If anyone else has had the number of problems with wheel bearings I have please be sure to file a complaint with the NHTSA regarding this defect. Even if your truck only lost one bearing, file the comlaint. If enough poeple complain maybe Ford will have to fix the junk they sold. This is my 3rd wheel bearing failure. First the rear passenger then the driver side front and now the driver side rear. Just waiting patiently for the passenger front to fail. I know I am not the only one to experience this problem and people need to make their voices heard to get anything done. All of us have paid plenty of money for the truck we drive and none of us should have to put up with these problems.

Add the wheel bearing issues to the junk transmissions, 4x4 control modules, transfercase shift motors, and timing chain issues and this vehicle is simply steel wrapped around junk. I thought that was Dodge not Ford

 

I have a 94. I still have the original wheel bearings, transmission, 4x4 control module and transfer case shift motor with 220,000 kms. What year is yours?

 

2002 which from what I can tell from 02 to 05 are the problem childs. I've dumped more money in this than I should have but at what point do you cut bait and run? I couldn't sell it with a trash tranny and after putting that kind of money into it, I had to fix the bearings to drive and recoup some of the money.

 

Bought an 04 new because thats what my wife wanted to brive. We are looking at new super duty trucks to pull a trailer with. I wanted a ford but my wife says not after the Explorer. Looks like its going to br a Toyota Tundra and I kinda agree. The Explorer is the biggest mistake I've ever made.

 

great, just bought one!

at least it has a warranty for a couple of years longer.

i like this thing. i really want to put a superduty drivetrain under it, the axles, diesel and all.

 

As my name implies, I love the Ford Trucks. I've had a couple 150's and now a 99 350 with 7.3 PSD. Love the 350 I pull 10-14K around somewhat frequently and sometimes 10k through the hills and it hasn't broken yet (better knock on some wood) But the Explorer as I said was junk wrapped in sheet metal. If you've experienced any of these problems, you need to file the complaint. It costs nothing and can be done online or by phone.

 

i have put one front and one rear bearing on my 2002. but dont think that is out of the question for 100K miles. Wish they lasted forever, but 100K is not bad.

 

My first bearing(right front) went bad at around 55k miles.I replaced the left front at about 90k before it went bad and the right rear started falling apart last summer at 123k and had dealer replace it.Two weeks ago at 138k the left rear was wobbling like crazy and took to dealer and they also said the right rear was going again.They replaced the right rear for free and did the leeft for just under $400.00.I have well over $1000.00 in wheeel bearings in this thing.I paid $30k new and this is unacceptable to me!I just put a new toe link on rear this weekend also.

 

Take in to account what kind of work your explorer does before you say that isn't bad. I've got a F350 that I tow anywhere from 7500 lbs on a light day up to 13K on a heavy day. I drive this truck through fields and over terrain that would probably make the Explorer fall to pieces. I haven't hurt the truck yet. I had an f150 I treated the same way pulling the same kind of loads I did with my 350 and never hurt the truck. The 350 has 130K on the odo. The 150 had about 145K when I sold it. So I would say for a vehicle to fail at 50% in under 100K is not good. I was losing 1 every 10K starting after 60K I now have 80K and 3 new bearings on the truck and this is my wife's daily driver. She's not hard on the truck and infact I think sometimes she is almost too easy on it. For one more point. My dad drives a mid size toyota (T100 I think) He beats the hell out of his trucks and has never lost a bearing at over 300,000. Same can be said for the small toyota he had and the volkswagen pickup before that. Look at the number of problems you find with this truck and wheel bearings and then ask if it really isn't bad to loose 2 in under 100K. Then ask yourself when the other two are going to fail because you know they will.

 

I havnt had any fail on my 92 (458K) or 97 (350K), and they are not babied either.

Now, trannies is a different story.

 

I think the problem is with the 02 model and up where they changed the design after all the roll over law suits. If you check other forums and search under 2002 explorer wheel bearing replacement, You'll find a bunch of other owners who have had problems from about the 02 model to 05 being the newest one to show problems.

 

Is that what to expect 4bills each? Im just bracing myself...60K, no problems so far

 

bcjim,
the fronts are very easy to do if you know how to take do brakes. It's basically just remove the front tire, remove the brakes, take the rotor off, remove the center nut, remove the bolts on the back side of the assmbly ( a couple are a pain to get to) remove the hub and replace the hub and back together. The rear are the complicated ones. My bearings started going at about 50K. When you think you hear a tire howl, start thinking wheel bearings. When my first two went, it started out like tires on rough pavement kind of a low howl. Then worked it's way up to a twin engine plane very quickly.

 

The Super Duty and the Explorer have nothing in common. Having explorers and SDs in the family and owning them myself I know.

The Tundra has had more problems than the SD gassers. The tundra is a piece of tin foil compared to super duties.

 

I absolutely agree with this. The super duty trucks are very strong. The F150 is still a strong truck just not built as solid as the heavier truck. The Explorer was built for ride which still isn't impressive. My 99 F350 ride isn't smooth but it is a truck it isn't supposed to ride smooth like a cadillac or other luxury rides. But when you want to pull, nothing touches these trucks. If I put 2000 lbs in the bed it does ride nice or if you have some tongue weight it rides very nice. I pulled a skid loader from OH to Norfolk VA with my family in the truck and the ride was very nice. If you are looking for ride look at the smaller trucks if you want something that pulls go SD. It all depends on what you want to do with the truck.