Grinding noise from front end on 97 Mounty...any ideas? Please HELP!!

[imq707s]

I've got a 97' AWD Mountaineer. For the last few months I've been trying to track down a low pitched griding noise coming from the front of the truck.

So far, this is what I've replaced (and wasted lots of money on).

1. New wheels bearing hubs $450
2. New front driveshaft $200
3. New front rotors and pads $300
4. All new bearings in the front diff $300...just installed it tonight!

The only thing that I haven't replaced are the front half shafts with the CV joints on them.

Maybe you guys could help me out....I have ran out of ideas and I'm tired of throwing money at the problem. :fire:

At speeds between 15-40mph I can hear a very low pitched grinding noise that has sort of a droneing sound to it. It gets a little louder when I turn to the right...and a little quieter when I turn to the left. At highway speeds you can't hear a thing. I can feel the vibration coming through the floor under my feet....so I'm 99% sure it's on the drivers side.

I jacked all 4 wheels up and had someone hop in the drivers seat and run the speedo up to around 40mph. You could hear the noise, but not as loud as when I'm actually driving down the road. The noise is coming from the front, not the middle (near the trasfer case).

What could be making this noise? The only thing I haven't replaced are the half shafts....but I would think that if the CV joints were bad....they would make that "click-click-click" noise when turning...and they don't.

Could lower ball joints be making that noise?? I wouldn't think so, but I'm willing to try anything now.

Any ideas would be great...this is driving me crazy

 

[blue99xlt]

I have a 99 explorer and I have the exact same symptoms except mine is quieter when I turn to the right. Have you discovered the problem yet? Does anyone else know what the problem could be. I am thinking cv joints what do you guys think?

 

[imq707s]

I have replaced both front CV joints on the front of my truck and it didn't help . I've replaced everything I can think of except the lower ball joints. I'l doing that next week.

 

['97 V8]

my niegbors 98 mounty had that prob. i told him to replace the lower ball joints, he did and the grinding noise is gone.
Im surprised my 97 hasnt had this prob, i really drive my mounty hard.

well hope this helps ya.

 

[blue99xlt]

imq707s, did you get your lower ball joints replaced and did that solve your problem? I did mine today and it didnt help at all the noise is still there. I was really thinking cv joints, but mine doesn't click either and you did that and it didn't help you. By the list of things that you have replaced I am stumped as to what the cause of the noise could be. Anyone have any ideas...my fluid levels in both the front differential and the transfer case are both fine.

 

[blue99xlt]

^bump^

 

[blue99xlt]

Problem solved! It was my left front Hub/Bearing assembly easy fix, but wish these were a little cheaper.

 

[04Fatboy]

I've got a 97' AWD Mountaineer. For the last few months I've been trying to track down a low pitched griding noise coming from the front of the truck.

So far, this is what I've replaced (and wasted lots of money on).

1. New wheels bearing hubs $450
2. New front driveshaft $200
3. New front rotors and pads $300
4. All new bearings in the front diff $300...just installed it tonight!

The only thing that I haven't replaced are the front half shafts with the CV joints on them.

Maybe you guys could help me out....I have ran out of ideas and I'm tired of throwing money at the problem. :fire:

At speeds between 15-40mph I can hear a very low pitched grinding noise that has sort of a droneing sound to it. It gets a little louder when I turn to the right...and a little quieter when I turn to the left. At highway speeds you can't hear a thing. I can feel the vibration coming through the floor under my feet....so I'm 99% sure it's on the drivers side.

I jacked all 4 wheels up and had someone hop in the drivers seat and run the speedo up to around 40mph. You could hear the noise, but not as loud as when I'm actually driving down the road. The noise is coming from the front, not the middle (near the trasfer case).

What could be making this noise? The only thing I haven't replaced are the half shafts....but I would think that if the CV joints were bad....they would make that "click-click-click" noise when turning...and they don't.

Could lower ball joints be making that noise?? I wouldn't think so, but I'm willing to try anything now.

Any ideas would be great...this is driving me crazy

I have the exact same problem on my 97 sport only it feels like it's from beneath my feet when driving(front drive shaft) but sounds like its from the front left side (wheel bearing). Did you find the source of the noise? The noise completly goes away when not under load (coasting). Any ideas?
I was thinking possible wheel bearing but I would think that would make noise all the time.
Also if its a bearing in the transfer case or diff. why would it go away when I turn left? Help, I'm about to lose my mind.
I have replaced:
Upper & Lower Ball Joints (both sides)
New Tires & shocks
Alignment
Please help this is driving me freaking crazy.

