Educate me about the 4x4 system on these trucks, please

[1qwikbird]

My father's 2001 is making a squeaking/clicking noise from the right front wheel. The noise is worse in reverse, but is still noticeable in drive. Makes no difference whether 2wd or 4wd. The problem popped up during the snow storm yesterday here in NJ. All of my experience on 4x4 is on what I would call "real" trucks with solid front axles/hubs/locking mechanisms etc (no disrespect meant there, just trying describe my own hands on experience).

If I had to guess it sounds like a hub that is not completely engaged/disengaged kind of. When in 2wd if you stand on it, only the rear wheels spin. When in 4wd you can feel and see all four wheels spin and pull. When I operate the dash switch (at a complete stop in neutral) you can hear what sounds like solenoids in the dash, switching and then when you go back to 2wd they switch again. I looked under the truck and saw a CV joint type front drive arrangement? Boots look good, nothing torn, no chunks of ice/debris hung up in the wheel etc. The truck doesn't pull/drag or steer funny in any way, it just makes a sqeaking/squealing noise with some rhythmic clicking. All of this is much worse if going in reverse.

What should I look for? check? or get ready to replace?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

 

[IZwack]

There is no "hub" in the traditional sense - the splines are directly engaged, there is no lockout mechanism. I would check the wheel bearings first.

 

[ncranchero]

X2, either wheel bearing (which has to be replaced as a hub assy) or a CV joint.

 

[BXTF]

my father's 2001 is making a squeaking/clicking noise from the right front wheel. The noise is worse in reverse, but is still noticeable in drive. Makes no difference whether 2wd or 4wd. The problem popped up during the snow storm yesterday here in nj. All of my experience on 4x4 is on what i would call "real" trucks with solid front axles/hubs/locking mechanisms etc (no disrespect meant there, just trying describe my own hands on experience).

If i had to guess it sounds like a hub that is not completely engaged/disengaged kind of. When in 2wd if you stand on it, only the rear wheels spin. When in 4wd you can feel and see all four wheels spin and pull. When i operate the dash switch (at a complete stop in neutral) you can hear what sounds like solenoids in the dash, switching and then when you go back to 2wd they switch again. I looked under the truck and saw a cv joint type front drive arrangement? Boots look good, nothing torn, no chunks of ice/debris hung up in the wheel etc. The truck doesn't pull/drag or steer funny in any way, it just makes a sqeaking/squealing noise with some rhythmic clicking. All of this is much worse if going in reverse.

What should i look for? Check? Or get ready to replace?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

chris
i had the same exact thing happen to my 2001 sport on 12-26 in the snow and now the noise is a pia if you find the cause can you please post it and if i do i will post the results thank you.

Ray

 

[1qwikbird]

Problem resolved.....

chris
i had the same exact thing happen to my 2001 sport on 12-26 in the snow and now the noise is a pia if you find the cause can you please post it and if i do i will post the results thank you.

Ray

I bought a new hub bearing on the way home from work and went to my parents house to swap it out. Well after getting the truck up on stands I tried to shake the wheel to see how much play was in the bearing. No play??? Then I spun the wheel and the horrendous noise was there, but now in the silence of the garage with no engine noise, it sounded like sheet metal scraping. So I popped the wheel off and everything looked ok with the brakes/rotor/hub etc. With the wheel off, the noise was gone? I put the wheel back on and the noise returned. Off comes the wheel and look on the inside of the rim (15" factory steel wheel) and there is a fresh scratch about 1/2" wide scraped into the rim. Nothing too deep, just removed the crud and the paint. I mounted the wheel again and looked in through from the front to find that the brake pad retainer spring steel thing at the top side of the caliper cradle was bent backwards. My only guess is that some ice/debris from the snow storm got hung up in the wheel and as it rotated around it grabbed the lip of the spring steel retainer thing and bent it up away from the caliper cradle far enough to catch the inner face of the rim.

So at that point I checked the brake line closely to make sure it wasn't harmed in some way and found no marks, or obvious signs of distress. I had done a full brake job last spring so if that stuff was tore up it would have been easy to spot. I just popped out the spring steel retainer thing and bent it back down in my hands, reinstalled and all is well.

Thanks for the quick responses and ideas. Much appreciated. I returned the hub for a full refund, so that was pretty painless fix.

Chris

 

[ncranchero]

Amazing! There ya go Ray!!

Thanks for that, Chris!! Ray has the factory 15" wheels too.

Wonder if that could even happen with 16" wheels.
Edit:RichCresci may have just answered that question.

 

[1qwikbird]

Amazing! There ya go Ray!!

Thanks for that, Chris!! Ray has the factory 15" wheels too.

Wonder if that could even happen with 16" wheels.

Don't know, but when I first pulled the wheel and looked at the caliper/rotor etc. the retainer didn't stand out as being bent. It wasn't snug against the cradle like it should be, but it wasn't sticking up like a sore (insert body part here). At first I though maybe the dust shield was the culprit and was catching the rotor somehow, but that looked to be OK. Then when I looked at where the mark on the rim was located, I though it was the caliper itself or something, but after looking in from the front I could see the retainer catching the rim plain as day.

Live and learn.

 

[BXTF]

don't know, but when i first pulled the wheel and looked at the caliper/rotor etc. The retainer didn't stand out as being bent. It wasn't snug against the cradle like it should be, but it wasn't sticking up like a sore (insert body part here). At first i though maybe the dust shield was the culprit and was catching the rotor somehow, but that looked to be ok. Then when i looked at where the mark on the rim was located, i though it was the caliper itself or something, but after looking in from the front i could see the retainer catching the rim plain as day.

Live and learn.

chris.
Thank you for the info same dam thing inner side of both front rims have a scratch from the retainer my driver side is very snug against the rim we will try to readjust them in the morning thank you for your help.

Ray

 

[ncranchero]

Hat's off to Chris & Rich! Great posts guys!
Rich's' photos.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2612189#post2612189

There are about 3 or 4 posts active RIGHT NOW about this problem. WTH ? ?

 

[ncranchero]

Here are the little buggers, just FYI.