Humming not from bearings

[ButterBean757]

2007 explorer 4.0 xlt 150k 2wd
I have been driving myself crazy trying the fix the wife's explorer. I figured it was time to ask for help.

The humming is constant and gets louder while turning right which lead me to believe it was the wheel bearings. I changed both front TWICE. Still humming. I even swap right and left bearings to see if anything changes. Nope.
I got her to drive all over the place while I ping ponged around the inside listening. I sounds like it's centrally located so I'm not sure exactly where is coming from.
I also rotated the tires three times. Still humming.
When I say humming I mean it sounds like I have 35 inch knobby tires going around a right turn at 40mph. It's not grinding or thumping.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Bean

Edit...changed all 4 end links also

 

[07EddyB]

Have you changed the rear bearings yet? At 150K they are certainly due.

 

[ButterBean757]

Have you changed the rear bearings yet? At 150K they are certainly due.

I have not changed them yet. I don't have a bearing press and from what I can see I will need one to change them or swap out the whole assembly.

The is louder in front

 

[Gary Crist]

How many miles on the tires?

 

[Explorer_PL]

Don't get fooled with the noise coming from the front. I did same thing like you: replaced the front hubs since they are easy while the bad one was one of the rears.

With yours being 2wd, jack up the rear, put it on the stands, choke the front tires and put it in gear and get down there with a stethoscope.
Listen to both bearings but also the diff and the output bearing on the tail piece of the tranny.

 

[ButterBean757]

Don't get fooled with the noise coming from the front. I did same thing like you: replaced the front hubs since they are easy while the bad one was one of the rears.

With yours being 2wd, jack up the rear, put it on the stands, choke the front tires and put it in gear and get down there with a stethoscope.
Listen to both bearings but also the diff and the output bearing on the tail piece of the tranny.

Should I put the stethoscope directly on the bearing hub? I assuming the vehicle should be in gear to check correct?

 

[ButterBean757]

How many miles on the tires?

I can't be for sure because I was on deployment when she had them changed. That are due in the next few months anyway.

 

[Explorer_PL]

The car has to be up on the jack stands (be careful), car in D and the wheels spinning at about 30-40 mph. I always listen to them from under and inside listening to them from behind the wheel. If one is shot, you will hear the difference. Also, while the car is up, check for play in the rear wheels. If you are lucky, the bad one might have detectable play. What I did before I build a press at home, I would remove the knuckle with the bad bearing, remove the brakes, and take the assembly to an auto shop just to press the old one out and press the new one in. That would save me money on all the labor I could do at home.

Hope that makes sense.
Good luck.

PS: Thanks for you service !

 

[Larryjb]

2007 explorer 4.0 xlt 150k 2wd
I have been driving myself crazy trying the fix the wife's explorer. I figured it was time to ask for help.

The humming is constant and gets louder while turning right which lead me to believe it was the wheel bearings. I changed both front TWICE. Still humming. I even swap right and left bearings to see if anything changes. Nope.
I got her to drive all over the place while I ping ponged around the inside listening. I sounds like it's centrally located so I'm not sure exactly where is coming from.
I also rotated the tires three times. Still humming.
When I say humming I mean it sounds like I have 35 inch knobby tires going around a right turn at 40mph. It's not grinding or thumping.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Bean

Edit...changed all 4 end links also

You say you changed front bearings, but not the rear wheel bearings. It sounds like it's the rear wheel bearings that have gone.

 

[ButterBean757]

The car has to be up on the jack stands (be careful), car in D and the wheels spinning at about 30-40 mph. I always listen to them from under and inside listening to them from behind the wheel. If one is shot, you will hear the difference. Also, while the car is up, check for play in the rear wheels. If you are lucky, the bad one might have detectable play. What I did before I build a press at home, I would remove the knuckle with the bad bearing, remove the brakes, and take the assembly to an auto shop just to press the old one out and press the new one in. That would save me money on all the labor I could do at home.

Hope that makes sense.
Good luck.

PS: Thanks for you service !

Right on I'll give that a try this even. I get irritated when I can figure something out lol and I refuse to pay for something I can do my self.

