Well this is really weired if u have the car of the ground you can move the wheel all around, and the weired thing it the Knuckle is ok but inside the knuckle liek the hub everything at the hub moves? axle nuts and wheel lug nuts are both tight?

And this is on a 02 explorer

 

what is moving? this truc khas independant rear suspension. the knuckel is a big cast iron part that attaches to the top and bottom sing arms with taper joints like ball joints. the wheel hub and bearing are an assembly and press into the center of the knuckle. the hub is hollow and the axle shaft slides thru it and splines inside. the nut is on the outside and holds the alxe shaft in. if the bearing is loose you will have plenty of whining noise. if the CV joint is bad, you will have plenty of noise. whatis moving and do you have any noise?

 

With the lug nuts still tight and the wheel off the ground, move the wheel and watch the lug nuts and see if they move at the same time you move the wheel. If the lug nuts don't move when you move the wheel then the holes in the wheel have become enlarged enough that the lug nuts won't hold the wheel tightly. This happens some times with aluminum wheels. If you have a spare tire, put it on in place of the other wheel and see if it moves around like the other one. If the lug nuts are tight on the spare but it still moves around you may have some bad axle bearings that need replacement.

 

didnt drive it , but they say they heard a growling noise, and doesnt look very safe to drive and yea if you look the lug nuts are tight to the wheel and hte axle nut is tight and the whole hub move the knucke doesnt

 

bearing is shot. will need a nw bearing/ hub assembly. you assemble it into the knuckle with a 20 ton press. need directions or someone who knows what they are doing.

 

it is the wheel bearing. you need to replace it. i had to replace it in my wifes 04. i have a 12ton press and it did it. it is not hard. just remove the knuckle and take it to a machine shop if you don't have a press. bearing is $20, and about $25 to have it pressed. takes about 1-2 hours.

 

Is there any how to directions and/or pictures to show the process of removing and replacing the rear bearing?

 

i ahve not see pictures on the web, but probably in a service manual or CD manual or Hanes book. The rear axles on the newer trucks are independent and have a knuckle or "bearing / hub holder" at each end. you have to take off a couple attachment bolts and then remove the entire knuckle which is a casting and has the bearing and hub pressed into it. then you take it to the shop and press out the old bearing and hub. some kits have the new hub and bearing. i have not seen the bearing seperate, but maybe you can but it. you press the bearings into the knuckel, the support the bearing and press the new hub into it. there are c-clips for retainers. its not difficult, but takes a big press and a few extra tools. if your a mechanic it can be done at home.

 

Thanks for the help. I wonder if you know this symptom. I just replace both front rotors and bearings and soon as i finsihed, I test drove it. While backing out, I had my brakes applied and turned the power steering and got a shudder where both wheels shook wildly. My brother said maybe its a clog and that I should stop hard at a high speed going forward and while driving in reverse.

To my amazement, it worked. Prior, I could just step on the brake and turn the steering wheel sharply and the vibration would be so bad that the wheels could be seen shaking from side to side.

Is this possibly from a cloged power steering line that gave through with the hard stopping? Just wondered if maybe something else was the cause and it may return. I did recheck every nut and bolt on the repair work and made sure it was nothing I did.

 

i have never heard of a problem like that. dont think the steering pump can get a plug or blockage in it. im guessing it something with the ABS in a tight turn when wheel speeds on the outside of the curve dont match the speed on the inside.

 

Don't really know Steve.. Whatever it was, it not longer does it. My first thought was that it could do with the new pads shuddering, getting use to the new router but then thought, they are new and all surfaces are clean and smooth.

I was the wackiest thing I ever saw in any vehicle. I asked several places and they said that usually, if a power steering pump is bad or on its way out, it would normally squeal not shudder. Now that the symptoms are gone, it may remain a mystery.

As to the curves not matching, I don't know what you mean. This happened also when I had the vehicle in drive, stopped and then turned my wheel sharply.

Oh well, thanks

 

Actually that is a commom complaint.

When the steering is moved side to side with the engine off, air is introduced into the system causing the shudder on first start.

Turning the steering lock to lock with engine running purges the air.

 

Thanks Aquanaut Good to know next time

 

Does a 95 explorer have wheel play that goes in & Out? I was told that so long as the play is not from up, down, lef or right, your fine but being able to slide it out and then in about 1/2" or less is common.

Any comments on this? Doesn't really make sense to me but then again, I'm no mechanic.

 

the newere EXP have independant rear suspension and there is no clearance. the 95- era trucks as those before them had a regular rear axle like all trucks and cars. the axle shaft pushes into the tube and splines into the bevel set. a c-clip holds it in, so it is common to have maybe 1/16 to 1/8 inch end shake on that type axle. not 1/2 inch. you are correct, no up and down movement is normal.