A Rumbling from the front

[Brit Explorer]

Hi again folks,

I took my X into the Ford dealer today to try and get them to locate and fix a judder/rumbling noise I get when turning full lock to the right at slow speed (amongst other things). I had previously checked the PAS fluid which was full, at the garage today they re-bled the system and refilled again. Guess what? - When I drove home the noise was still there and now I'm thinking maybe the PAS is a red herring and there' is actually something somewhere rubbing on the right hand tyre when I turn the wheel. Thinking about it it does sound a bit like a friction type rubbing noise???

Anyone had a similar experience and know any cures???? It's getting real annoying in slow speed manouvering!!

Thanks all,

- Andy.

 

[ToneDog]

Hey, I have the same problem on my 98 sport just started happening recently and ideas would be greatly appreciated

thanks,
Tonedog

 

[mjbach]

I have read about lots of folks having this problem (including me) but I have found no definitive answer yet. Also saw some TSBs when I read through 500 of them last night that sounded like they are related. I haven't gotten beyond the summaries yet to see if there's any solutions offered to the techs in the TSBs.

There is a promising post I saw a bit ago where someone is putting grease into some kind of boots on the front end and it's working. Just saw it on here and now I have to figure out how to do it because my husband doesn't think the noise is a problem. He says just drive it. But it's so noisy in the store parking lots everyone looks at me when I back out of a tight spot or take slow, sharp turns. I'll have to get my ducks in a row in order for him to help me with this one.

 

[ToneDog]

Thanks for the response MJ!

I have been doing some looking around also and found some interesting info pertaining to this subject and some of the key words being thrown around were;

Wheel Bearing
Differential Fluid
Blockage in Rack

I also saw that post about the WD40 in the tie rod boot but I think this is definately more involved than that. I've also heard about the high presssure ps pump line but this is different than that, that is more like a shudder and i had mine replaced already.

The last thing I had done on the "house" from the dealer was about 3 weeks ago (lower ball joints both sides, tie rods both sides, sway bar links and bushings)

How I got away with that and only paid $50 deductable is beyond me! !

At that same service I had the front brakes and new rotors installed. So it's difficult to trace it back to some specific thing the dealer did or just something new that happened to come up after all that service work.

Please if you hear anything let me know!

Thanks
TonyDog

 

[mjbach]

Yes you were very lucky to get all of that for free as they wanted to charge my daughter ~$1000 for similar repairs. Are you saying your noise problem started when they did some work or did you take it in for the noise problem?

We have her X here from Atlanta trying to get the bugs out. We live in MN and the parking lots have been mostly snow packed until recently. Therefore, I wasn't sure if the noise was the big tires gripping the snow until I got it on bare pavement a few days ago. It almost has kind of a loud tire gripping type noise (others might describe this as popping) when you turn sharply at low speeds only. I also thought I noticed a loud thud or bang occasionally when turning along with the popping.

My daughter's been dealing with this for quite awhile and then noticed a very loud grinding when she took it in to a dealer in ATL. She got out of there with charges of ~$150 for an oil change, diagnostic and tire balancing and we drove it all the way here (1200 miles) on interstates with no notice of suspension problem.

My husband and his friends replaced the leaking rear seal and something else that was worn in the front wheel area. Today we had it in for an alignment check and the guy heard the noise out on the parking lot too. He checked it for the Kevlar pads problem, saw that they could be causing a problem and said he wouldn't worry about replacing them. I had read about the Kevlar pads in the TSB and on here. He said the alignment was perfect and only charged $25.

Tomorrow I might go to the library and see if I can get more out of Alldata on the TSBs.

 

[mjbach]

Haven't made it to the library yet but spent some of the day with the X doing tight turns in dry parking lots with my husband and I switching turns driving, looking and listening at/to noises and friction movement/reactions.

He thinks the noise has something to do with "positraction" or limited slip differential. Read all about it on "howthingswork.com" and it seems feasible to me.

While out there today, I heard a noise from the differential that sounded like a spring winding up and then saw that there is a spring in there. The worst noise/symptom is at slow speeds, dry pavement and extremely tight turns. There are some terrible bucking type sounds coming out of the (here's where we disagree) --I say front wheel area but he says rear differential area.

He put some miracle liquid stuff into the differential fluid but so far no difference. I am still researching but read here about clutch repack kits from Ford.

The Limited Slip Differentials are 3.73L/S and 4.10 and you have to figure out if you have it by reading and decoding your door label or scratching it off of the dirty differential under the back part of the car.

I almost have him convinced to try greasing the boots--probably just to shut me up about it.

