my 96 is making a chirping noise from left front wheel. it's heard at low speed, forward or reverse and usually after the truck's been driven for awhile.(would a bearing be temp sensitive, that is making noise after it's "warmed up")? could it be something else

 

Any vibration thru the vehicle when you hear the noise ? Have you checked the front brakes & hardware for any problems ?

 

Had the same sound with my exploder and turned out being the brake pad "Squeaker" bar that hits the brake caliper when the pad is worn down. Jack it up and pull the wheel to take a look. Will take ya about 15 minutes and is worth finding and fixing before you possibly go metal on metal and have to spend $150.00+ to replace a eaten away caliper like I did. Good luck!

 

Normally, if a wheel bearing is bad, you can spin the wheel by hand and hear it. I have had wheel bearings that sound terrible, even when jacked up and not under load, yet when I pulled the bearing it looked fine visibly.

Winford

 

I think I have the same problem: does it sound like a bird (most notably, a Mourning Dove taking off) from 20 - 30 MPH, then disappear?

I've had teh problem for over a year, have taken it to my honest mechanic three times. He can't find any problems with bearings or belt slippage, and said it may be a bushing in the front end somewhere - BUT he doesn't want to do a $300+ rebuild for nothing.

The sound has gotten more persistent in the past few months; I hope someone can help point us in the rigt direction, as I really don't want to go to a dealer or off-raod place and hand then a blank check!

Any help or info appreciated!

 

I have the same bird in my front driver's side wheel. At low speeds it seems much louder. I have taken it in several times and nobody can find out what it is. At VERY low speeds (creeping along) i can feel it in the brake pedal and steering wheel as almost a *click*click*click*click*click* like i'm passing over individual notches of some sort - when sped up to driving speed would sound like a chirping. I've always suspected a brake pad rubbing against the rotor, but there is no evidence of that. I'm also guessing that there might be a defective ball in the bearings, which wouldn't be rolling smoothly as it comes under the heaviest pressure part of the rotation. It seems to give me a series of "clicks" more frequently than 1 whole rotation of the tire or so... which would seem to indicate a problem on opposing sides of the wheel, OR the same faulty ball in the bearings is passing by the top and bottom of its rotation cycle. I'm printing out this thread and taking it down today to the mechanics to see if what you guys have posted is any help. I'll let you know what we come up with.

Mikal

 

Marlin my '98 Explorer had the very same problem. I had the left inner
seal lubed & the sound quit, now 7500 mi's later I'm getting a
"grinding" type sound from the same wheel (see my post). The mechanic
say's he isn't sure if it is the bearing as the wheel wasn't loose. It
doesn't do anything weird while driving only when I make a left turn
do you notice the sound. I'm sure from the reply I got & reading the
replies your getting that it very well be the bearing ($389.00 as the
hub & bearing are one piece)!

 

OSB,
Are you talking about a 4 wheel drive unit? Cause I replaced all the bearings and seals on my 96 today (a 2 wheel drive) and the cost for all parts including brake pads was $101.00 from FORD

 

nightri1
Yes I have a 4 wd mdl. That price was quoted from my Ford dealer &
doesn't include labor!:-X23

 

>Marlin my '98 Explorer had the very same problem. I had the
>left inner
>seal lubed & the sound quit, now 7500 mi's later I'm getting
>a
>"grinding" type sound from the same wheel (see my post). The
>mechanic
>say's he isn't sure if it is the bearing as the wheel wasn't
>loose. It
>doesn't do anything weird while driving only when I make a
>left turn
>do you notice the sound. I'm sure from the reply I got &
>reading the
>replies your getting that it very well be the bearing
>($389.00 as the
>hub & bearing are one piece)!

here is what happens


On 4wd models the wheelbearing/hub asy.has a inner axle seal that is located on the outer portion of the axle shaft( CVC joint half shaft).
This seal or lip rides up against a metal cup which becomes worn over time.The metal cup also becomes pited or worn which no longer keeps dirt or water out of your Hub assy.
They tend to make noise or a light chirp,kinda like the metalic sound heard when the brake pad warning tab touches the rotor

The metal cup gets pressed out and new one pressed in,so when replacing seals or wheel bearing hub assy. replace the seal and the metal cup!
good for another 100,000

You can feel or hear these hub assy when they go bad.

Rich


Ford Trucks Built Tough!
not with rocks
Watch out "X" Mayor of Truckville

 

>>Marlin my '98 Explorer had the very same problem. I had the
>>left inner
>>seal lubed & the sound quit, now 7500 mi's later I'm getting
>>a
>>"grinding" type sound from the same wheel (see my post). The
>>mechanic
>>say's he isn't sure if it is the bearing as the wheel wasn't
>>loose. It
>>doesn't do anything weird while driving only when I make a
>>left turn
>>do you notice the sound. I'm sure from the reply I got &
>>reading the
>>replies your getting that it very well be the bearing
>>($389.00 as the
>>hub & bearing are one piece)!
>
>here is what happens
>
>
>On 4wd models the wheelbearing/hub asy.has a inner axle seal
>that is located on the outer portion of the axle shaft( CVC
>joint half shaft).
>This seal or lip rides up against a metal cup which becomes
>worn over time.The metal cup also becomes pited or worn
>which no longer keeps dirt or water out of your Hub assy.
>They tend to make noise or a light chirp,kinda like the
>metalic sound heard when the brake pad warning tab touches
>the rotor
>
>The metal cup gets pressed out and new one pressed in,so
>when replacing seals or wheel bearing hub assy. replace the
>seal and the metal cup!
>good for another 100,000
>
>You can feel or hear these hub assy when they go bad.
>
>Rich
>
>
>Ford Trucks Built Tough!
>not with rocks
>Watch out "X" Mayor of Truckville




Is it possible to replace just the inner axle seal?

 

Sure you can, but your removing the hub assy. anyway! These bearings are
sealed non repairable.plus the half shaft has to come out of the steering knuckle.
I recommend when replacing that seal ,you replace the metal cup also!

Rich



Ford Trucks Built Tough!
not with rocks
Watch out "X" Mayor of Truckville

 

Hey guys, I gave out some bad info. The cost of the Hub Assembly
($389.00) did include the labor. The Hub Assembly is only $261.50,
sorry got to get the story straight.

 

Okay guys what do ya'all think? I took the old '98 Explorer in to get
that left Hub Assembly replaced. They replaced it & it still made that
"funny" sound, they chk'd Ford Tech & found out that on the '98 Mdl
that noise is "normal". They chk'd U-joints, front drivetrain, etc.
and found everything within spec's. Remember that the front end doesn't do anything weird ie: doesn't shimmy or pull to the left, etc. Man, if there ain't anything wrong it sure is irritating(sp).
Thanks for all the info.