sounds like rumble strips

[sopclod]

Hi, I have an '02 XLT v8 4wd with about 75k miles. About six months ago it started to make a sound like I was driving on rumble strips all the time. If I turn the wheel a little to the right, it almost completely goes away. Any opinions would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[pb3]

check your lug nuts!!

1. check your lug nuts, could be loose!!

2. wheel bearing, or differential?

 

[EasyRhino]

Agree - check the lug nuts.

If tight, then my bet is wheel bearings. high failure item on these X's, including mine.

I would be very careful about continued drving of this truck until fixed.

 

[Critter92X]

Like mentioned it's likely a wheel bearing,but a slipped belt in a tire will also make a noise very similar to the rumble strip sound.You might rotate your tires and see if the location of the sound changes.

 

[pb3]

yeah, forgot about that. when you pull the wheels off, carefully examine them for a bump- raised spot where the rubber looks like it's been heat stressed. if you walk with the tire, watch it's tread for any unusual patterns. i've had that happen alot this past year to my work van.

 

[sopclod]

Thanks for the great replies! I just got new tires, so I doubt it's that or the lug nuts. What is involved in fixing/replacing wheel bearings? I am a pretty... amateur "mechanic". Thanks again.

 

[dford]

my 2003 makes that rumbling sound also. When turning it fades or goes away and at highway speeds it is quiet. If it is a wheel bearing, how can you tell which side--I've jacked up the wheels and tried to wobble them but they feel tight--no noticeable play in the bearing--could the bearing still be bad?

 

[Critter92X]

Thanks for the great replies! I just got new tires, so I doubt it's that or the lug nuts. What is involved in fixing/replacing wheel bearings? I am a pretty... amateur "mechanic". Thanks again.

Here you might check out this thread and see if it helps.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1499844#post1499844

 

[EasyRhino]

Thanks for the great replies! I just got new tires, so I doubt it's that or the lug nuts. What is involved in fixing/replacing wheel bearings? I am a pretty... amateur "mechanic". Thanks again.

I am an amateur as well, but folks here are very helpful. So much so that I replaced my front wheel bearings myself in a couple of hours. Lots of good knowledgable people here.

The link in the post above is a good start.

 

[alfaspiderman]

My 02 Mountaineer V8 AWD with 80K is doing the same thing. Thought it was a wheel bearing....might still be. I replaced the left front bearing/hub assembly, but the noise is still there. I started to replace the right rear wheel bearing....Bigger job than I anticipated; lots to take apart. I read a thread that said the rears were easier, but no way! it must have been written for a non-independent rear suspension. Looks like there is a snap ring on the inner side of the wheel bracket holding the bearing in and the whole thing needs to come off and be pressed out. Wound up putting it all back together (did not have the wedges to remove the rear stabilizer arm and upper control arm) and will wait to get it up on a lift to run it and check everything with a stethascope. Since the noise varies when I do a sudden turn, I suspect it is a bearing, not a carrier bearing or CV joint. Will write a thread on how to do the rear wheel bearings once I change it out.

 

[pb3]

last time i lifted my '03 off the ground, i had 1 front spinning and i think the rears were going together. so i don't know how using a stetoscope is going to work, but maybe the AWD units are different. let me know.

 

[outlawwv]

just because you got new tires doesn't mean that there's nothing wrong there -- did it do it before the tires were put on -- were the lugs torqued correctly -- i would at least check them

 

[sopclod]

I took the car to my favorite mechanic, and it turned out to be the right rear wheel bearings. He said they were very corroded and it took quite a bit of effort to get it changed out.

When my wife (who drives it the most) got in it she said it's never been that quiet, so I suspect the problem was already starting when we bought the car used a year and a half ago.

As far as the new tires, obviously it was happening way before I had them put on. I noticed however that the wheels on this car are difficult to get off because of that center hub thingy, and I had the tires put on at... walmart. They were none too careful in removing the wheels, and I think that made it even worse.

Anyway it's working like a charm now, and I can only hope that the remaining bearings won't follow suit.