Hope these codes help, should be listed on your door sticker

Code Capacity Ratio
43 Open 3200 3.08
41 Open 3200 3.27
42 Open 4.10
46 Open 3.73
45 Open 3200 3.55
D4 Limited Slip 3200 3.73
D2 Limited Slip 4.10
L73 Limited Slip 3.73 >>

ths dreamr

 

[ToneDog]

Well MJ...

The more information I read from you the more I think we have the same problem.

Also the more and more I hear about this it's starting to sound like a hub binding/locking up. Like making turns in 4wd on dry pavement. Maybe the hub is not fully disengaging and it's binding! ??

I hear what your saying about the differential, I have a 4.10 LS and they are spring loaded and can wear causing a binding/bucking when turning. This is like having a locker and having it engaged while making dry turns, she's gonna buck on ya! ??

All great ideas but we have to figure out what this thing is! I guess I will have to get under there and check the LS & HUB maybe tomorrow I can get a chance to get under there!

Great to hear from you,
Tonedog

 

[mjbach]

Today I had the scary experience of researching TSBs on Alldata. Now I'm convinced we have all the problems mentioned.

A few TSBs regarding our "bucking" problem motivated me to visit the Ford dealer to buy the necessary differential change fluids.

Walking through service to get to parts, there were some guys standing around on a slow day. So one of them took a test drive.

Before he got in, he bent over and looked into the front passenger side wheel area. I only had to back the car tightly out of the parking spot about 5 feet and it made the terrible loud tire/catching noise we've discussed. The service guy said, "It's still in four wheel drive". I said it can't be because the switch is set to AUTO.

He said that we didn't really need to drive any further as he'd heard it loud and clear. He asked, "Does it do it when you turn the other way?" I said "Yes" and drove around in the lot for a bit making sharp turns at a slow speed to prove it. It reliably made the horrible noise.

He said it could be lots of different things wrong with it and they'd have to take a look at it. They'd have to read out the diagnostics codes for a minimum of $86. Well I knew there were no codes because my husband and I had spent all morning playing with his friend's fancy, new OTC diagnotic code reader looking for codes to chase.

I told Mr. Service Technician I'd have to check with my husband on what to do next and thanked him kindly for his time. I didn't buy the fluids.

Now I am even more confused. My husband says we'll get to it again in the next few days to somehow check if it is truly in two wheel or four wheel drive. He's on call this weekend so you might not hear anymore until next week.

Apparently we're the only ones with this problem so far as I haven't seen it solved here (ha ha). If you want more details of the TSBs PM me. I don't have a scanner hooked to my computer at the moment.

MJ

 

[ToneDog]

MJ,

Hi, I figured it might be something like that. I haven't been able to get under there to take a look yet because of work and who want to go pokin' around under a truck, in the dark, after work, in this NY weather! Brrrrrrr

If it is truley a 4wd problem, it most likely will be the hub which is usually the 1st to go in our setup. The neat trick is that you could lift the truck off all 4 wheels to check if it is in 4wd and you will find you aren't becuase the hub problem can and usually happens under load when turning! Even if you turn the wheels while off the ground you won't be able to apply the load needed to recreate the problem. I would say it that case the hub needs to removed for inspection.

I will try and get to it this weekend and let you know my findings. Look forward to hearing from you again!

Thanks,
Tonedog

 

[mjbach]

We got snow today so I went out in search of parking lots that haven't been plowed. When I do the sharp, tight turns on snow covered lots, the tire noise is much reduced, almost to the point of saying it's not detectable.

Another possible sympton or side effect has surfaced. The first time I put the X into 4WHi and the light lit up normally. Couldn't really tell any difference in the driving from the switch set at AUTO to 4WHi though.

When I stopped and turned the switch back to AUTO, the 4 Wheel Drive indicators started blinking for a bit, then quit. So I tried to switch it back to both 4WHi and 4WLo, but no light indicator would come on. Turned the X off and on again and tried the same routine, but no light indicator for either 4WHi or 4WLo.

It's hard to keep up with all these problems.

 

[mjbach]

Just wanted to update that the problem seems to be fixed by changing the differential fluid and putting in 2 bottles of the conditioner.

It was raining today so I haven't had a chance to try it on dry pavement but worked great on wet pavement.

 

[ToneDog]

just looking for an updated MJ on how your ride is running? everything cool after the fluid change?

Thanks
Tonedog

 

[mjbach]

Yes. The change of fluid was all it needed, plus the extra bottles of extra slip conditioner. The Explorer has been back to my daughter for about 2 months now and so far no complaints. Thanks for asking!