When I engage 4X4, I here a grinding sound..help!

[darkneck]

When I engage 4X4, I here a grinding sound...

Upon engaging 4x4 a light grinding sound can be heard in the area of the front driverside. When I disengage the 4x4, the grinding remains, sometimes for a day or two, and then just fades away to nothing until I put it in 4 wheel drive again. Any ideas? (1992 explorer xlt 4x4)


Thx

 

[darkneck]

Upon engaging 4x4 a light grinding sound can be heard in the area of the front driverside. When I disengage the 4x4, the grinding remains, sometimes for a day or two, and then just fades away to nothing until I put it in 4 wheel drive again. Any ideas? (1992 explorer xlt 4x4)



Thx

 

[MrShorty]

Going to take a bit more diagnosis to pin down (Is the transfer case engaging? Are the hubs engaging? Are the hubs disengaging upon reversing direction? and so on), but I would first suspect the hubs or the axleshaft u-joint.

 

[DeRocha]

Could be hubs, spindle bearing, U-joints... ... after disengaging 4x4 try reversing direction for a few feet to unlock the hubs. Once unlocked the noise should be gone.

 

[gijoecam]

Upon engaging 4x4 a light grinding sound can be heard in the area of the front driverside. When I disengage the 4x4, the grinding remains, sometimes for a day or two, and then just fades away to nothing until I put it in 4 wheel drive again. Any ideas? (1992 explorer xlt 4x4)



Thx

Hub or u-joint. You still running automatic hubs?

-Joe

 

[darkneck]

the grinding stops after going in reverse in 2wd

Hi,

Thanks for replying to my post The answer is yes, should I have switched to manual? Is it the hubs if after switching back to 2wd the grinding continues, but if I go in reverse a bit, and then go forward, the grinding is gone. What do I need to do?

THX

 

[darkneck]

yes, the grinding goes away if...what now?

Yes! After switching back to 2wd the grinding continues, but if I go in reverse a bit , and then go forward, the grinding is gone. What's the problem? what do I need to do?

 

[big_hoovie]

It isn't a problem, that's the normal behavior. If you have you owners manual, and consult the section regarding the four-wheel drive, you will see that to properly disengage the auto hubs from 4x4 mode, you have to go reverse for about 20 feet(or one vehicle length). When the hubs disengage, you may hear some clicks - this is normal. The grinding you heard was the cams inside the hubs rubbing against each other.

hth

 

[darkneck]

No, when in 4wd it grinds loud and constantly. It only stops grinding when I take it out of 4wd and go in reverse to disengage. The problem is the grinding while it is in 4wd. I should NOT be grinding loud while I am driving in 4wd.

 

[gijoecam]

Got your e-mail, but figure'd I'd reply here so it may be more useful to others.

It sounds like one of two things: Either a bad hub that's hanging up and not fully engaging/disengaging, or a bad u-joint on the front drivetrain. The u-joints only grind when the front drivetrain is turning, and the front drivetrain only turns when the transfer case is engaged or the hubs are locked.

Any good drivetrain shop should be able to troubleshoot it pretty quickly.

-Joe

 

[darkneck]

OK, I did some more investigating. I put the truck on a lift and put it in 4wd. Well, the front driver side wheel was not turning. I gave it some gas and it turned only a little then stopped. So I removed both front wheels with the hub and looked again. Now the driverside axel was turning, but it was struggling...sort of bouncing up and down a bit. I turned the wheel far left and it stopped completely. I tried turning it by hand, but it was tough. I also heard some grinding coming from inside what I guess is called the front differential (the black box where the two axels go into). The driveshaft going into this box was spinning strong so the transfer case is fine. It looks like something is wrong inside the differential. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[darkneck]

OK, I did some further investigation. I put the truck on a lift with all four tires off the ground, started it and put it in 4wd. Well, all the wheels were turning except the front driver side wheel. I gave it some gas and it turned only a little then stopped. To eliminate the possibility of the hubs, I removed both front wheels and hubs and did the same test. Now the driverside axel was turning, but it was struggling...sort of bouncing up and down a bit. I turned the steering wheel far left and it the driverside axel stopped completely. I then tried turning it by hand, but it was fairly tight explaining the clunking when I turn. I also heard some grinding coming from inside what I guess is the front differential (the "black box" where the two axels go into). The front driveshaft coming from the transfer case was spinning strong so the transfer case is fine. It looks like something is wrong inside the differential.