I have been posting in another thread following along with diagnosing some front end noise. I decided to start a separate thread so I don't hijack. I have been noticing a popping noise from my front drivers side wheel when I make slow turns. The problem got worse quickly to the point where today I said I'm not driving the truck any more until I figure it out. I drove with the front hubs locked and with them on auto and this made no difference. At that point I figured it had to be the inner hub bearing or the ujoints. I performed the front needle bearing lubrication maintenance at 60,000 miles and have only put 12,000 miles on since. I disassembled the front hub tonight to inspect the bearing and everything looks fine. Needle bearing is in great shape and the axle stub is not scratched or scared. So now I am thinking the Ujoints need too be inspected. I've gone this far, how do I get the axle shaft out in order to really inspect the ujoints?

 

Once the hub is out, you can put a long bar or tire iron behind one of the u joints and just pop out the axle shaft. Thats what i did

 

There is some type of retaining ring still in front of the ujoints inside the hub. Don't I need to get that out first? Does it just pop out? And then I need to replace that, does anyone know the part number? Thanks guys, I'm trying to go out of town this weekend and really need to get this done.

 

have you checked your ball joints? mine made a popping noise sometimes, youcould feel it through the truck. see if you can lift the axle up or down. mine would lifty aboyt an inch. replaced ball joints no more problem.

 

I finally found the section in my factory service manual DVD under Wheel Knuckle. Geeze, its so hard to find stuff on that thing sometimes. I have such a hard time believing the ujoints or ball joints have gone bad after only 72,000 miles. I don't submerge in water, I don't drive it hard. I'll check the ball joints tonight when I get home, but after really thinking about this whole thing I'm wondering if somehow my hubs were just not disengaging. I have been having issues with my ESOF for a while. Before I started taking this all apart I should have really checked to see if my hubs were disengaging from the axle. I didn't do that. So I think when I get home tonight I'm going to check the ball joints. If they look good I'm going to throw it back together and drive it. If it is still making the noise I'm going to verify my hubs are disengaging. If the hubs are disengaging then I'll have to remove the axle and attack the ujoints. So my question, before I pursue this line of reasoning is..... If my hub was not disengaging, could that cause the type of symptom I am experiencing? Could a tight turn with the hubs locked in cause the kind of popping and skipping I am feeling?

Oh, one more thing, by the way. The axle dust shields on both sides are wasted. Is this something to worry about? Should I be removing the axle just to replace the dust seals?

Thanks again everyone.

 

I get a popping knocking noise with the hubs locked in and turning tight... I have new ball joints, u joints and bearings. If a hub was sticking, yes it would cause weird noises. I haven't seen one super duty so far that didn't have the dust shields fallen apart. For piece of mind I did mine. Yes, those little c clips must be removed before you go punching out the caps. They remove by using a flat screwdriver, but some people have had them seized... mine came out with a screwdriver

 

You are talking about the c-clips on the ujoint caps right? not c-clips in order to remove the axle.

 

You are talking about the c-clips on the ujoint caps right? not c-clips in order to remove the axle. So you are saying that if my hub was stuck and not disengaged I could experience the symptoms I am describing?

 

I sent you a pm with a my cell number, sometimes things can get done easier on the phone, and all those little type questions get out. There are no c clips holding the axleshaft into the differential. Once you have the unit bearing off, the axleshaft pops out, (usually use a pry bar). Something you could do to verify your hubs are disengaged, is actually just remove them. They just have that little retainer, so pull them both, and go around the block, or just try to turn sharp in the driveway and see if you still get the popping. The fact you said it made no difference, hubs locked in, or not, makes me a little suspicious as to whats really going on with your hubs. With the hubs locked in, its not uncommon to get a hop, or something along the lines of a hop, while turning sharp, and pulling ahead. The differential just cant make the difference up in wheel speed, and one side slips, or hops. Also, while the hubs are out, jack up each side, and rotate the tires, check for noises and such.

 

OK I got this whole thing resolved last night. I'm so stupid, but I learned a lot too. Turns out my ESOF system just did not generate enough, or any, vacuum in order to disengage the hubs. How long they had been locked in I don't know. I don't drive the truck that much. So I put it all back together, verified the manual hub lock is working correctly and took a drive with the hubs disengaged. No popping noise! Ok, so my ESOF isn't working. That will just have to wait for another day. Truck will pull boat again this weekend, yea!! Thanks for the help guys!