What now?

[UK Explorer]

Hi,

my X has been in the local garage recently whilst they were curing a fuel problem and fixing my aircon.

When I got it back the guy said that he was suprised how well it drove with the lift kit, but the tyre noise is a bit loud. I said it had never seemed too bad to me, in fact I had never noticed any difference to standard and he seemed a bit surprised.

After driving a few miles I realised he was talking about something I had never heard before. I now have a loud whirring noise from the front, and have looked underneath to find rather a lot of oil around the front diff casing...

Any ideas what could have happened?

 

[Blee1099]

Does it look like its coming from the pinion side or possibly at the diff cover?

 

[Ian5700]

A lot of the time a loud whirrling sound from the front end is a bad wheel bearing, which would usually be masked by AT tires untill it gets really loud at motorway speeds. In my experience it takes about 10,000 miles to get from a slight noise to a very loud noise on the motorway.

The oil could be coming from the propshaft seal (which is 20.00), which is farely cheap to have replaced, i have had this done on mine.

 

[UK Explorer]

A lot of the time a loud whirrling sound from the front end is a bad wheel bearing, which would usually be masked by AT tires untill it gets really loud at motorway speeds. In my experience it takes about 10,000 miles to get from a slight noise to a very loud noise on the motorway.

The oil could be coming from the propshaft seal (which is 20.00), which is farely cheap to have replaced, i have had this done on mine.

spot on

Had the wheel bearing done and noise has gone. Leak only slight on diff so will sort later.

Now the bad news

They have discovered from CV joint worn - do I have to buy whole driveshaft?.. also handbrake needs doing as it has been disconnected due to being seized solid!... also need brakepads replaced front and back... and front anti-roll bars bushes have worn away !!!

 

[Ian5700]

Well there are two halfshafts on ebay right now at 25.00 each, which isn't a bad deal. You could put new boots on them for the future. In the US it would be more economical to buy a complete brand new halfshaft with the two cv joints, however from Ford here i doubt this, so you would only want to buy the actually CV joint that is worn. I believe that you can replace just the one. Is just one of your CV joints worn, or more than one, condition of the CV boots?

For the front and rear brake pads just get hold of the Delphi ones, about 100.00 for both front and rear from motorfactors, i would do them before the discs need doing, as these can be expensive. It seems to be that if the rear discs are removed for replacement the handbrake shoes brake up and need to be replaced. Ford want 200.00 for both front and rear brake pads, and the Delphi ones are just as good.

The front roll bar bushings (the main ones that connect to frame), at least for a 97 model are quite resonable from ford, about 20.00 for both of them. It is a very simple job to change them over. I don't know about the bushings that connect it to the wishbone.