Front end ratcheting sound while driving.

[Keeper0311]

So thos morning while driving to work my Ex started up with a noise I've never heard from the front end driver side from what I can tell. As I'm driving it sounds like a ratcheting sound going pretty quickly, picture that sound you used to get when you'd stick a playing card in the spokes of your bike as a kid. At speed it's consistent. And at lower speeds it slows in the consistency.

Any idea what this could be? I looked around a bit and everything still looks okay at the moment other than needing to replace my front brake pads.

Any help would be great.

2000 Ford Explorer XLT 4x4

 

[Keeper0311]

Well after a more thorough crawl under the Explorer during lunch I discovered the issue. It would seem I picked up a rock or some other piece of debris on the freeway and some how bent my fish shield on my front left wheel. The clicking/ratcheting was from the shield clipping into the slots on my rotors.