96 Explorer with a periodic loud grinding noise.

[Seanemry]

Hello im new to the explorer forum and new to an explorer iv owned rangers and f-150s So forgive me if its an easy fix. I have a 96 explorer and i just replaced transmission and did brakes and rotors all around in the last 1,000 mi.
I have a loud grinding dragging noise coming from the truck only when driving not when brakeing and as soon as i about come to a stop my abs kicks on no light on the dash and im sort of stumped. please help thankyou

 

[RangRayy]

i put money on front hubs,wheel bearings, going out check those asap!!
if they fail while doing high speeds it could be very bad...

welcome to the site!

 

[Seanemry]

its not all the time do you think it could still be the hubs it comes and goes every 5 mins or so

 

[RangRayy]

yes. i had this exact problem on my 99 last may-july.

first sign was the brakes acting up like peddal kicking back wanting to stick then ABS light comes on and would stay on. even turning the truck of and restarting it the light would stay. finally got it to turn off.

next was driving on the hwy and through town would hear a grinding noise so i first went to the brakes and figured that was it that i needed new ones and the noise was the rotors being grined on.

finally i was told that the wheel bearing was bad and on our 2nd gens they have sealed ones that is why we replace our hubs. its easy to do and easy to check for.

mine on july 3rd completely snapped off as i pulled into my friends driveway was lucky that the tire really didnt come off and not doing hwy speeds.

 

[RangRayy]

also the ABS sensor is just a magnetic tip on the hub istelf and when pieces of the bearing break off when its starting to fail get stuck on the sensor and trip the light and sometimes keep it from going off so thats a good sign of a bad bearing to me.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

welcome

 

[Seanemry]

Thank you for the advice, i just got done installing the passenger wheel baring i dont have time to test drive it but it wasnt to bad to do other then thouse damn bolts holding the hub on they were rusted to beat hell and no room to get a ratchet in just a breaker bar and a 15 mil a

 

[RangRayy]

well shoot dang there is a trick to changing these easily. i know what ya mean no room to get a ratchet on the three hub bolts.

the trick is to take the entire knuckle off. castle nut on the bottom ball joint then the tire rod. hit up a few times and the knuckle should come off and then its easy to take the bolts off.

so was this the problem? did it seem loose or tight between the two pieces?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the stock 95-01 section.