetrid]

Ford has a tsb 05-16-04 for new driveshaft for noise/vibration/drone at 55-75 mph.

 

[db04]

What is tab

 

[db04]

Tsb

 

[BrooklynBay]

Technical Service Bulletin.

 

[swetrid]

Basically a tsb is information for the technicians to help diagnose problems more quickly or certain common/known problems so we are not wasting Fords money and our time.

 

[Rich R]

04 Explorer noise at 66 m.p.h.

db04--A new drive shaft was installed about 13,000 miles ago but the problem came back fairly soon.

The final fix was to balance ( add weight ) to the existing drive shaft. It's been doing well for about 5000 miles now. Hope this is useful to you.