dcm0123
Member
- Joined
- April 6, 2006
- Messages
- 23
- Reaction score
- 1
- City, State
- Hamilton, Mass
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 99&01 Sprt, 04&05 Explr
2005 Explorer 4dr 4.0 AWD with traction control
The purpose of this is to let you know my experience since it may help someone.
Car had a vibration. Originally is would start at about 20 mph and go away at about 40. Did not feel a vibration in the steering wheel. Then it would start at a stop and was so bad by 60 I did not want to drive it. When it was this bad you could feel it in the steering wheel.
It felt almost like you were riding on a rail road track (when you run over the split between the rails), similar to that of a real bad wheel bearing. I know I had 2 bad ones so I replaced 3 of them (one was done last fall). Still did not help. Tried rotating tires, over inflated tires as well and it did not help. BTW- brand wheel bearings from local retailers are over 2X what you pay on line (at rock auto) for identical ones so if you want to do this, plan accordingly.
I jacket the car up, took all tires off, pulled out the ABS fuse under the hood, pulled the brakes away from the rotors so they would spin freely and put it in gear. It was obvious something was going on with the front differential because the vibration was coming from it when I put my hand on it. At first I thought it was the CV joint so I put a c-clamp on one rotor (so it would not spin) then the other. The vibration still occurred when the CV joint on the wheel was not rotating so I ruled them out.
Pulled out the front drive shaft and found one bearing cap frozen on the differential yoke side. Looking at it closer the seal was missing around that cap which allowed water to enter. Had to use a chisel and a heavy hammer to separate the rear of the drive shaft from the transfer case.
Drove the truck without the front drive shaft to NAPA to pick up a new U-joint and it had no vibration. I was told the transmission parking lock does not lock the car without the drive shaft so if you do this, be careful.
Put in the new U-joint, reassembled and it was fine.
It took me about 3 days to find this. Hope my experience saves someone else some time.
The purpose of this is to let you know my experience since it may help someone.
Car had a vibration. Originally is would start at about 20 mph and go away at about 40. Did not feel a vibration in the steering wheel. Then it would start at a stop and was so bad by 60 I did not want to drive it. When it was this bad you could feel it in the steering wheel.
It felt almost like you were riding on a rail road track (when you run over the split between the rails), similar to that of a real bad wheel bearing. I know I had 2 bad ones so I replaced 3 of them (one was done last fall). Still did not help. Tried rotating tires, over inflated tires as well and it did not help. BTW- brand wheel bearings from local retailers are over 2X what you pay on line (at rock auto) for identical ones so if you want to do this, plan accordingly.
I jacket the car up, took all tires off, pulled out the ABS fuse under the hood, pulled the brakes away from the rotors so they would spin freely and put it in gear. It was obvious something was going on with the front differential because the vibration was coming from it when I put my hand on it. At first I thought it was the CV joint so I put a c-clamp on one rotor (so it would not spin) then the other. The vibration still occurred when the CV joint on the wheel was not rotating so I ruled them out.
Pulled out the front drive shaft and found one bearing cap frozen on the differential yoke side. Looking at it closer the seal was missing around that cap which allowed water to enter. Had to use a chisel and a heavy hammer to separate the rear of the drive shaft from the transfer case.
Drove the truck without the front drive shaft to NAPA to pick up a new U-joint and it had no vibration. I was told the transmission parking lock does not lock the car without the drive shaft so if you do this, be careful.
Put in the new U-joint, reassembled and it was fine.
It took me about 3 days to find this. Hope my experience saves someone else some time.