 

[Explorer_PL]

My old post:

Total failure of rear wheel bearing - what you get for $100 from a salvage yard in NJ

It was not a fun day when driving to work one morning this week. I heard a loud bang and within a mile or so the car started making a horrible grinding noise. First I thought that one of the driveshafts came loose since I was working on them recently, but I crawled under the car and shook...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[Digitalgp]

Could be your rear bearings. Sometimes the noise reverberates through the chassis in strange ways.

Could be your tires too especially if they are nearing the end of their life (some are also more prone to noise). I had that on my first Fusion. I replaced both front wheel bearings and still had the noise although seemed to be slightly less. All 4 wheels were solid (no play). After putting new tires on it was quiet as a church mouse

 

[Gary Crist]

Tires are now designed to make more noise as they wear out.
You might consider replacing the tires before replacing anything else.

 

[Larryjb]

Don't get fooled with the noise coming from the front. I did same thing like you: replaced the front hubs since they are easy while the bad one was one of the rears.

With yours being 2wd, jack up the rear, put it on the stands, choke the front tires and put it in gear and get down there with a stethoscope.
Listen to both bearings but also the diff and the output bearing on the tail piece of the tranny.

I like this idea of using a stethoscope. When my rear wheel bearing went, I had to take a bit of a lucky guess. One front one was recently done, the other was done by the previous owner, and the right rear was also done by the previous owner. My noise got louder on right turns indicating a left rear wheel bearing. My guess was right.

I had no play in any of the hubs, front or rear. I could hear no difference in the hubs by ear. Both hubs were the same temperature as far as I was able to measure them.

If I had used a stethoscope, I could have compared both noise from both hubs, then changed the noisier one.

Of course, if one rear hub is going, the other will soon follow, so you could just change them both at once and be done with it.

 

[ButterBean757]

I like this idea of using a stethoscope. When my rear wheel bearing went, I had to take a bit of a lucky guess. One front one was recently done, the other was done by the previous owner, and the right rear was also done by the previous owner. My noise got louder on right turns indicating a left rear wheel bearing. My guess was right.

I had no play in any of the hubs, front or rear. I could hear no difference in the hubs by ear. Both hubs were the same temperature as far as I was able to measure them.

If I had used a stethoscope, I could have compared both noise from both hubs, then changed the noisier one.

Of course, if one rear hub is going, the other will soon follow, so you could just change them both at once and be done with it.

That's what Im guessing is the problem. It's just crazy that it's so loud up front. I'm trying to find the time to get to it. She's driving my dodge and I want it back lol

 

[Tommylee1282]

Have you checked the differential fluid? On my old 04 explorer, I had a Hum that I misdiagnosed as a bearing, changed the hub, it was still there, changed my front diff fluid and it went away

 

[ButterBean757]

Have you checked the differential fluid? On my old 04 explorer, I had a Hum that I misdiagnosed as a bearing, changed the hub, it was still there, changed my front diff fluid and it went away

I haven't checked it but I will now. Thanks!

 

[Tommylee1282]

No problem, I also had the drivers side rear bearing go twice on the same vehicle. The first time there was no hum but the rearend would Go all over the place when I went over bumps. The second time It sounded a bit like a brake squeeler Good luck

 

[Explorer_PL]

Squeaky rear brakes is one of the indicators of failed bearing. The pads and shoes are in fixed position while the rotor is attached to the hub and bearing. If there is any play in the bearing, the rotor will "dance" and touch the brakes.

 

[robert capdevila]

2007 explorer 4.0 xlt 150k 2wd
I have been driving myself crazy trying the fix the wife's explorer. I figured it was time to ask for help.

The humming is constant and gets louder while turning right which lead me to believe it was the wheel bearings. I changed both front TWICE. Still humming. I even swap right and left bearings to see if anything changes. Nope.
I got her to drive all over the place while I ping ponged around the inside listening. I sounds like it's centrally located so I'm not sure exactly where is coming from.
I also rotated the tires three times. Still humming.
When I say humming I mean it sounds like I have 35 inch knobby tires going around a right turn at 40mph. It's not grinding or thumping.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Bean

Edit...changed all 4 end links also

Check your drive shaft