So my 2004 explorer 4.0 xlt sport has a strange clicking noise every so often. I first noticed it when I back out of a parking spot, at one point almost everytime I hear a loud snap, sounds like a bolt breaking. wheel is turned and backing up. if I get out and have wife do it of course the noise is gone and doesn't reappear. also if I drive down a parking lot slowly I can hear a clicking noise if I roll the windows down. This sounds like a nail in a tire, click, click click at regular intervals.


but..... put the rig on a lift and you don't hear anything. nothing, I am thinking I have a damaged axle up front but don't see anything out of the ordinary. no torn axle boots, no looseness, nothing.


whats everyones thoughts on this.


oh yeah its a 4x4 not full time so even in 2wd the front axles are turning.

 

Does the parking brake work, or have you tried removing the rear rotors and inspecting the rear parking brake shoes? They have a tendency for the friction material to come unbonded from the shoe which can cause a variety of noises.

I'm trying to recall back to my 2004 to confirm that it had drum brakes for the parking brake like my 2000 did. I think so....

-Rod

 

yes, the 2004 has a parking brake shoe and drum in the rear, it uses regular disk brakes for normal operation. they are fine. the noise deffinatly comes from the front of the vehicle. it sounds like an amplified version of a cv axle click or a bad u joint on a solid axle 4x4. its really hard to describe.