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I purchased a new to me 2011 F350 a few weeks ago. In the last few days I've noticed a pinging/tinging/clanging sound coming from the front passenger side wheel. I checked it out, and there is a metal ring wrapped around where the axle goes into the hub. And it looks like there is a seal/gasket missing that would be wrapped around the axle as well. The axle has a lot of play to it now too, but after looking at the other axle/hub, it looks like that play is normally taken up from a seal/gasket. My question is, what is this seal/gasket? How hard/expensive would it be to replace myself? And is this a crucial issue / is it dangerous to keep driving as is? I also noticed that both front hubs have a hose that is broken/disconnected. What is this for? I'll include some pictures.
I'm no mechanic, but I've changed the hubs on a Jeep Wrangler before and am not shy to attempting repairs myself.
I think those hanging lines are just the vacuum lines to auto lock the hubs. My guess is your hubs may have been replaced by manual hubs.
For that hanging ring, I just looked at my 2011 F350 6.2l and I don’t see that on mine. I wonder if someone did some axle or u joint work at some point and left that on from something else. Note - I’m no mechanic; just a driver.
Your axle/joints look very clean/new compared to mine (I’m in the northeast), so maybe it was all replaced at some point.
If I'm seeing this correctly its the dust seal on the axle housing and not the front wheel bearing seal blown out???? If it is, in fact, the dust seal, its is a known issue. Cut it off and don't worry about it unless you frequently go mudding up to your door handles. It's more of a dust/debris seal. A newly revised seal does exist if you really feel the need to repair to OEM spec. You would need to pull it all apart to install them. Expensive if you cant do it yourself.
As noted ESOF(electronic shift on the fly) lines are broken. If you have the OEM ESOF hubs they won't work automatically without these vacuum lines repaired. The OEM hubs can leak as well which usually involves O ring failure in the hub, easy fix...If you have manual hubs then no need to repair. But I would block off the vac lines as it can affect the HVAC controls. You will only have defroster mode which is the default mode when that system is compromised.
EDIT!!! I think this may be a blown wheel bearing we are looking at??? The dust seal (on the axle housing) is smaller in diameter. The pics are looking at the knuckle side and not the housing side per my above text, correct? If its the bearing seal Replace bearing NOW! You have to hear grumbling?
The only thing supporting the axle is the hub and the inner needle bearing inside the main wheel bearing - I bet that inner needle bearing is shot. The metal piece is yes, a seal, but it's just a dust seal.
The only thing supporting the axle is the hub and the inner needle bearing inside the main wheel bearing - I bet that inner needle bearing is shot. The metal piece is yes, a seal, but it's just a dust seal.
06-30-2018, 10:57 AM
