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Huh?

Peosk

Member
Joined
November 16, 2020
Messages
12
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City, State
fremont
Year, Model & Trim Level
2003 ford explorer xlt
Hello all new here. Im from california my name is peggy. And yes. I am a mechanic and I do all my repairs myself. I am in the bay area. Near San Francisco.

Ok so i go to take the wheel off of this 2003 ford explorer xlt. To my surprise there is nothing in the middle of the wheel hole and i can see right thru to the other side. The car drives fine. Is this a normal thing? And how can it still drive normally if its missing what goes into thr u the hub assy? Ive been working on this car for a few days now. Was not taken care of. The ac compressor was froze. I changed water pump, that darn thermostat housing (that 3rd bolt broke off that was a pain) water pump, idler pulley and battery. I ended up bypassing the ac. I even passed the smog test. The normal explorer fixes. Ive invested too much time to quit now. The car looks great inside and out. This problem or not has me stumped. Every video i watch has the castle nut and cv boot. Please if anyone can help let me know.

Peg
 



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Hello all new here. Im from california my name is peggy. And yes. I am a mechanic and I do all my repairs myself. I am in the bay area. Near San Francisco.

Ok so i go to take the wheel off of this 2003 ford explorer xlt. To my surprise there is nothing in the middle of the wheel hole and i can see right thru to the other side. The car drives fine. Is this a normal thing? And how can it still drive normally if its missing what goes into thr u the hub assy? Ive been working on this car for a few days now. Was not taken care of. The ac compressor was froze. I changed water pump, that darn thermostat housing (that 3rd bolt broke off that was a pain) water pump, idler pulley and battery. I ended up bypassing the ac. I even passed the smog test. The normal explorer fixes. Ive invested too much time to quit now. The car looks great inside and out. This problem or not has me stumped. Every video i watch has the castle nut and cv boot. Please if anyone can help let me know.

Peg
I forgot to say Front wheels only. The rear are normal.
 






Peggy, welcome to the forum. Is your Explorer 2WD or 4WD?.
 






I think u said it best... Hub assembly... If this is 4x4 it's missing the CV shaft that's normal but the rim bolts to the hub not that CV shaft it can totally come out and still drive fine.
 






Peggy, welcome to the forum. Is your Explorer 2WD or 4WD?.
2 wheel and its all stock lowest on the ladder. Its driving me nuts. I have to drive it tomorrow 125 miles home. I almost want to go to wrecking yard and see other explorers or mountainers. It just feels incomplete. My brother had taken it somewhere a few years back and said he paid like 600 bucks to fix something on wheels. He drove it tothe ground for the 3 years as is. Abs light is lit. Bearings sound like rain when driving. I just got to get it home first then I can fix all this. I ask myself did that mechanic rip him off along with some parts . he knows less than zero about cars. I wish i knew where he took it. I would like a few words with the superstar mechanic. Probably just going to take it slower. I got a lead foot. Luckily cruise control functions properly. Wish me luck.
I forgot to say Front wheels only. The rear are normal.
 






2 wheel and its all stock lowest on the ladder. Its driving me nuts. I have to drive it tomorrow 125 miles home. I almost want to go to wrecking yard and see other explorers or mountainers. It just feels incomplete. My brother had taken it somewhere a few years back and said he paid like 600 bucks to fix something on wheels. He drove it tothe ground for the 3 years as is. Abs light is lit. Bearings sound like rain when driving. I just got to get it home first then I can fix all this. I ask myself did that mechanic rip him off along with some parts . he knows less than zero about cars. I wish i knew where he took it. I would like a few words with the superstar mechanic. Probably just going to take it slower. I got a lead foot. Luckily cruise control functions properly. Wish me luck.
Lol good luck! U definitely need a new wheel bearing up there just take off the rim , caliper slide off the rotor... My favorite part just 3 bolts off with the old 1 and pop the new one on.... Could be dome in less than a hour amd the new bearing will have abs wires attached....no spindle nut.
 






