clicking noise

[Okie Hick]

Lately I've noticed a loud clicking noise from my driver side front wheel. It happens as I am turning left into a parking spot and applying the brakes. It happens at no other time. CV joints?

1993 Ranger 4x4 with 93K miles.

[Okie Hick]

Turns out my front wheel bearings were in the process of disintegrating.

Thanks!...

[chico4554]

yea i was gonna say wheel bearings. If you still have the auto hubs, ditch them for manual hubs with the spindle lock nuts. Much better design.

[Hahnsb2]

Also, your truck doesnt have CV joints, it has regular u-joints...

[Okie Hick]

Well, I go pick the truck up after paying $350 for the bearing change...yes, probably too much. There's more clicking coming from the left front hub as I try out the truck. When I engage the hubs, the truck pulls to the right like the right hub isn't engaging.

So I took it back, gave the guy the keys and said, "Fix it!" and drove off in my Vic. I'm anxious to see what he has to say tomorrow.

I took the truck in this morning for new tires...that's all I wanted. Then all this crap happened.

BTW and I know I'll be asked the question, so here's the answer: I got Uniroyal Laredo tires P265/75R15...just like the ones it had on it that were 8 years old.

[Jspafford]

Sounds like the hubs are either full of grease or not put back on correctly.

They worked fine when you took it in, there is no reason for them to mysteriously break while getting work done, unless the shop took it out wheelin. Kidding.

[Shotokan1509]

Can we go over installing front wheel bearings again. I have done quite a few on different vehicles, but it still seems like my basically stock tire sized Ranger 31x10.5x15's is going through wheel bearings waay too quickly, whereas every other vehicle I have had zero problems with. I generally use the tighten, back off and then go a tad over finger tight. I do drive this truck a lot of badly potholed highways at high speeds.

[jrmustranger97]

I've done this like a gazillion times. I had the same problem as you for a long time. I have found that my wheel bearings like to be tighter than the 16 inch pounds that is recommended. There is a great article in the tech forum on swapping to manual hubs. In the article the author suggests that you torque the spindle nut to 35 ft lbs and then back it off a quarter turn and torque it to 16 inch pounds or tighter for larger wheels. I have found that HAND tight works pretty good and I have 32x11.50 tires. By hand tight I mean grabbing the socket with my hand and tightening until I meet minor resistance, don't crank on it just tighten gently. Also I have found that the bearings don't like to be overloaded with grease. Buy some good high temp bearing grease and pack the bearings and make sure they have a coating of grease on the outside but that is all. I would also suggest replacing the races in your rotors as if they are worn you will eat through bearings in no time. :)