Wheel Bearing?

[zombienerd]

Hello all, first post here

I just recently acquired a 1991 Explorer 4 door, 5 speed, 4x4, manual hubs.

At around 30mph, a growling (low pitched squeak/grind) noise comes from the left front tire, and increases in pitch with speed (Engine speed causes no change, just vehicle speed), and intensifies while bearing right. The noise stops under 30mph.

I'm 99% sure this is a wheel bearing, but I just wanted to ask if anything else could be causing the noise before I go buy new bearings.

Also, does anyone have a link to a pictorial of front bearing replacement for a 1st gen Explorer? I did a search on here, but could only find rear wheels, and newer models.

Thanks!

Adam

 

[geoph1986]

Welcome,
To check the bearing jack up the truck, and grab the wheel at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions. Push and pull on the tire, if there is play it's probably your bearings. This link has the info you need.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122696&highlight=1st+gen+brake+diary
I just replaced the spindles, bearings, and rotors. It's not hard at all.

 

[Maniak]

With a bad bearing, it should move at almost any position on the tire.

IF it only moved as 12 and 6 then check ball joints

Only at 3 and 9 then its tie rod

~Mark

 

[zombienerd]

Well, I jacked it up, front and back.. No play in either tire. The front moved a little at 3 and 9, but the passenger side tire was moving along with it, as was the steering shaft. No wiggle 12 & 6 at all. It did "seem" to let me compress it a little, but after I pushed it in, it didn't seem to come back out at all when I pulled. It could have been in my head.

I still think it's the wheel bearing because of the sound and the fact that it lessens while turning left and gets worse turning right. It also disappears at low speed.


Anyone have any input?

 

[nitro71]

Check that your brake lines aren't rubbing on the tire rim. I'd also recomend pulling the hub and rotor to check the bearings. Look for rocks stuck in between the dust shield(or whatever it is) and the rotor. Maybe you have a shot brake shoe that is dragging on the rotor?

 

[zombienerd]

Well a picture is worth 1000 words. So a video must be worth 1000 pictures or so.

The audio sucks, but maybe one of you guys could hear the growl I was talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ttT6ORbGeA

 

[zombienerd]

Well a picture is worth 1000 words. So a video must be worth 1000 pictures or so.

The audio sucks, but maybe one of you guys could hear the growl I was talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ttT6ORbGeA

The whine you hear most of the time is the PS pump, and not the whine I was referring to