98 Mountaineer Unbalanced noise

WisdoM · Jul 12, 2010

I’ve got a 98 AWD Mountaineer (wife’s DD) anyway the beast makes a noise like an unbalanced tire in the front when it gets to 50mph…you can’t feel the vibration but you hear it. I’ve had the tires re-balanced, had the rotors checked and just generally looked at everything under the front with no luck…any ideas what to check?

belovedb2 · Jul 12, 2010

Not sure that this is it but I will relay my experience with a 1990 Explorer. I had to take it in to a axle shop toget the seals on the rear axle replaced. During this time they change the U joints. When I drove the truck it had a vibration at about 60 MPH. I went back and the shop indexed the drive shaft and the vibration was reduced. However, to solve the problem I went to the Ford dealer and after arguing with them they replaced the drive shaft. They picked up the labor but I paid for the part at $400.

WisdoM · Jul 12, 2010

I was thinking that it might be one of the CV's going out? is there a way to tell without pulling apart?

ragajungle · Jul 12, 2010

I know on my B2 if a bearing is on its way out it howls a bit and if it gets really bad the tow-in on the affected tire will get visible / tire sorta slants out at the bottom if you were looking at it from the front straight on. I dunno if CVs do that though, I would imagine it is a hub assy going bad from the noise you describe. The hub assy houses the bearing on your truck. I did one on my msisters 97 explorer it was about $100 to replace and took about an hour to do.

WisdoM · Jul 12, 2010

So if the hub is going out wouldnt there be play in the wheel like a traditional wheel bearing?

adsm08 · Jul 12, 2010

WisdoM said:
So if the hub is going out wouldnt there be play in the wheel like a traditional wheel bearing?

Yes. The IFS Explorers and Rangers have a sealed hub and bearing assembly. They make a characteristic howl at speed when they start going bad, and they go bad enough that I can tell you you will need a 32 mm, 19mm, 15 mm, hammer, and chisel.

Sometimes they start to make noise before they get play though.

98 Mountaineer Unbalanced noise

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