riding rough

[skoal_mint]

well my 97 ford explorer sport is riding rough, atleast i think?..

i dont know if it always drove rought, but it sounds rough when riding..the sound and feeling is coming from the front left..i think it might be the wheel bearing.

the tire doesnt have slack in it, but im going to check tire pressure just incase its that..

but if it is a bearing, what would i look for or ask for when at a parts store?

do i ask for a wheel bearing? or is their a name like a spindle bearing or somthing?

P.S. when changing the bearing, do i goto take off the break disk?, because in the hynes manual, their are two bearing, one inner one and another smaller one for the outter side

 

[jimbo74]

then you have an old haynes manual......

the 97 explroer uses a sealed hub... and the rotors are of a floating design... no inners or outers with a grease seal....

and its not a serviceable unit, its all one piece

 

[Doubt Incarnate]

thing will roughen up if a ball joint goes bad, the angle of the wheel changes and it rides more on the corner of the tread ans sounds kinda like a mud tuck

 

[skoal_mint]

yes, it sounds like a tready on the highway but not as bad..

well its kinda like the road is chewed up, like when the scrach the road for applying another coat of asphalt...if that makes sence

 

[Doubt Incarnate]

go through some dipps. and listen to how the sound changes. if it goes away under "weightlessness' or under the heavier "g force" it might be the tire making noise due to a bad joint, or if you know a cool guy at a shop, ask him to check the alignment. if the baljoint is whacked you alighnment will be out and if they are smart they'll check those first before attempting to line it up. and if they are cool, they wont charge you for bad news. never had bad bearing yet but they probly make noise no matter what the load.

 

[skoal_mint]

well still dont know what it is, but just 30 minutes ago i was leaving the school parking lot and heard it go bad.

not it went rump rump every rotation of the tire..i took back streets halfway home, then drove on our main street..then i heard a loud squeeling and grinding..

it sounded like mud and sand in between the breaks, but its not the breaks, already checked..

any ideas now

Thanks, Randy

 

[Doubt Incarnate]

that sounds like bearing, ball joints dont squeal.

 

[skoal_mint]

ok thanks, i whish i knew how to change bearings my self instead of going to a mechnic.

well its going in the shop in a bit anyways :thumbdwn: