hey i have an interesting dilema. It sounds as if i am dragging a chain from my left front wheel, it doesnt happen all the time, but does happen alot. Could it be the wheel bearings? I know i need to replace the brakes (disc front, drum rear) and i am planning on doing the rotors as well when i do the front, but im just curious if the wheel bearings could be causing the "chain dragging" i am hearing.

 

Any help at all or referral would be helpful

 

It's kind of tough to tell over the internet. My '69 has a high pitched metallic noise (kind of a tink....tink....tink) from the front end. It goes away with the SLIGHTEST application of brakes (I have factory disc fronts). I was thinking it was wheel bearings so I re-packed them and torqued them to 17-25 ft lbs (don't remember exactly, however, this is the spec Chilton's gives). Anyway, it's still there. I haven't really worried about it anymore though.

Now that I've rambled, I'm thinking your problem could be wheel bearings. Either out of adjustment or out of grease, or something. Next time it happens see if it goes away when you apply the brakes. It shouldn't take much. To my thinking if it starts with the brakes, it's the brakes.....if it goes away with the brakes, it's wheel bearings.

Hope this helps!!!

-Jake

 

jerry,
it maybe a bearing, on disc brakes the brake pedal will be erratic. 1 second fine the next to the floor. but a bearing will make noise all the time when they start to go. worn pads will make a similar noise. if the pads are down to the squeelers it will make the same noise. then goes away when applied it depends on the wear of the pad. usually the inside pad that wears funny.
for the simple reason that the caliper piston can move and rock from side to side. causing uneven wear, or wedged shaped. on the business end of the pad. thats my opinion i could be wrong! sorry jerry over the years thats what i've seen. again thats the mecanic in me!

jack

 

thanks guys i appriciate it

 

your welcome.

jack

 

We need to get Chris (Redneck-cowboy) in on this one too. He's our resident Ford tech!

 

Don't worry I made it, lol. I was kinda reading through and hopeing he'd answered jseim44's question about if the noise existed when the brakes were pressed. Let me know. As far as wheel bearing goes ur prolly gonna hear a growling, take it out on the road (highway) that is pretty empty and get it up to the speed where it starts making the noise, now swerve to the left and right using both lanes (take into consideration the speed your traveling) and listen. If your left front wheel bearing is bad your gonna hear the noise louder when you swerve to the right and it should dissipear when you swerve back left. Most of the time this is a pretty good test for catching a wheel bearing, but first just drive it around and push the brakes on and off and listen for a change. If the noise is very noticable just jack up the left front and spin the wheel and see if you can tell where it's coming from, then proceed to take the wheel off, then the brakes and if it's still making the noise it's most likely the wheel bearing, but I will ask you this, is the truck 4wd? If so you could have a lockout that's falling apart to or if your driving it around in 4wd a left front U-joint could be wobbled out or if it's a 97 F-150 and up your front end turns all the time, but those also use a CV shaft, so you'd hear a clicking when you turned if that was bad or if all the grease came out it could start to make a pretty mean noise if it's been driven for a longtime without.

 

no its nothing like that, it does it more as im driving, i am beginning to believe that its something from the trans. i dont know, once i get back to work im replacing thr trans anyhow as well as the rotor drums and the rest of the brake system

 

chris,
you have point there! but what i said was something to look for. but its hard to diagnose over the internet. not with out looking at it personally.
all i can do is put my 2 cents in to help out! its just an idea or what to look for! granted i'm no FORD TECH but i have a mechanical back ground.
and i have seen alot of different stuff go wrong. sorry!

jack

 

Not to hi jack here, but with my '69 I started swerving all over and the noise went away when I was swerving. Wheel bearing? Could I get by with just adjusting it or should I get new ones? I repacked hoping that would help, but it didn't seem to.

-Jake

 

i was just trying to help sorry! i'll never do that again!

later

 

Hey Jack, I'm not sure what you mean "i was just trying to help sorry! i'll never do that again!". Your help IS appreciated by myself and the OP, no doubt. If we didn't want different opinions/ideas we wouldn't post on a public forum

-Jake

 

well,
i am beginning to seriously doubt that it is the wheel bearings. It only makes the noise while its in the lower gears, but once it shifts into hi gear, it stops, with an occasional rattle every now and then. I say when it shifts, because it takes a long time to shift and once it does, it slips getting into drive. Once i get the money im pulling it out and having it rebuilt however.
Thanks for your help guys

 

????? Did I say you were wrong or something in someway? No... If fact you just mentioned the first part of all the brake stuff that could go wrong with some of the wheel bearing part.... all I did was add to it???? Sorry if I offended you in someway, I certainly didn't mean to, I was also just throwing in my 2 cents, I never said I was the one to listen to.... I'm not diagnoising anything over the interent, just giving advice on how to go about getting us more info. FORD RANGER, I'm sure you know as well as I do being in the business that you have to really grille some customers to find out exactly what's going on (No offense to anyone by that....) so I was just going through all the possibilities. Sorry if I offended you. I'm also just here to help, my advice is my advice, take it or leave it.

jseim44, I assume it got louder when you swerved to one side? If you've already repacked em and tightened them to torque you can try tightening them up a bit, but you might end up having to get new ones. How did the bearing "feel" when you had it apart the last time? Did you happen to take a look to see if there wasn't a few pits in the race?