Hey guys! I'll try to make this brief. I got new tires a few months ago and when the shop was putting them on they said the driver's side ball joints had a little wiggle in them. I've noticed it has gotten worse and I am going to change them prob next week. I am just going got do both sides while I have it torn apart. I have found some great info on how to do that. I also have noticed some ratcheting sounds from the drivers side hub when I start the truck and accelerate, and then it feels like there's a pop and the sounds goes away. Also if I flip on the 4x4 switch while there is the ratcheting sound it goes away. Is that just from a vacuum leak in the system? I don't know a whole lot about that, or what hoses are vacuum hoses etc. I haven't really looked in the manual that much yet. My big question is this, I was driving down the freeway going about 70 when all of a sudden there was a gear grinding type sound, kinda like when you try to start a car that has already been started and the starter teeth make that grinding sound. Could it be that the axle has started to get some play from the ball joints getting worse and then it just reached the right RPM to cause a crazy vibration? Or could the 4x4 have a possible malfunction to where it tried to engage but the truck was going too fast? It hasn't happened again, but I have not gone 70 again either. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!

 

Sounds like a unit bearing, mine was making a similar noise, but I replaced it before it made it to the grinding noise...Sounds like you have a couple of things wrong. I am pretty sure going 70MPH your ball joints are going to make minimal to no noise at all. Ball joint noise is more prevalent when you are turning or going over a bump. If you lift the front end up and turn the wheels by hand you should be able to hear the popping sound from the unit bearing. I could on mine and that's how I found it.

-Art

 

Dang, I bet that got your attention Nothing in the tie-rod / ball joint category will go south that fast other than complete separation / breakage. Nor would you get that type of grinding noise from those components. It does not sound good ( no pun intended ). When thing are off & on they are the hardest to find BUT I'd jack it up & check out the hub bearings. There not cheap BUT that would be better than something internal in the axel / 4x4 system.

 

Sounds alot like when my hub went out. Your going to be taking the hubs off anyway to do ball joints. The last 3 feet getting the truck in the garage the hub froze on me glad it was at 5 mph and not 70...

 

lol my hub froze on me at 55-60 mph on a highway

trust me when i say it sounds like something punched your floor pan and it pulls to the busted side hard (obviously) not something you really want to guess on

but yeah it sounds like a hub, like maybe the needle bearing is catching and randomly engaging the axle stub. ball joints dont really grind they pop. spinning components grind so i'd vote for wheel hub bearing too

 

Totally agree with replies so far. This is likely just the unit bearing, and NOT the ball joints. I had a suspension shop tell me I needed ball joints. They were wrong. I needed unit bearings only. All symptoms same as yours.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. I jacked up the front end and it's definitely the bearing unit that has gone bad. As far as the ball joints go, when I drive down the road just slow, it just sounds and feels like there's something loose whenever I go over the smallest bump. Could that be the bearing unit, or just the ball joints? Is there a way to check for bad ball joints Also, do you guys know if the 2000 Excursion has course or fine thread lug bolts on the bearing unit. They sell both and I can't seem to find anywhere that specifies what it is. Thanks again for all your help!

 

Its very possible your sway bar bushings are past it. When they go out the bar will make a thud type noise over bumps. The end links can go out and make a higher pitched knock over bumps as well. Ball joints will also do this however. Come to think of it, a spent wheel bearing can clunk around also if its bad enough.


fix what you know is bad first, your bearing. Then with the axle jacked up and the wheel off the ground, put a long prybar under the tire at the 6 o'clock position and pull straight upwards at the end a few times. If there is movement have someone else do it and look at the ball joints. It will be obvious if they are bad.

 

2000 Ex is coarse!

 

I replaced the sway bar bushings and end links as well a few months ago. I'll replace the bearings and go from there. Thanks for the advice!

 

Just what I needed to know! Thank you!