Posted this in 4x4 section, but barely a creature is stirring down there. So I am posting here as well for quick advice before parts stores close.

So, my X is making a lot of racket all of the sudden, and I was able to determine it was coming from the front left wheel area. I walked next to it while wife drove real slow and turned wheels in forward and reverse. Kind of a growling, rolling popping sound. I figured it was the wheel bearing. When I got the tire off, I found a LOT of side to side/up and down play in the 4x4 locker. Took off the rotor and locker, and the play is even worse when grabbing the end of the spindle. It basically makes circles if you grab it and make it. Looking to the back side of the steering knuckle, the axle shaft is all kinds of sloppy back there where it goes into the axle tube/differential. The u-joint is moving all over the place when I am manipulating the end of the axle spindle. I pulled the hub, and they are Timkin. NO issues with the bearings that I can see/feel. There was plenty of grease in there, too. Lots of oil seepage/dirt around the differential where the axle comes out to the u-joint.

My question is...which bearing crapped out on me? The inner spindle bearing? With all this play, is my locker ruined trying to hold it all still out there on the end? Looking for experienced minds to lend me some knowledge. I hope the problem is not in the differential itself. The truck does not see 4x4 much. I bought it 20k miles ago, and the previous owner was a soccer mom. I am comfortable doing the work once I know EXACTLY what the issue is.

 

Moved to the Excursion forum.

 

I'd say its your outer axle shaft bearing. With your hub off/unit bearing, there should be a little roller bearing on the backside of it.

 

Yup. Got the hub off, but I don't see anything obviously wrong/failed with the bearing. On the other hand, I have quite a bit of diff oil getting out to the u-joint area. Caked up pretty good. So maybe I have both parts bad? The axle shaft isn't scored or anything either where the bearing rides.

 

If the shaft was wobbling around, it's possible it took out the inner axle seal

 

That is what I am thinking....not an easy fix.

 

Not really. But with the bearing fixed, the seal might not leak. How low is the diff?

 

It is less than a half inch low. Also, it looks brand new. Hmmmm...

Edit: Well, I pulled the diff cover after deciding I was more worried about finding metal shavings than I was about buying the high $ oil to replace it with. Good thing...I found quite a bit of water under that new looking oil. No metal shavings!
So, now I am going to replace the outer seal, inner dust seal, check the gears where the drive shaft inserts into the diff and slap a new hub on. If it still leaks or has the play in it, I know that inner seal is super toasted and will have to dig into the diff since it is replaced from inside the diff. Don't want to go there right now...

 

Well it was the sealed bearing in the hub. The big one that you can service through the ABS port. Completely toasted...grease inside was very dirty and caked up. Got that replaced and a new outer seal, so now my dust exclusion seal isn't dangling around by the u-joint anymore. I found that to be quite annoying. Inner axle seal up inside by the pumpkin was good to go...no damage and intact.

Bad news is....passenger side hub isn't in much better shape. It is a tiny bit loose, making a grinding sound, turns way too easy and the grease is all gummed up in the ABS port like the driver's side. Wish I knew how many miles were on these failed Timkins!

On the up side, I drained the front diff and found quite bit of water in there under the seemingly brand new fluid. Possible disaster down the line averted right there. Gonna knock the little bit of rust of the diff cover and paint it red.

I'm of to get another hub, outer seal and inner dust seal.....great fun.

 

Glad you got it fixed up mike. Hopefully that's it for a while.

 

John, thank goodness I keeps some money put aside for this stuff. Although, that $ ain't gonna last long at this rate!

 

Your going to have to put the kids to work.

I have a huge list of things I want to do. But most of it will have to wait unless I plan on doing something crazy like getting a job.

 

Ok. Since I practiced all night on the driver's side last night, I knocked out the passenger side pretty darn fast. I'm getting good at this axle removal thing....anyone need theirs done while it is fresh on my mind? Here is the disaster I found. The inner dust seal on the inboard side of the u-joint completely failed on the passenger side. It allowed a lot of dirt and water in...probably how the water got in the diff oil. I have a ton of clean up work to do before I can put it back together now. Another late night in the driveway...



I found my air chisel made VERY FAST work of that outer seal removal. Just keep it moving around the edge of the seal....don't leave it one place too long so it can punch through. Took about 30 seconds to get that driveshaft out. Compared to 15 minutes pounding with a hammer and brass drift like Ford recommends. I used the pointed chisel...if you grind the tip flat it would probably be even faster.


Outer dust seal hanging off the backside of the main seal.


Inner dust seal in two pieces. This is how the water and dirt got in. The driver's side inner dust seal was in very good shape, so it was probably replaced at some point where this one was not.


Chisel punched through in a couple of places where I lingered too long.

 

So, if you were to pull your front drive shafts just to have piece of mind that everything is OK, it would cost you $50 for an outer main seal and a couple of bucks from Bob for the two o-rings you would have to replace. And about 2 hours per side of your free time. If my bearings had not failed, I think it would be well worth the effort on a new-to-me truck I didn't know the history on. My truck came from Houston. Think frequent flooding and occasional hurricanes where everyone with a 4x4 is a hero or thinks they are indestructible.

Now I'm wondering about the rear axle shafts and seals....guess I'll be opening the diff up there, too. Won't be able to sleep if I don't.

 

I managed to remove my front axle shafts, replace ball joints, and reinstall the shafts without new seals or o rings.

I used a big pry bar and pushed the axle out of the housing by prying on the inner shaft by the yoke.