I got the truck stuck yesterday doing a 5-point turn on a narrow mountain road yesterday while dropping my son off at a school field trip. My co-pilot/wife did warn me ("there's a dip") moments before I dropped the front passengers wheel into a 2 foot deep ditch! Anyway, one front wheel and the opposite rear wheel were off the ground and just spinning in 4wd. I had to swallow my pride and ask the property owner to pull me out of the "dip" with his Silverado.

Anyway, when I put the truck into 4wd (both high and low) the front drivers side made a loud, repetitive metallic "ping,ping, ping". Wondering if that would be the hub or the u-joint, any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

The front passenger side was spinning, but the front drivers side made the noise? So the side that was not turning made the noise?

I don't think we can say whether it was hub or U-joint. But the pre-'05 hubs really suck, so that's a good bet. But it could just be low vacuum. You'll neet to get it jacked up and do some further testing to find the problem. And there might not even be a problem when one wheel is spinning like that. If the wheels were in a hard turn, some pounding of the U-joints is normal.

 

I know this is a completely diffrent truck but I will say this anyways. Our 1984 Bronco 2 4x4 was in 4x4 after doing some heavy work did the same thing I figured automatically it was the hub. Well later on I found out the lug nuts had loosened up and the wheel was hitting something making that noise they had loosened just enough to do that so I tightened them problem solved. This might be the case I would try this maybe this is your problem. I don't know for sure I could be wrong. It isn't like it cost alot to do so give it a shot the worse that could happen is it is still doing the same thing.
Trav

 

Just like the sound my old 1995 F-150 made when I discovered I had broken the driver's side hub, and further discovered that 3 wheel drive just doesn't cut it.

 

Okay. Thanks for the replies. I'll remove the hub and take a look.

At the time the wheels weren't turned, they were pointing more or less straight. The truth is, there has been an issue with the 4wd since I got the truck, and I think it's time to deal with it. Nothing like a little embarrassment to motivate.

 

I know how you feel BC Hauler we were embaressed by a 90s cummins 2wd pulling us out of the mud while we were in our 02 F250 4x4 which the hubs and tires failed on us which automatically got me out thier to fix the problem.
Trav