 

[blue99xlt]

Your problem may not be a wheel/hub bearing because mine continued to make the noise even when I was coasting. I was told however that the reason it stops making noise when you turn right is because all the weight is going onto the left bearing and compressing it. Mine sounded like it was coming from under my feet too its incredibly annoying.

 

[imq707s]

I'm still trying to track down my noise....and it's the same one you guys have. A grinding noise from under my feet...it gets louder when I turn right of left...but right is louder than left.

I've replaced both front wheel bearings, front CV chafts, front rotors/pads, front driveshaft, all bearings in front diff, and now the front lower ball joints.......sound is still there. The only thing left that I haven't replaced is the transfercase.

I even took it to Ford....and after 6 hours and $60 later....they came back and said "we're sure it's the front left wheel bearing". After I told them that I had just replaced it....they still incisted that's what it was.......not going to ford anymore.

So now I'm kind of at a stand still. After all the money I've already burned....I'm sure as hell not going to pay to have the transfercase rebuild just to see "what if".

The noise is driving me nuts.

 

[04Fatboy]

Any News?

Any news on finding the problem?
I have the same problem and its driving me crazy.

 

[imq707s]

No....I've finally decided that i'm going to take it in this week and give someone else a shot at it. I've exhausted just about every idea I can think of. You're not the only one....it's driving me nuts also.

 

[04Fatboy]

I have asked many people what they think it is they all say drivers side wheel bearing.
We have the exact same problem & you have already replaced wheel bearings.
I sure don't want to replace wheel bearing @ $190 each if I don't have to.
It just does not sound like wheel bearings to me, I can feel it beneth my feet.
Could wheel bearing noise resonate that far through the driveline?
I've had it with this problem, it's driving me insane.
Anyone want to buy an Exploder.....Cheap?

 

[04Fatboy]

Well I replaced BOTH front Wheel Bearing / Hub Assemblies and the NOISE is still FREAKING there. I don't know what else to do.
Front drive shaft maybe? Someone HELP PLEASE.

 

[Evil Republican]

Does the noise get faster as you speed up...

My Explorer is doing the same after I make a left turn...

The noise on mine makes me think that it's a wheel bearing or warped rotor because the sound seems to speed up as I go faster then it evens out and goes away...

Could be a warped rim...

Hell I don't know...

 

[Nick26]

I assume when you got a new front driveshaft they put in new ujoints right? how many miles are on the front ring and pinion gears? maybe their backlash got screwed up somehow?(they don't usually wear though)

 

[97Mountie]

I will be watching this thread for any new developments. I just posted on another thread about the same problems I am having with my 97 Mountie. I didn't realize that this is a "common problem."

 

[Big6ft6]

I will be watching this thread for any new developments. I just posted on another thread about the same problems I am having with my 97 Mountie. I didn't realize that this is a "common problem."

I'm having this problem too on my 01 limited. However it seems the explorers have many causes for front end noises most common seems to be hubs/bearing, then front dirveshafts, then half-shafts, then ball joints, I havne't read many posts on front differential problems. I think all of the aftormentioned can travel up the driveline so you could feel them in steering wheel/or under feet.

Ball joints..couldn't you jack you truck up and feel the looseness by yanking on the tire?

I would like to assemble a list of front end noise problems and ways to diagnose them besides "replace and see if noise goes away" method.

Mine is a repetitive grinding noise that increases with speed. Most prominant between 30-60 mph. Nothing changes when I turn either direction. Sounds like tire noise, but it is not.

 

[johnny23toronto]

Possible answer

Possible answer:

I have had the same problem, in the past.

I changed wheel bearings, shocks, and checked out everything...

I discovered it was wheel alignment and more specifically, uneven tire wear. Please try this, it will only take 30 seconds to check:

Look carefully at your front tires, in particular, at the treads on the innermost side. Run your hand along them. Do they feel choppy? It only takes one of the tires to be messed up to cause the grinding sound.

My right front tire got "choppy" kinda like rubbing against fish scales the wrong way, and it made this noise. This was only on the innermost run of treads too. I replaced the tire, and the sound disappeared!!!

Then, months later, it wore out the same and slowly came back after a few months of wear. It is an alignment issue of some sort, and I'm too subborn/cheap to fix it (until I level out the sagging rear issue, then I'll buy a new set of tires and spend the money on an alignment.)

I hope this helps. Funny thing is that only the right tire is choppy, and yet it felt/sounded like the drivers side was the bad one.

If you feel this rough choppy feeling on your front tire tread, swap it with the spare or a rear tire and you'll then believe me better.

I've also experienced a slight vibration at high speeds (+120 km/h) likely woresening with this issue.

Hope this helps.

 

[Turdle]

Front driveshaft--I had the same symptom, which turned into a clunk--