Front end trouble
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 249
Likes: 1
From: Middletown, PA
Front end trouble
Just hauled a Jeep and trailer for 250 miles with no issues. Driving my 2002 F350 back to the hotel after a day of wheeling my Jeep, not the F350, and it felt like I was driving over rumble strips with the drivers side front wheel. Just had the alignment and everything checked last Monday. I pulled over, started driving again, it started rumbling again. I pulled over again, did not see anything visible, nothing seemed loose. Started driving again, drive 10 more miles with no issues. I am 250 miles from home and concerned about the drive home with the trailer and jeep behind me. Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Thanks!
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 571
Likes: 8
Needle bearings gone in the wheel bearings same thing happened to my dads 250 and I can't remember if it was the needle bearings or if the axle tube seal was the issue anyway he replaced bothe sides bearings and seals and it fixed the problem. His wouldn't do it all the time it kinda came and went as he was driving.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 249
Likes: 1
From: Middletown, PA
I torqued the lug nuts myself. They are good.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 249
Likes: 1
From: Middletown, PA
OK, made it the 250 miles home with no issues, only a few rumbles from the front end occasionally. I am wanting to replace these bearing, I see that there are fine thread and course thread, how do I know what i need BEFORE I pull it apart since once I get it apart I have no transportation. Also, I could not get my auto hubs to lock when I put the truck in 4WD. I had to manually lock the hubs. Could that be part of the problem? I would like to get all this taken care of in ONE day at one time. Any advice would be very, very much appreciated. Thanks!
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 571
Likes: 8
The threads they are talking about is the wheel studs just pull off a lug nut and look as for the 4 wheel drive sometimes the rubber vacuum lines going to the hubs rot out or like mine came unplugged. Just inspect the vacuum line going down behind the hub it's the only vacuum line going down to the wheels or one of the Orings could be bad in the bearing pack. I would check or replace the axle tube seals while you have it all apart.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 571
Likes: 8
Also rotate the tires first to see if the vibration goes away before you put money into bearings.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Middletown, PA
They were just rotated last week.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
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I think that is what he is getting at. It started after u rotated the tires. I think he wants you to put them back in the original place and then drive it.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 249
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From: Middletown, PA
I understand that, but I drove 300 plus miles after I rotated them and then this grinding / growling noise started.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 353
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just FYI...Advanced Auto now carries Moog hub assemblies that come w/ new studs already installed...their a nice piece. Mine did the grinding thing too when it totally failed, i popped the wheel off and i could literally shake the whole rotor all over the place...pretty scary.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
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If it is the needle bearings, you should be able to lock the hub manually and drive the truck in 2wd and the noise will go away. My guess is the lockout hub isn't disengaging completely (happened to me). It would explain the intermittent symptoms.
Were you wheeling at the Jeep festival here in Butler?
Were you wheeling at the Jeep festival here in Butler?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 7,404
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From: Wheatland, Mo
I know this happened while you were on a road trip, but something I noticed with mine. Never failed but each day on my way home I would get this slight rumbling from my left front. My first thought too was the needle bearings. However, as it only happens for a few seconds about every other day, I figured it would hold out. As it kept happening tho, I realized it was in the same place on the way home when it happened. Turned out to be some checkering in the pavement that made the sound if I was in the left lane. The checkring wasn't all the way across so if i was in the right lane, no noise. Had to slow down one day to see just what it was on the road and that is how i found it.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 249
Likes: 1
From: Middletown, PA
If it is the needle bearings, you should be able to lock the hub manually and drive the truck in 2wd and the noise will go away. My guess is the lockout hub isn't disengaging completely (happened to me). It would explain the intermittent symptoms.
Were you wheeling at the Jeep festival here in Butler?
Were you wheeling at the Jeep festival here in Butler?
I did get stuck in the F350, the auto hubs would not lock so I locked them manually. After I got out I unlocked them and put them back in "auto". Thanks for the suggestions.