For the last 1000 or so miles my Expedition has developed an obnoxious rattle/click coming from what seems like the drivers side rear. It comes and goes but is most present at speeds over 30. Its consistent from 30-80 but normally fades out under 30....it sounds almost like something is tumbling around in the center cap then just falls out once you drop to 20-25. It's tought to explain the noise...it kind of sounds like a bad u-joint but I know its not (just had them checked). The truck drives perfectly...no clunks when accelerating or shifting gears, no shaking, drives completely normal. Any thoughts? I will try to post a video later.

Thanks!

2000 Expedition XLT 2wd 5.4 with 187K

 

Does it go away if you apply any pressure with the brakes? How about if you apply the e-brake slightly, does it go away then? As a safety precaution, hold the e-brake release lever out when applying the e-brake.)

 

[QUOTE=alloro;14618123]Does it go away if you apply any pressure with the brakes? How about if you apply the e-brake slightly, does it go away then? As a safety precaution, hold the e-brake release lever out when applying the e-brake.)[/QUOT

Does not go away when applying the brake or e-brake while driving.

 

Do rough roads or bumps affect the noise at all?

 

Not at all. I do occasionally take a gravel road home from work but normally I am going under 30 so there is no noise. It has to have something to do with the wheel/tire or axle, the ticking will get faster with speed.

 

There is only 2 things that cause a ticking sound from a wheel. The first is a wheel bearing with a flat spot and the tick happens once for every two revolutions of the wheel. That's because wheel bearing rotates at 1/2 the speed of the wheel. The second cause is if chrome is lifting off the inside of the rim and hitting the caliper. This will cause the noise once for every revolution of the wheel.

 

I thought about a wheel bearing....but don't you think the noise would be present all the time? Even at speeds below 30? Also, sometimes even at highway speeds there is no noise. I have the basic steel XLT wheels, no chrome to peel.

Won't have time to change the wheel bearing myself anytime soon...am I going to pay out the a** to have this done at a shop?

Thanks for your replies

 

Last time I had something like that happen it was gravel in the hub cover.....maybe a loose body panel that only vibrates when the speed increases?

 

That's exactly what it sounds like! I actually took the center cap off and noticed it was falling apart inside....figured that's what was making the noise so I left it off....still rattling. Imagine the sound of a piece of gravel rolling around inside your center cap and that is exactly what I am dealing with.

 

Wheel bearings are easy and cheap, but you would get more of a grown and when you bank the wheel left to right the noise will change. little magnet didnt fall out of the holder and is hitting the reluctor ring? Do you have TPMS they are strapped to the center of the wheel and let go all the time, that would make such noise and if you go faster inertia keeps the sensor against the tire.

 

It definitely does not have the typical wheel bearing "grown" or "hum" I just kept them in mind thinking maybe one had fallen apart? I'm pretty much positive the truck does not have a TPMS but will double check. I have only owned it for a couple of months and use it as a spare truck so I am not all too familiar with it yet. Didn't do it for the first few weeks I owned it, just recently started. Hopefully sometime this weekend I will have time to take the rear wheels off and do some looking around. Everything appears to be normal at a quick glance with the wheels on. The guy I bought it from claimed it had new brakes all around....maybe something was not put back together properly? I have read where e-brake shoes could cause such a noise, but it don't suspect that to be the problem.

 

Turn the key on without starting you will see a orange picture of a section of tire with a ! in it. Then you have the tire pressure monitor system

 

Will double check when I get home from work. Thanks

 

Sorry for the delay, here are a few videos of the "mystery noise". Sorry it is kind of tough to hear in the videos, I did my best.

Truck does not have a TPMS


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVEa...ature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n61C...ature=youtu.be

 

Does yours have air suspension? That click sounded just like an air release solenoid.