'03 F250 CC 6.0 w/140k miles. I am getting sick of this truck. Over the summer I replaced the driver's side hub assembly and ball joints. Did all of that to the passenger side last month. All seemed good but now am getting a rumbling vibration when braking at lower speeds all the way to a stop.

It's not the u-joints as the driveshafts and u-joints are about 2 years old. Not the tranny as it does it in neutral as well. It does feel like it's coming from the rear, at least that's my feeling. I have never done anything to the back end, including brakes but I just checked the pads and they have plenty of life. The fronts have fairly new cryo rotors. Seems to stop well aside from the vibration. It's not really even a vibration but a loud rumble, like the buffetting noise you'd get when the back windows are open. No shake through the steering wheel either.

Rear bearing or bearings maybe? I'm at a loss. I'm sick of wrenching on this thing but there's no way I can afford NOT to do these things myself at this point.

Thanks for any suggestions!



Howard

 

lift the rear tires off the ground with a jack leave the truck in neutral, and spin the tire!!!

listen and feel for the rumbling..

 

Is there any vibration in the steering wheel when it rumbles?

 

'03 excursion limited 6.0L RWD with about 83k miles I am experiencing the same thing. It only comes on when you're braking, otherwise no noise. And in the last few feet as it rolls to the complete stop it makes a very loud grumbling or grinding noise. I noticed driving with the window down, that at higher speed, the minute I start to apply brake, i can hear a sound (I think its in the front driver side wheel). The higher speed sound goes like "swish swish swish" and varies with the speed of rotation of the wheel. But when it gets very slow down to the complete stop it becomes a really loud grinding/grumbling sound. Took it to my mechanic and asked if I needed new rotors/ brakes. I had put new front brakes on a little less than a year ago. He looked under and said I only need new brake pads. Ran down to the auto parts store bought new ceramics this time.....Still had sound. He said then go buy the front bearings (both inner and outer). They sold me four parts in total but his shop guy I think only put in the outside bearings. I was watching over his shoulder and he didn't use two of the boxes I had. The sound remains! I'm going to go back and talk to the owner about putting in the other two parts (I think the inner bearings) and see if the noise stops. If anyone has any other suggestions please let us know. I was also thinking of just buying the wheel bearings for the right side front at the same time and do that wheel as well. The bearings in total cost me about $35 for the one wheel so they're not that expensive.

 

Go and push on your wheels, rock the truck back and forth. I noticed new oil splattered in my rear wheel wheel today. Rocked it back and forth and it has play. Seal is wasted and one or both of the bearings is bad. Tomorrow I am doing both rears!

 

They usually leak when the bearings go bad, so replace them too.

 

After letting my dad listen to what the sound was..... he thought yes it could be a bearing but also thought it could be a caliper not reopening all the way. Stuck or hung up caliper? I just put new ceramics on it this week and don't want to burn them out or kill the rotor. Have you guys experienced any problems like a stuck caliper? Is there a way to check for this. I see some caliper repair kits some have bolts and some it looks like seals or rings. I'd love to be able to isolate it to a caliper problem..then I'll just buy a new caliper for it. Could it also be the rotor maybe slightly warped? It now makes the sound whether I'm on the brake or not. Just much louder as a brake to the complete stop. When I'm just riding along though (no braking) I can hear the swish...swish...swish... sound as if somethings rubbing the wheel. It gets faster as I go faster, slower when I go slower. Then when I brake it gets louder and then grumbles/grinds (gets real loud) on the last 2mph down to the complete stop.

 

I am currently having the same issue with my Ford F-250 Lariat Super Duty Power Stroke Turbo Diesel V8. If someone could please respond with the problem that is causing the issue and possibly the solution that would be very much appreciated.

 

Welcome to FTE tshudyb.

Is there any vibration when you hear this rumble while braking? If so, do you feel it in the steering wheel or on the seat?

 

The first post in this discussion explains the problem of it being more of a rumbling sound as opposed to a strong vibration.