Help with Rubbing/grinding from drivetrain

[vicj1]

Hello everyone, just using my first post here with a request for help. I have a 00 Explorer V8 AWD and am noticing a rubbing or grinding while making slow turns. For example, while I'm backing slowly out of driveway and while turning, I can here and feel a rubbing that feels like it's coming from the drivetrain. It's not constant, I can hear and feel the vibration, it goes away, comes back, and repeats this process as if something rotating is rubbing at some point in it's revolution. It doesn't do it unless I'm turning. It does it backwards or forwards as long as I'm turning. Right now I'm thinking the rear diff fluid may need changing and the cluthes may be chattering. The only problem with this theory is the chattering or rubbing is not constant. Any ideas? I'm not really familiar with the AWD system on Fords.

Thanks

Vic

 

[Glacier991]

Can you localize the sound? As in front drivetrain? or ?

It is likely a driveline/drivetrain issue, not trans or transfer case.

 

[vicj1]

Haven't been able to localize the vibration yet. I quess I will place the truck on stands and try to duplicate the symptom then and isolate the problem. I think its in the front drivetrain somewere. I first noticed the this issue 6-8 months ago. It seems to be getting worse. Back then it was faint rubbing that couldn't really be felt. Now, it's louder and the whole truck it starting to shudder.

 

[gijoecam]

My first guess would be that you have a limited slip diff, and if I guessed right, my second guess is that your LSD is chattering. Common problem for the crappy OEM Trac-Loc LSD. A bottle of friction modifier fixes it more than half the time, the rest need a rebuild.

Now, if I was wrong with guess #2, then my third choice would be a CV joint binding when the wheel is turned, and my fourth guess would be an internal problem with the transfer case's viscous coupling.

My best guesses....

-Joe

 

[vicj1]

Thanks foir the reply Joe. I changed the diff fluid, added some ford friction additive, and the noise and vibration are gone...for now. It still makes a slight noise backing up the driveway and turning but once level its good to go. I have a feeling the LS needs a rebuild but for now I don't think it's a priority. I'm mostly familiar with GM and in my experience LS chatter is constant when each side wheel speed is different. In this instance it chattered, stopped, chattered, stopped. Strange.

Thanks again

Vic