Sank my 03 in 3 feet of snow and now it squeals

[RichCresci]

The other night I had to go rescue a friend in the middle of the night in the middle of that lovely blizzard the northeast got hit with. I had gotten stuck 3 times, in roughly 2 1/2-3 feet of fresh powder. Since that night, my front passenger wheel is making a squealing sound, very similar to when your brake pads are worn all the way down except it has a scratching kind of sound to it as well. It's definitely not my brakes and was not there prior to getting stuck so I think it has to be related. Any ideas? Also, this is slightly unrelated. For the past month or so, when I hit a sizable bump with the same wheel it makes a clunking sound. It sounds as though the shock it hitting the frame or something, I can feel it in the floor boards. I assumed it was a blown out shock, just looking for some input. Thanks again.

 

[ncranchero]

This is just funny. A similar post in the Sport Trac section last night, my friend calls me today with the same symptoms and now your post. All almost word for word......... Read here what the original poster found. Yours may be the same thing.
Squeelin' wheelin'

 

[RichCresci]

Yeah kind of. My 4x4 still works fine and the noise happens regardless of whether I'm in 4x4 or 4x2. It does seem to go away over about 25 mph though, Only when I'm going slow is it really really noticeable.

 

[ncranchero]

Incorrect link posted initially, check it again.

 

[RichCresci]

Exactly!!! It's definitely more prominent in reverse! I'll pull the wheel tomorrow and report back asap!

 

[jaydez]

the squeeling sounds like a bad wheel bearing. The clunk sound like sway bar bushings.

 

[unclemeat]

Check the dust shield too.

 

[sploderV8]

I agree with JayDez with the clunking noise. I had the same sound coming from the front end when I hit bumps and when I would turn. I didnt think it was the bushings because I replaced them just in July. But thats what it was.. the were torn apart!

With the wheel bearing idea I sorta agree. But usually when you go faster the noise tends to get louder.
Jack up the front and spin the wheel on the hub and see if it makes the noise. If it does then its the bearing.

 

[matt0248]

Check the dust shield too.

THIS ^^^^ the snow may have bent the dust shield and it is touching the rotor. Also ther may be somethign stuck between the dust shield and the rotor.

 

[GreenEyez]

Best of luck mate I suffer from the getting stuck in snow curse haha. I'm in need of new tires all the snow looks like so much fun I ended up stopping in enough to high side me. Good 30minutes digging out.

 

[RichCresci]

Problem Solved! It was the lower brake pad bracket on the caliper. (See Pics Below.)

As for the clunking my sway bar bushings are only about a year old. I guess I'll check them out next time I got her jacked up and all the snow on my driveways melted.
And GreenEyez, When I got stuck, the snow was over my door and I had to Bo Duke it out he window to diger' out.

 

[GreenEyez]

Obviously you do it bigger than me. My friends had to squeeze out the door because of the snow. Good to hear you solved the problem though.

 

[RichCresci]

Thanks as always for the help!

 

[1qwikbird]

That's exactly what mine looked like, except it was on the top side.

Chris

 

[ncranchero]

 

[alexk]

does it sounds kinda like a shopping cart? I remember mine doing that after I drove through 2 ft of snow last year

 

[Doomstang]

I have been browsing these forums lately but when i came across this thread I just HAD to register and post.
I had the same thing happen to me after I drove around in a foot of snow in my '02 xlt
I heard a weird noise that I couldn't even really describe to my dad over the phone except as maybe a brake lightly dragging. I looked into it more (which was tough since the parking lot had 3 foot snow drifts) and finally found that damn little clip rubbing on the inside of the wheel. I tried to bend it back and it fought me a bit but some brute force with a screwdriver got it fixed until I can take the whole wheel off and look things over.

First pic is when it was rubbing (and worn) and the second is after I did some minor bending.

 

[ncranchero]

I've never heard of this problem until snowzilla hit the north this year and then it was common.

 

[JeffBoudah]

I just remedied this today, myself... after blowing into a good pile of snow for fun and getting stuck huge... Even the 4 snow tires I rock didn't make a difference.