60 mph+ buzzzzzzz

[supcoop20]

Have a noise that started about a month ago down in the front end of the 91 ex. It becomes loud or noticable when I get over speeds of 60 but is most prominate in between 65 and 70. There is a light buzzing sound with a smooth vibration in the steering wheel and floor. Closest thing it resembles would be those wind up cars you pull back and release... well if you pull back and release them in the air they give off a buzz as the pressure releases... same feeling in the truck. Note that yesterday I dived in to replace and repack bearings and brakes. bearings got inspected and repacked, new seals, rotors turned, new pads, greased the slides... brakes feel good but the buzz isnt when the brakes are being pressed. One othere note, When I am accelerating the noise isnt as prominate as when i let off the pedal... once i let off it gets loud until i get below 60 again. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you
bump

 

[ThainC]

I don't know if this will be of any help - but after I had my radius arm bushings replaced, I noticed a vibration in the steering wheel when I drove at higher speeds. I found out later that the mechanic had not put the tires back where they were previously, and thus having them rotated and re-balanced seem to solve my problem. Just a thought.

ThainC

 

[supcoop20]

worth a shot... they haven't been balanced in quite a while

 

[mrboyle]

It sounds like cupped tires. Run your hand across the inside edge of the front tires. If it feels uneven, there cupped. The reason they are louder while braking is due to the loading of the suspenion. It sounds like its time for a tire rotation and an alingment check.

 

[supcoop20]

Welllll, now tires have been rotated and balanced and lo and behold..... the noise is still there. Might i have missed something in the bearings when i inspected them... they shgowed no signs of wear and appeared to be in good condition but i keep hearing shops say bearings... note they haven't heard the noise they are just giving their two cents. Read another thread about backlash in the gears... could it be?

 

[Ford_Racing_Guy]

what kind of tranny do you have?

 

[Rhett]

Check / replace the radius arm bushings. VERY prone to failure, and when they are worn, they can do exactly what you describe.

 

[supcoop20]

what kind of tranny do you have?

auto

 

[mabulok]

Put in NEW bearings. Mine had this awful drag on it that made it feel like was pulling a trailer. Well, not quite that prominent, but I'm sensitive to any irregularities in my x's driveability, and I've never been wrong when something's needed to be worked on. I could also feel every bump, as well as the road noise. I pulled my bearings to repack, gave 'em a quick dunk in some gasoline and the amount of metal pieces that came off was staggering. Needless to say that meant I needed new bearings. And they're cheap enough anyways. With the new bearings in, a quick squirt of lube to the ball joints, and it feels like new again. Also you might want to check your tire pressure. I just checked mine the other day and they were at 36psi (waaaay too high). I'm in Texas and I think the heat makes a BIG difference in the pressure from summer to winter. I usually run mine a little low for a better ride (29psi), and less road noise. I let a little air out of the tires, and now it rides and sounds even better!!!

Oh yeh, and Rhett's right...barring the inexpensive fixes, if they don't do it for ya your gonna have to look at ball joints, bushings, etc.

 

[supcoop20]

with the new bearings do you have to replace the race... the part that is pressed into the hub?

 

[mabulok]

I would. They wear too. You're already there anyway, why not go ahead and give the new bearings a new race to ride in? Being very careful not to score any metal, you can tap a screwdriver placed on the race from the opposite side, working your way around it until it pops out. Then, using either a socket or a piece of wood just the right size, tap in the new race until it's seated. Also make sure you're pre-loading and torquing the hub nut to spec. That'll definitely make a difference, especially in how long your new bearings last.

 

[ThainC]

Feeling a little silly asking, and I don't have my manual with me. How hard is it to replace the wheel bearings? What does it entail, and what is a race?

Thanks.

 

[mabulok]

ThainC, in answer to your question, it's not that hard at all. But a manual definitely helps if you've never done it before. In a nutshell, you remove the wheel, remove the caliper, remove the hub assembly/disc along with the bearings/races/seal. Clean everything, install new pads if needed, repack the bearings, and assemble in reverse of disassembly. The race goes inside the hub and is where the outer edge of the bearings ride. The inner edge of the bearings ride on the spindle.

 

[ThainC]

Ah - That makes some sense. My truck has a whole LOT of Kilometers on her - how often would one suspect that the wheel bearings need to be cleaned and repacked? I doubt it has ever been done to my truck. Typical signs of wear and tear? My truck sounds pretty good - damn annoying 'clank' of sorts out of the front passenger tire well, but other than that...

ThainC - Thanks for the info, BTW.

 

[mabulok]

Your bearings should be checked for wear whenever you have the front end jacked up. And at the very least repacked whenever you do your brakes. You can check for wear by pulling in and out on the tire with it supported on jackstands. Also spin the wheel and make sure it's smooth, without resistance and noise. If you're not sure it's ever been done, then you should put in new bearings.