Front end noise

[flyhigh5574]

Question...When driving at slow speeds, I can hear a clucking noise coming from the front end that sounds like parts rattling around while driving. Pretty faint and intermittent. I know it's not the engine, t-case or trans. Just curious, could this be bad hubs or u-joints? Also, not sure if this is related, but when driving on the highway, around 65-75 mph there is a slight vibration sometimes. Cant feel it in the steering wheel and just had the wheels balanced (it was doing it before the balance as well).

 

[TPLYNCH]

Chances are it's the hubs.

 

[flyhigh5574]

Is this noise common for auto locking hubs? Also, would this explain the vibration at highway speeds? Thanks

 

[TPLYNCH]

The hubs tend to break apart easily, making all sorts of noises.

The highway vibration is actually a common problem with the first gen Explorers. If you run a search for it you will find quite a few threads. Some of the longterm Ex owners may be able to provide more info about is. My recollection is Ford tried adding an extra shock and some other fixes, but none really worked 100%. The vibration is probably something you'll have to live with.