Constant Front Hubs Issues

[Axeripper]

Hi. I am new to this site, but I joined in order to hopefully pick a few folks brains about an issue I've been experiencing with my 2001 Explorer Eddie Bauer 5.0 AWD. Hopefully someone will point me in the right direction.

To get right to the issue, I literally cannot keep front wheel bearings in this truck. I am the second owner, and have put 100,000 miles on it. It now has 136,000 miles on it. I've babied this thing for the past 7 years I've owned it, maintained it regularly, and keep it in pristine condition. I replaced the driver side hub at 75,000 miles. No biggie, it was the first replacement, so I didn't think anything of it. I then replaced it again at 114,000. My passenger side hub was then replaced at 121,000, and has been replaced twice since then, 15,000 miles later. My driver side hub was just replaced at 135,000. I'm on my third hub on both sides, 5 of them being within the last 20,000 miles. With parts and labor costing $350 each time, I'm sick of replacing them. It's getting very expensive, and this thing isn't too great on gas either. Each time I replace them, it fixes the terrible whining noise in the front end, but when I turn the wheel like in a parking lot or pulling away from the curb at my house, it feels like something in the front end is rubbing and you can feel a very slight vibration in the front end. As soon as the wheel is straightened back out, it goes away. But it comes and goes periodically and seems to only do it at slow speeds when turning the wheel sharp. Bear in mind this is doing this directly after the hubs are replaced, and 5-10,000 miles down the road, I'm replacing them again. Has anyone experienced this problem besides me?
I love this truck. It drives great, has good power, and is very comfortable to drive, but this AWD system is junk. I've never gotten it stuck so it works well in that respect, but it goes through hubs like they are going out of style. I wish it had the part-time 4wd setup like the v6 models do. I think it would be fine if it did. No one has been able to give me any advice on this, and I'm about to part ways with this thing. It is my understanding that this differential is a 90/10 setup where the front hubs are only engaged when the computer detects slippage in the rear. However, is it possible that the transfer case is keeping them engaged all the time, and that by driving them on hard, dry roads all the time is eating them up? I do a lot of stop and go short city driving with it, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. But either way, this shouldn't do this all the time. Can anyone help me out? Thanks so much!

 

[albi1cnobi1]

I believe your transfer case is 65/35 or 55/45 rear to front power ratio,and it is engaged all the time.(hence AWD) As a matter of fact if you were to look at the computer that handles that yours would say "Explorer Suv 2wd". Your t-case has no computer control. The V6's t-case is auto 4wd and only sends power to the front when it senses a difference in wheel speed front to rear. I do know that tire wear and size is very important on the AWD Explorers. Have you had that checked? And no, you're going through bearings much too quickly. There is a transfer case swap you can do but unless you like wrenching on your truck it's kind of labor intensive.

 

[Axeripper]

Thanks so much for your reply. I really don't know much about how these different transfer cases work, but I'm learning as I go. As a matter of fact, I do know that with AWD vehicles it is very important to keep all the tires the same and to rotate them regularly. I've always done that since I've had it. It came from the factory with 255/70R16, and that is what I've always put on it. I think it came with General Ameritracs, which I replaced with Bridgestone Revo's ATs, which by the way were the worst tires I've ever had...hated them and will never recommend them to anyone, and now have General Grabber HTS on it, which are wonderful. So yeah as far as that goes, I've always kept it OEM and have never modified wheel or tire size.

 

[albi1cnobi1]

No problem. There is a viscous coupling in the transfer case that provides a little "give" so to speak, and I've heard of them kind of seizing up. I don't know if thats your problem, but it can't help the bearings to be under constant pressure of binding against the t-case when turning. Do you feel any binding or "scrubbing" of the tires when you turn?

 

[RomeovilleIL]

In your post you mention the cost of parts and labor. I therefore assume you are having it replaced at a garage with the parts they provide. A 10-15k lifespan on the hubs would tend to suggest they installed generic hubs.

Unless you specify otherwise, non-dealer garages often pick generic parts house brands since they cost the least and tend to be in stock. A napa or autozone brand part might be fine for most repairs, but generic hubs disappoint all too often.

Your original motorcrafts lasted over 50k. You can probably expect the same out of a new set but they are expensive. For bit less money, a lot people on the forum like Timkens. Try to stick with name brands. Unless you enjoy swapping out every year or two I'd stay away from any inexpensive generic boxed stuff.

 

[albi1cnobi1]

Good point, I didn't think of that. That is a very distinct possibility, the garage using low quality bearing/hub. I can speak from experience that Timken bearings are as good as or better quality than OEM ones.

 

[sean99]

The Motorcraft hubs have Timken bearings in them.

 

[Axeripper]

Thanks for the tips. Yeah unfortunately I do have them replaced at a reputable garage, but I have heard that they do use the cheapest parts possible to get the maximum amount of markup profit possible. I would replace them myself if I had the place to do it, but unfortunately I only have on-street parking. But it's really not hard to do. My brother and I replaced the first one that went bad and we got about 40,000 out of that one.
It doesn't seem to bind at all when turning the wheel, but it does make an occasional rubbing noise which in turn causes a slight vibration in the steering wheel. It goes away as soon as the wheel is straightened back out. I only feel it at slow speeds in parking lots or pulling away from my curb or making a turn in town, those kind of situations.

 

[96eb96]

Also make sure the large nut is torqued correctly to around 200-250 ft/lbs of torque. More or less could cause issues.