Hi, I'm a newbie

Here's what I've got: 99 PSD 7.3L 166k miles. I've owned it 3 years.

Here's my problem. Somewhere in the front end, brakes, wheel, axle, hub, I don't know there is something going on. It is making this strange growling/grinding sound moving forward, not when stopping. Then it will almost act like it's slipping on ice and stop growling for a few seconds and then resume. It also pulls a little when it is "slipping" Seems to be coming from the front passenger side wheel area. It also just before I parked it a week and a half ago, was making a funning burning fluid smell. Thought the caliper may be stuck or something amiss in the brake there. Right now we have that tire off and so far everything looks normal. Have not really dug into it though.

Any ideas??
Thanks!

 

Were you in 4WD or were your Hubs locked? My truck, if it sat, would semi-lock the hubs by itself. I would have to back up to unlock them. Then all was good. And when I have them locked and in or out of 4WD they make noise, but they always have and they work fine.

 

It does not have auto hubs, they are manual. I have had to do the backing up thing with autos but never my manuals. Do they even make auto hubs in PSDs?? Anyway to answer your question, yes the hubs were locked but it was not in 4x4

 

I must have gotten one of the last ones with auto hubs. Wish I had manual ones, the autos have been a pain. But only for locking themselves. When my hubs are locked but I am not in 4WD there is a gear noise I hear from the tranfer case. It has always done it and the 4WD works fine. It does sound like a growling noise. It goes away and comes back when I am on and off the throttle. Almost like the gears catch up in the tranfer case when I accel but idle alond when I let off or maintain speed. Has not caused a problem in over 132000 miles.

 

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my dads 99 had the same grinding sound, didnt "skate" though. It was the axle bearing inside the unit bearing it was grinding away at the axleshaft.

 

Tim, great Welcome!

I sure hope someone has some good advice on my truck. I hate to pay the hourly rate for a mechinic when it can be fixed at home.

 

I had a wheel bearing bearing go on me, broke the race and spit the bearings out. It would grind all the time if it was a wheel bearing.

 

I never said it was the wheel bearing I said the axle bearing it is inside the unit bearing, and as far as i know the whole unit bearing has to be replaced when the axle bearing goes, Also my 2000 the wheel bearing just went bad and it never made any grinding noises it just clicked at low speeds.I have replaced two driversides and one passengerside on my truck in the last 40,000 miles but I run wide 36s and my truck sees alot of water crossings, with the reputation these trucks have for wheel bearings going out I would definatly check it.

 

is there a way for me to check the wheel bearings? is there a test? or should I have my husband just pull them and look? Is there a post where this procedure has been explained before? Also what would the cost be. I think that I should start there since it seems this may be the culprit. Thanks.

 

With the wheel jacked up try to wiggle it top to bottom, also pull the brake caliper off and spin the wheel it should spin smooth, If its the axle bearing the only way to tell is to pull the unit bearing, and take a look at the axle bearing it is in the backside of the unit bearing. Last unit bearing i bought cost around $275.

 

I just had these symptoms on my o1. I replaced the hubs with Warn premiums and it went away. If you remove the hub cap, then pull the retaining ring around the hub with needle nose pliers then gently tap the hub with a rubber mallet and pull it straight out of the wheel. Then go drive it. The bearings are sealed so you cant hurt anything. Mine was making all kinds of sounds and clicks and so on. I pulled both hubs off in about 3 minutes and all sounds and hopping and skipping went away. Hope this helps.

 

Hmm, this is good information. Do you mind going into a little more detail as to how to remove the hubs? Or do you recommend a certain manual that can help me work on them? Thanks!!

 

It is really easy. Look straight at the rim, pull off the lug nut cover,(hub cap) and look at the auto hub. You will see a retaining ring around the outside of the part you turn. Grab it with needle nose pliers and pull. It will come out and then tap the hub back and forth to loosen the seal. Not to hard as you can damage the O ring inside. The hubs operate off of vacuum so if the seal goes bad, the hubs will lock up in 4wd so they dont leave you stranded in the mud. Anyways, pull the hub out and there you are. I have a friend at the local ford dealer and he says the hubs are not reallly serviceable other than squirting some grease inside and hoping that they will work.
For your info- Dealer hubs installed will run you around $500 for the same thing you have. Aftermarket Warn hubs- which I love- will run you around $250 installed. I can not believe the amount of plastic inside the stock ones. It is really cheap looking. The warns are really heavy metal and come with a lifetime warranty, no questions asked. Hope this helps. It fixed mine instantly. By the way, you can pull the hubs out and drive and see if it goes away, if not, maybe get hubs. my .02 cents Good luck, happy wrenchin'!!

 

my wifes 2000 did it similar to your symtoms just got the noise no change in driving it was a wheel bearing. i put the warn premium hubs in it while i was in there, i just didnt like the way the factory manual hubs engaged and disengaged