help me find the problem. Front end noise?

[GF7PE]

Hello... first post here. Having trouble diagnosing an issue with my wifes 2000 explorer. Its a 4.0 sohc full time 4wd w selectable hi/lo xlt and has just over 80k miles. Tires are Michelin LTX and are just over a year old. We do take it out on the beach but other than that no off roading. A few weeks ago the passenger side front sway bar bolt snapped. Last week she noticed it starting to make some noise in the front of the car and has gotten a bit louder. The best way that I can describe it is that it sounds like it has knobby tires. Has that hum that comes with mudders and you can kinda feel it when you slow down. But you cant hear it from the outside. I was thinking low diff fluid but checked and changed it and there were no issues there. I brought it to a couple of places and they cant seem to find the issue. Their best advice has been to drive it until it gets worse that way it will be easier to locate. I am hoping someone on here might have run into this and can point me in the right direction.

thanks

 

[Axial32]

Try jacking the front of the EX up and see if you can push either the top or the bottom of the tire in and out... it could be a wheelbearing. If you can't jack it up then just look front the front and see if the front tires are leaning inward. When they go bad they actually slow you down alot and make quite abit of noise.

 

[lilbeefy]

its your hub assy, no doubt about it, i have had the same issue three times now, they run around 85 bucks, easy to replace as long as your bolts are not seized on. just make sure your bearing seal on the back side of the hub is in tact, if it is torn or missing you will be replacing your hub assy again shortly.

 

[GF7PE]

ok... I'll check that out. I hope you are correct and its not anything major

 

[GF7PE]

hub assembly was fine but once apart the wheel bearing disintegrated. A few dollars and a couple of hours and its good as new.

thanks

 

[tknewlin]

front end noise

i have a simmilar problem with a noise. At about 40mph, the hum starts and gets louder up till about 65mph. At 40, I can feel a slight vibration in the steering wheel. I've rotated the Michilins and no change. Does this sound like wheel bearings or CV joints? 2000 EX 4.0 full time 4X4.
Thanks in advance.

 

[GF7PE]

with mine, when it was on the lift and you spun the wheel you could hear and feel the vibrations. Mine was odd though. Changed the right side front wheel bearing on Friday everything was after. By Monday the noise was back. Put it back on the lift and the left side was bad and both upper ball joints were loose. Changed everything and now its been perfect since

 

[tknewlin]

front end noise

I changed both bearings yesterday. Did the swerve test and it got quiet when I swerved to the right. Bought one bearing and replaced the passenger side. Bearing looked ok but took a test drive. Still had the hum. Picked up another bearing and removed the driver side. This bearing had been leaking grease on the inside but other than that looked ok as well. Both spun quiet in my hand by the way. Put the new bearing in and went for a drive. Ah, quiet again. I've been trying to determine the source of the noise for a few weeks now and stumbled onto this thread and others and decided the noise to be bearing related. I was really thinking it was the front differential. Glad I was wrong on that one.
ANyway, thanks for your help and all that posted to this thread.
Terry

 

[ThePhoenix]

a fix for under $20.. gotta love it

 

[chub1953]

You can Just replace the Hub bearing? Ive never seen bearings for my 99 EB 4x4, just new hubs

 

[tknewlin]

The hub bearing is what I was talking about. It's a shame you have to replace the hub everytime. It doesn't wear out. Probably 50 bucks worth of bearings in there. On the other hand, it is a simple repair this way.
Terry

 

[chub1953]

The OEM hubs lasted 115,000 miles. I bought China built ones and replaced 2 hubs again and both sensors and I have the noise back again . In 7,000 miles.

 

[chub1953]

MY OEM hubs lasted 115,000 miles. I bought China built ones and replaced 2 hubs again and both sensors and I now have the noise back again . In 7,000 miles.

 

[shakin]

I have 156K on the clock of a 00 Sport I just got. It has the front end hum that I am positive is the bearing/hub assembly (both of them I think). Where is the best place to purchase a quality part for a good price? I guess a better question is what brands are quality? Each auto store offers 3+ brands of these ranging from around $100 to over $200.

PS- Local junkyard has them for $50 a shot. They are garunteed not to be bad when you install them. Might even let you return them if they went in a week. Just not sure if the work is worth the risk. Any thought?

 

[chub1953]

I would buy Ford hubs.

 

[shakin]

I would buy Ford hubs.

You know of any place to get them at a fair price?

 

[freedomfightr1]

whts the swerve test? i have same humming sound and it goes away when i yurn right

 

[freedomfightr1]

i have same problem rotated tires and changed passenger side hub but to no avail still have noise

 

[chub1953]

I replaced both at the same time.