I have a 2002 ford explorer that is making noise (a howl and knock) at higher speeds and when I let off the accelator it gets worst... The wheel bearings have been replaced on both sides in the front... Then if I shift it into 4X4 the knocking and howling stop when going down the road but when I let off the gas it like really whines as it is slowing down. I pulled the front cover off the pumkin up front and dont see anything, was thinking maybe I could pull out the spider gears and just do away with the 4 wheel drive, but dont really want to do that. When there was snow on the ground it almost acted like the auto 4 wheel drive was kicking in and out like it was detecting slippage... I do alittle work on cars but nothing computerized. I thought maybe it was a wheel bearing again, but when you put it into full time 4 wheel drive it goes away until you are slowing down... Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

i cant be much help, but i do think it is a 4 x 4 problem and not an axle bearing or gear problem. THE 2002 is computer controled on the 4 x 4. You have "auto, lo, hi" on your selector. THe auto position lets the computer pick when to engage the sustem. It does that depending on the slip it sees. You problem could be computer related, or the signals to it that suggest you have a slipping situation. You could take out the front drive shaft and test ???

 

Steve, thanks, that was going to be my next step... I just hope that it isnt the transfer case... Thanks again. I will let you know what I find.