Thread: 2003 Explorer rear end roar - just bearings?
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Old 03-29-2012, 04:57 PM
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impish
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Originally Posted by senix
Pull the wheels and see if the bearings are bad at each wheel.

Pull the plug on the diff and check the fluid level as well.

do those before you just start replacing.
......"Pull the wheels and see if the bearings are bad at each wheel."

How do you "see" this? I had suspicious noise for several thousand miles, almost a "humming" sound, thought it HAD to be gears. Lot easier to replace wheel bearings, though. Could feel NOTHING BAD when I turned the wheels by hand. Put up on stands, run in "Drive" about 20mph, listened with stethoscope "hose": noise most pronounced at left-rear wheel hub, not center section or pinion bearings. I tore that wheel bearing apart and found a very tiny galled surface in the outer race, not enough to rumble or grind, as shiny surface still existed for the roller to go over on either side of the imperfection. Replaced hub and bearing, noise gone. OK now last 30K miles. impish

 
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