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Apr 26, 2004 | 10:03 AM

ham4ever

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From: pa.

New Problem

I have a 1988 f-150 I started out to work the other morning and when I came up to a stop sigh to stop I heard what sounded like a grinding noise and several load thumps under the truck.I started to take the truck back home and the grinding noise went away and no more thumping noise. The truck sounds fine now. Could I have a transmission problem? I have not had any problems with transmission. I am not sure what this problem is I am thinking transmission,u-joint or rear end. The thumps that I had shook the whole truck I thought I had lost a drive shaft.
Anyone have any ideas.

Thanks

Apr 26, 2004 | 10:54 AM

MustangGT221

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From: Topsfield, MA

So it's only happened once? Hard to say exactly, u-joints clanking are usually just a small thud when torque changes (shifting or going from forward to reverse or vise versa). Take a look under and see if you can find anything loose...

Apr 26, 2004 | 12:50 PM

99 ranger bob

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From: formerly Brooklyn NY now

sounds like something may have broken in one of the pumpkins maybe? or the transfer case? you couldnt tell from where the sound came like front center or rear?

Apr 26, 2004 | 01:48 PM

ham4ever

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From: pa.

Thanks for your replies. The noise sounds like it might have come from the transfer case area. I have heard that clunk before when I put the truck into 4wd. Sometimes when I put it into 4wd and go forward or in reverse I would hear a loud hard clunk not all of the time but sometimes. I did not have it in 4wd when I had this recent problem.

Thanks again for replies.

Apr 26, 2004 | 04:43 PM

Lou Braun

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Nov 2003

Posts: 1,372

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From: West Cornwall, CT

Do you have automatic hubs? Auto hubs can partially engage when you are slowing down or when making a slow speed turn. A grinding noise will occur.

Lou Braun

Apr 26, 2004 | 10:13 PM

Slade901

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Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 354

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From: Memphis, TN USA

This might not be related but on our old vehicle I heard a thump under the vehicle near where the differential assembly is located at. Finally, one day the vehicle stop moving after I heard a loud thump. The drive shaft and the differential assembly had moved up.
Apparently, the U clamps on the leaf springs that holds the differential assembly in place had loosened and allows the whole differential assembly to move instead of just moving the internals (shaft/gears).
The fix was to put a new U clamps and tightened it up to proper torque and put one shock absorber on the other side of the differential assembly. The old setup was that the two shock absorber was behind the differential assembly. Now, one is the back and one in the front of the differential assembly.

Apr 27, 2004 | 08:42 AM

ham4ever

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From: pa.

I do have automatic hubs. For awhile now I have heard what sounds like a front tire rubbing on something. The rubbing noise increases with speed and decreases and stops when the truck stops. I am not sure if this is related with automatic hubs or not? Would the hubs cause the loud clunks that I heard? The rubbing noise is not present when it is warm out only when it is cold outside. I have driven the truck for a day now and not had the grinding noise ot the loud clunk that happen the otherday.
IS THIS THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM????

Thanks for all replies

Pat

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Apr 27, 2004 | 10:50 AM

ham4ever

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From: pa.

tire noise

SSN Randy
Thanks for the info do I need to take the automatic hubs apart to spay the wd40 in the seal? If I do need to take apart is the hub under any kind of spring tension? I have never had to take hubs apart not sure what is involved.

Thanks

Apr 27, 2004 | 01:08 PM

#10

ssn randy

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From: va beach VA

no, just crawl under the truck. do you have a solid axle? right where the axle mates up you should see where the axle goes into the backing plate for the mounting location of the brakes. a 3-4" diameter rubber ring wipes the axle and keeps out dust it also keeps the oil in the axle housing. spray there. not sure on yours, but if you can see the axle u-joint follow that out to the seal. the seal fit into the hub.
hope this helps

Apr 28, 2004 | 08:18 AM

#11

ham4ever

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From: pa.

Tire noise

SSN Randy
Thanks for the info on the seals I will try that and see if the noise stops.I have driven truck a couple of days now and I am still not sure where the grinding noise came from and the loud clunks under the truck. Maybe some how my automatic hubs did engage. I will keep my finger crossed what ever happen the otherday was a fluke and nothing serious happen.

thanks again for info