When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I've replaced just about everything on this truck so it only makes sense that whatever I haven't replaced would go bad.
Took it camping a couple of weeks ago and did a little light 4 wheeling. Maybe I was a little rambunctious over some of the fire roads and maybe I hit some ruts a little harder than I should've (hey, can ya blame me?!). Anyway, now I'm noticing a little shimmy in the front end, like something is loose and rattling. Every now and then I get a wobbly feeling in the front end. Not the steering, but it feels like the front driver's side wheel is wobbly, for lack of a better word.
I'm thinking I've beaten the front hubs a little harder than 15 year old hubs would like to be beaten. The actuators are working fine and it has new upper control arms and ball joints, new lower ball joints, new inner and outer tie rods, and new struts. The only things I can think of are the hubs and/or the sway bar links.
Any thoughts? What symptoms would bad front hubs give me?
I put a jack under the lower arm and jack the tire 2 inches off the ground. You want the weight setting on the ball joints, so DONT jack under the truck frame............. Get a 4 ft 2 x 4 and stick under the tire a couple inches. 2 x 4 sticks straight out the side... now lift the 2 x 4 and compress the spring / shock an inch as you lift the truck slightly... The SLOP if any, in the ball joints and wheel hub will be noticeable.. Sometimes it helps to have someone else move the 2 x 4 up and down as you LOOK and FEEL to figure out what is moving..... also grab the tire front and back and push IN/ OUT like your turning a corner , to see what SLOP is noted.. You can also check the tie rods this way. ........... this does not work if the bearing is DRY and some NOISE only... but if you have SLOP or clearance in the bearing, this works great.
My 2002 F150 had the hubs last about 130K miles... My 2002 Explorer had one go at 80K and another at 120K .. Don't know they have a specific life, but I would guess a high percentage of them fail before 150K miles.
Well, it turns out the front hubs were okay and it was the sway bar links that were bad. Going to replace the front hubs anyway.
The links weren't as obvious as I thought they'd be. With the truck on level ground the links felt solid and there were no obvious signs of wear. But when we had our hands on the links and someone rocked the truck side to side, you could feel and hear a very definite "clunk" in the links. You could also feel the clunk in the lower and upper control arms! The sway bar links are definitely toast!
I swear, I'm buying a new truck piece by piece!
Dropped her off at the shop today. She's getting new rear bearings and seals, new front hubs, new sway bar links, new calipers, new discs, new pads and even new e-brake hardware.
Who wants to guess which part I'll be replacing next?
It has to be the air in your tires. You replaced almost everything else....LOL
I've read a many of Rumbles posts' and I'm lead to believe He truly has replaced the vast majority of parts on His truck. I'm a bit jealous as I'm the dual or die, riding dirty, drive it till the tires come off and the rims melt, if it ain't broke don't fix it but if it is broke how long will it last type
Okay, who had brake master cylinder for the win? Looks like the master cylinder maybe leaking in the booster. Ordered a new Dorman unit that should be here today.
Also, the driver's side rear wheel bearing detonated when it was being pulled out with the puller/slide hammer. It literally split in half right down the center line of the circumference. Half of it was stuck in the axle tube and wouldn't budge.
It's the little things... that'll empty your wallet.
I'm trying to get vanity plates that say "MONYPIT"
BTW, the front hubs were good, but we replaced hem anyway since we had the new Moog hubs. The sway bar links were definitely shot, and the culprit of the front end rattle. Front hubs, rear wheel bearings/seals, calipers, discs and level kit are installed. Just waiting on the sway bar links and the master cylinder.
Well, the master cylinder leaked brake fluid into the vacuum booster to the tune of almost a quart and a half! So, I had the vacuum booster replaced. With the exception of the actual brake lines, the truck now has a completely new brake system.
There honestly can't be much left to replace. At this rate, this thing better be the LAST truck I EVER buy (even if I am buying it one piece at a time!)
Got her back from the shop. The brakes feel great, the rattle in the front end is gone, and the front is now only 1 1/2" lower than the rear, up from 3". I'm actually glad the front didn't come up the full 2" as advertised or else it would be nose high with a load int he bed. Turned out to be the perfect amount of leveling.
10-12-2019, 10:37 PM