A friend told me that a relatively hard turn at 65mph puts like over 8000lbs of force on the bearings
 






Thanks for posting Peggy I like the 03 body style those r nice.. I am in California too ha nice to hear you passed the smog... As far as the 125 miles go on that bearing ice heard members say "running is running" idk if the tire would ever come off but u could lock up that wheel...worst case scenario..
 






It is a 2 wheel drive so there are no front axle shafts, it is rear wheel drive. What you are seeing is perfectly normal, nothing is missing.
 






I guess everyone that makes videos has 4x4 models...

BTW, if you want to fix your a/c you can get a salvage yard compressor off ebay for under $50. I got one in 2015 for $36.66 and it's been great.
 






Hello all new here. Im from california my name is peggy. And yes. I am a mechanic and I do all my repairs myself. I am in the bay area. Near San Francisco.

Ok so i go to take the wheel off of this 2003 ford explorer xlt. To my surprise there is nothing in the middle of the wheel hole and i can see right thru to the other side. The car drives fine. Is this a normal thing? And how can it still drive normally if its missing what goes into thr u the hub assy? Ive been working on this car for a few days now. Was not taken care of. The ac compressor was froze. I changed water pump, that darn thermostat housing (that 3rd bolt broke off that was a pain) water pump, idler pulley and battery. I ended up bypassing the ac. I even passed the smog test. The normal explorer fixes. Ive invested too much time to quit now. The car looks great inside and out. This problem or not has me stumped. Every video i watch has the castle nut and cv boot. Please if anyone can help let me know.

Peg

20201120_212042.jpg


20201120_212100.jpg
 






Spines in the center that's just a 4x4 hub on a 2wd
 


















Here are my wheels with the cover taken off. Would i be able to grease bearings and be able to get by a couple of weeks?.See its strange. I worked at a wrecking yard for over ten years. Tearing up cars. Taken off thousands of wheels and I dont recall a design such as these. Wheel assemblies I do not know much about. People usually went and bought new when it came to wheel assemblies. The best job, I loved it. Anyhow those are the wheels on my explorer. Down to 3 things I must fix. Heater clicking, ac compressor, and bearrings. Getting there. And many thanks to everyone who commented on this post felt a little better when it came down to me driving home. Got home no problem. Me on the other hand could not see. Think i need to get some more glasses and not lose them. Thanks again.

Peg
Spines in the center that's just a 4x4 hub on a 2wd
Is that why it looks as though somethings missing? When they first bought the car i had asked if the car had been made from 2 diff cars and made whole again. The gaps between the exterior parts were not lined up right. Just didnt seem factory. My dad fixed all the gaps before he died. My dad would have gone to batroom in pants if he had seen the state of his beloved car. He was a great mechanic. My bro not at all. So when it died almost permantely I took it and saved it. It was my dads so i had to make it great again! We can make all explorers great again. Haha ive been watching trump again on you tube. Thanks again! I know where to come for answers that get answered by knowledgeable people. Take care

Peg
 






These bearings aren't really serviceable they can't be re packed....their a sealed design...u could go a long time like that. Yes that's missing the front CV shafts....
You have this
download (7).jpeg

And you want this
shopping.jpeg

Hopefully that clears it up a little...
It's getting cold out there definitely going to want that heater...


Edit tech guru knows everything about the 03 explorer he says their all the same... 03 explorer not really my forte lol
 






These bearings aren't really serviceable they can't be re packed....their a sealed design...u could go a long time like that. Yes that's missing the front CV shafts....
You have this
View attachment 324532
And you want this
View attachment 324533
Hopefully that clears it up a little...
It's getting cold out there definitely going to want that heater...

That 2nd one is a 4 bolt, Explorers use a 3 bolt.
 












:banghead:ur right just pop a center cap on the rim.
My bad lol just like fox news ugh
 



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Now I know all explorers are the same..thank u for teaching us.
 






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