Grinding, Rubbing and Locking....AWD

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Dec 13, 2009 | 08:12 PM

melllo

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Grinding, Rubbing and Locking....AWD

Hi,

I'm getting some strange symptoms from my 02 Mountaineer - V8 AWD, it has 124k on it.

When I turn, coming out my driveway or back out of a parking space, it sounds like something is rubbing, clicking, and sometimes it feels like my drive shaft it is locking. Some times when I pull in to my drive way it has makes those noises and on every click it feels like it's braking.

When I'm coasting I can here a gear like sound - like a gear drive, only not as loud and along with wheel spin.

I've checked my tire pressure, and they are where they need to be. Has any one experienced these symptoms? Can anyone suggest what to do? I'm a pretty good DIY'r.

Also, anyone have one of these? What kind of problems have you had with yours?

Thanks for any help!
Andy

Dec 13, 2009 | 08:22 PM

steve(ill)

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if it makes a whinning nosie driving down the road, my first guess would be a wheel bearing/ hub. If it does it more in reverse than forward and more at low speed, i would guess your rear parking brake shoes have fallen apart. Take off the wheel/ tire, then pull the brake disc. Emergency shoe is inside disc.

Dec 13, 2009 | 10:14 PM

FireMe

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From: Northfield, MI

Checked the fluids? Pinion bearings on the rear are a known issue. Look for metal particles on the plug.

Also, when is the last time you changed the transfer case fluid?

Dec 14, 2009 | 02:08 PM

melllo

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I have not checked the fluids...I believe that they are sealed with no dip stick for checking. I did check to see if there were leaks or sign of a leak and nothing.

I have not replaced any fluids in the tranny or the transfer case. I should, but I'm trying to figure out if there is a really big problem before I spend a lot of time and money doing all of these precautionary and maintenance tasks and then finding the problem still exists.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I'll definitely check the fluids, bearings and hub..

Could it be anythings else?

Andy

Dec 17, 2009 | 06:37 PM

melllo

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Guys...how can I check the bearings? What is a good approach to diagnose this? I have a jack and a 2 stands.

Dec 17, 2009 | 08:22 PM

steve(ill)

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hub/ bearings are a sealed unit. if the bearing goes bad, you change out the unit. It should whine all the time going down the road if it is the bearings. You jack wheel up 2 inches off the ground with jack under the A-frame so it does not drop the wheel sugnificanlly. Take the tire off and turn the brake drum slowly and listen. If its not too far gone, you will hear more brake dragging than bearing noise. I have had to take the brake caliper off to get that noise out of the way to check bearings---- that being said, your noise sounds more like emergency brake shoes to me???????

Dec 17, 2009 | 08:58 PM

melllo

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thanks Steve. I'll check them out tomorrow and report back.

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Dec 19, 2009 | 09:44 PM

54Guy

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From: North Central Washington

When MY bearings/hub went bad, on one side it just felt like I suddenly had square wheels, but not really any noise. later, when the OTHER side went bad, I had a bit of vibrations but mostly it sounded like I was dragging some sheet metal under my rig, got VERY noisy at times. They went bad about a year apart. I checked the parts price at the dealer and then bought 'em on ebay, for MUCH MUCH MUCH less. It was actually pretty simple repair job to replace the hub/bearing assembly, although I'd never done one before. It definitely made me wonder about some of the labor prices I had been quoted for that job, I guess they thought they had "seen me coming", but I did it myself and save MANY hundreds of dollars on this simple repair, and quickly too! If they ever go bad again and this Explorer is still running, I will just do both sides at the same time, and save myself some future hassel.