My front driver's side wheel is binding badly, caliper ok, please help!!!

[93explorereb]

Greetings:

My left side wheel of my 97 5.0 AWD XLT is binding. It feels as though my front differential is trying to seize up? I have since replaced the front brake caliper, and now I suspect a possiblity of it being the hub bearing and or CV Joint axle? My worse case sernarios would be the transfer case or the axle? What is the usual wear item on these trucks within the front driveline/diff etc? The truck only has 122,000 original miles on it. It runs really and overall is in very good condition. I did observe a old leak or front diff oil seepage on the exterior of the front diff. However, I could be only doing 20 mph, and the truck has to accelerated somewhat higher just to get it to move along. It feels like my parking brakes are fully applied, while I am trying to drive the vehicle. What the labor and or time frame for another front diff? Or could I just have the inside gears of the front diff extracted, and or removed for a much more preferable set of gears and or better ratio? I will replace the hub bearing unit on Monday, and the CV joint too. The boot to the joint hasn't rupture, and there are no signs of any grease on any components of the frontend. I really need to get this truck going. I have since tuned it up and detailed it. I have some nice 31's for it, however, I cannot even drive it, without that horrible heavy dragging frozen brake type of feeling. Again, it just feels as though that it is on the left front side. Might it be a seizing CV Joint, hub bearing, transfer case, or even axle. How much time to do either install (transfer case/front differential) My tranny seems to be ok I hear a slight groaning noise, again like a stuck brake caliper to a rotor. I am willing to replace the axle and or transfer case, if really have to, the truck is really worth it (IMO). I was considering the junkyard for either the transfer case and or a front diff. Please all comments, suggestions, and or experiences are welcomed, and would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks you in advance!!!!

Best Regards

 

[rhauf]

I have only worked on the first gens, but i have some advice anyhow, first I would try to isolate the problem, i'd do this by putting it on jack stands or removing the rear axle, run it in the air and see what happens.. then disconnect the axle shaft going to the wheel in question, run it again.. see if it's binding inside the dif etc, could be a bad bearing etc. also try spinning the wheel by hand when it's off the ground, that may tell you something. could be a bad wheel bearing as well.

 

[93explorereb]

I have only worked on the first gens, but i have some advice anyhow, first I would try to isolate the problem, i'd do this by putting it on jack stands or removing the rear axle, run it in the air and see what happens.. then disconnect the axle shaft going to the wheel in question, run it again.. see if it's binding inside the dif etc, could be a bad bearing etc. also try spinning the wheel by hand when it's off the ground, that may tell you something. could be a bad wheel bearing as well.

Thanks! I am hoping that it just be a wheel bearing. Because a hub bearing could drag the vehicle down in the same manner. Also the fact that I detect the dragging to be on just my front driver's side wheel, sort of keeps me thinking that it maybe just a hub bearing on this side, because this area is where I sense the most if not all of the resistance. Nonetheless, I will check the other wheels in the prescribed manner. How often would a hub bearing go? When I last tried to drive the vehicle just yesterday, it started to bind up a bit, and it sort of seemed, as though the front driver's side wheel, wanted to snap off (sort of pivoted with the bind), because it was binding so much. Thanks again!

 

[rhauf]

Thanks! I am hoping that it just be a wheel bearing. Because a hub bearing could drag the vehicle down in the same manner. Also the fact that I detect the dragging to be on just my front driver's side wheel, sort of keeps me thinking that it maybe just a hub bearing on this side, because this area is where I sense the most if not all of the resistance. Nonetheless, I will check the other wheels in the prescribed manner. How often would a hub bearing go? When I last tried to drive the vehicle just yesterday, it started to bind up a bit, and it sort of seemed, as though the front driver's side wheel, wanted to snap off (sort of pivoted with the bind), because it was binding so much. Thanks again!

do you have offset rims?

 

[93explorereb]

do you have offset rims?

no just stock aluminum rims.

 

[Blee1099]

Umm Its probably the hub assembly.. Mine acted like that for a while on my old 97 when the hub assembly finally blew and seized itself to the spindle which caused my cv axle to snap and catch on fire..

Go fix it before you do more damage.

 

[93explorereb]

Umm Its probably the hub assembly.. Mine acted like that for a while on my old 97 when the hub assembly finally blew and seized itself to the spindle which caused my cv axle to snap and catch on fire..

Go fix it before you do more damage.

Wow!!! Yes sir! The funny thing is the rotor seems as though it is welded to the hub! I have been hammering away. I even added PB Blaster to the rotor hub connect, and still this thing will not budge. However, I will be more persistent, and it will come off. So you think it may very well be the hub bearing too? I just getting the dragging on just the driver's side, which has been leading me towards the hub bearing, and yes that CV Joint on the driver's side, seems as though, it would like to snap off from the binding pressure and all. I will be replacing it the first thing in the morning. Thanks again!

 

[n2epv]

The road salt does quite a job at 'welding' those rotors on! Get a 2-pound hammer and safety glasses. Wack the rotor at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions so you're not beating up on the tie-rods and rack. Rotors are cast iron, which is fairly brittle, so if it doesn't come loose in one piece, it will eventually crack in the center. Then it will pull right off.

 

[storlied]

I think it's your hub assembly as well, blee isn't kidding about it.. I had mine go out also and it damaged literally everything around it.., knuckle, caliper, rotor, pads, cv axle stub..

 

[93explorereb]

I think it's your hub assembly as well, blee isn't kidding about it.. I had mine go out also and it damaged literally everything around it.., knuckle, caliper, rotor, pads, cv axle stub..

Wow, Thanks! I picked up another hub bearing today. I will be doing the install tommorow. My CV Joints look ok, however, when the time comes for replacement, I opt for www.raxles.com I first heard about this company back in 1996, or thereabouts. The give you a good education on CV joint axles, in that they sell nothing but new products, no rebuilts. I might as well replace the otherside ahead of time, just incase it too is on its way out? Thanks again!

 

[93explorereb]

The road salt does quite a job at 'welding' those rotors on! Get a 2-pound hammer and safety glasses. Wack the rotor at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions so you're not beating up on the tie-rods and rack. Rotors are cast iron, which is fairly brittle, so if it doesn't come loose in one piece, it will eventually crack in the center. Then it will pull right off.

Thanks! Actually, I have a nice heavy short handle sledge hammer, I guess I must keep pounding a little more. Its like the rotor is completely welded and or fused. On one of my many vehicles, sometime ago, I had to take one of my 60lb dumbells and slightly slam the rotor, and like magic it flopped right off.