1997 Explorer very bad noise in front end

dlevi2121 · Mar 3, 2011

Hello I have a 1997 Explorer 5.0 AWD it has a bad noise coming from the front end I thought it sounded like the axles were bad it would do it going down the road and if you would turn sharp like in a parking lot it got really bad so I changed the axles and it still does it I took the front drive shaft out and I do not have any noise so would you think the front axle would be out of it or not my friend told me to check the drive shaft cause they were known for striping the teeth off and thats what it sounds like it teeth jumping over each other so I am just trying to determine as to what one I need if it would be the transfer case or the axle? Any help would be great thanks :icon_thumby:

AgPete139 · Mar 3, 2011

Oh my God! Please, learn to use punctuation. You can capitalize "Explorer AWD" but can't at the beginning of a sentence?

Split up your run-on sentence or at least make a paragraph break for us to read more easily. It makes it incredibly difficult to follow.

This fix should become your first priority.

AgPete139 · Mar 3, 2011

Regarding automotive noises, the "bad noise" could be a humming, grinding, chattering, whirring, tapping, or rattling.

If it's a grinding that only occurs when your AWD is engaged, then it is not a wheel bearing as that would turn all the time. I doubt it would be the constantly-engaged transfer case, and would open up the pumpkin/front differential and see what's going on in there.

The other area of concern, if it's a whirring or slight grinding sound, could be at the spindle/axle interface (since it occurs while you are turning). Does it mainly happen when you turn left, turn right, or both? Are the U-joints and everything good everywhere?

dlevi2121 · Mar 4, 2011

It makes this noise going straight down the road but when you turn left or right it is a lot worse. I replaced the axles and it still does it. Like I said she noise sounds like a splined shaft jumping over the teeth. This explorer does not have u joints in the front end just cv shafts. I checked the u joints in the front axle and they are fine. I have removed the front drive shaft and I have no noise now can the transfer case still be bad only running the rear end? This is all wheel drive all the time it's the 5.0 I can not turn it on or off or change from to high or low in it.

short bus · Mar 4, 2011

If it stoped making that sound when you pulled the front shaft its not the hub bearings. More than likely it is in the front gear set. My wifes did the same thing and it was a bad barring in the front end. Not the hub bearing it was the carrier bearing. Just my 2 cents.

dlevi2121 · Mar 5, 2011

Well I riped the front rear end out and the transfer out. I think the problem is in the front rear end so as long as the rolled merc I have has the same ratio I am going to swap them out if not I will just change them both lol I cant win for losing sometimes lol

AgPete139 · Mar 7, 2011

AgPete139 said:
I doubt it would be the constantly-engaged transfer case, and would open up the pumpkin/front differential and see what's going on in there.

I would open up the pumpkin/front differential and see what's going on in there.

AgPete139 said:
Are the U-joints and everything good everywhere?

The CV joints have u-joints in them. The part that rotates, inside the plastic boot, IS a universal join that allows both halves of the axle to spin at different angles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_joint

dlevi2121 said:
It makes this noise going straight down the road but when you turn left or right it is a lot worse. I replaced the axles and it still does it. Like I said she noise sounds like a splined shaft jumping over the teeth. This explorer does not have u joints in the front end just cv shafts. I checked the u joints in the front axle and they are fine. I have removed the front drive shaft and I have no noise now can the transfer case still be bad only running the rear end? This is all wheel drive all the time it's the 5.0 I can not turn it on or off or change from to high or low in it.

short bus said:
If it stoped making that sound when you pulled the front shaft its not the hub bearings. More than likely it is in the front gear set. My wifes did the same thing and it was a bad barring in the front end. Not the hub bearing it was the carrier bearing. Just my 2 cents.

Did you check the gears yet?

shane96ranger · Mar 7, 2011

I'm having a hard time understanding the sequence of what went on. It sounds like you had a noise and replaced the front differential (I think this is what front rear end means), right? Now there's a "jumping over teeth" sound? If you replaced the differential, did you get the same gear ratio? I had a wrecking yard give me a 4.10 instead of a 3.73 on my brothers '01 Explorer, and it made similar sounds.

His problem was the viscous coupling in the transfer case. If this coupling goes bad, it will burn the hell out of the front diff, left and right. Believe me, I know after 4 front diff swaps. It was making the diff fluid boil over and out the breather tube.....and it STINKS!!!

dlevi2121 · Mar 11, 2011

I have not replaced anything yet just taking stuff apart trying to find the problem I can not see anything wrong with the front diff I have a buddy of mine tearing the transfer apart right now to see if he can see anything wrong with it?

AgPete139 · Mar 11, 2011

How did your driveshaft splines look?

1997 Explorer very bad noise in front end

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