'99 4x4 - Bearing Noise?

[jck_p]

I read Barney0024's quote below. I think he has nailed down my noise as well though I haven't had time to check it out completely. My noise (passenger side only) is more like high pitched metal-on-metal though - not really a whistle. I noticed if I sprayed some lube up into the area Barney0024 describes, the noise goes away for awhile. I also notice that when I have a load in the pickup, the noise tends to come back. The wheel bearings seem fine otherwise. There is no play and the noise is constant whether I'm turning or not, and the brake pedal has no effect reducing or increasing the noise. Any other thoughts? I have a '99 4x4 Extended Cab and have converted to the AVMs (but the noise was there before the conversion as well).

That noise is coming from the wheel seal. On Rangers and B4000's with pulse vaccum lock hubs there is a seal located inside of the steering knuckle behind the hub. It is also known as a vaccum daiphram. This seal mates to the axle shaft on the backside of the steering knuckle. The design leaves it partialy exposed to dirt, water, salt etc. these seals are lubricated with wheel bearing grease. If not lubricated, as they wear they start to whistle when the axleshaft turns. Eventually the seal fails and the 4x4 ceases to operate.

Remove the hub/wheel bearing assembly and the shroud on the back of the steering knuckle. push lightly on the axle shaft until you can see the sealing surface. If the seal looks bad replace it. Check the mating surface on the axleshaft for scoring. the seal in the steering knuckle is spring loaded and if it is exposed it can score the surface on the axleshaft.

Some people will tell you that this seal doesnt matter if you have changed to manual locking hubs. This is not true. Even though the hub/wheel bearing assembly is a sealed unit there is one roller bearing pressed in the hub that the axleshaft rotates in. If that goes you can damage the axleshaft and that repair isnt fun to do.

My 4x4 stopped working on my 98. I ended up replacing the hub and seal after all kinds of other parts were replaced. the cause of all the problems was that stupid seal. A $50 part at ford cost me hundreds of dollars.

Hope this helps

 

[ultramutt]

ok, color me stupid, but how do i know if my ranger has vacuum hubs? i have an 02 4x4 XLT with 4.0 v6.
my mechanic told me he thought it was wheel bearings, but upon closer inspection the bearings were good and he thought it was the diff. one, i just had the rear diff replaced about 18 months ago, and two the noise seems to be coming from the front. (original diagnosis was front-left wheel bearing).
Took it to a tranny shop, they said it was wheel bearings!! be kind, help a newb. thanks!

 

[jck_p]

I believe the vacuum hubs were discontinued after model year 2000. If you're driving a 2002, you probably have the permanently locked hubs. Some things I'd check:

1. Some disc brakes systems have a wear sensor that can emit a metal-on-metal screech when the pads get worn down.
2. Check for rubbing of the that protector plate behind the brake rotor.
3. Get another opinion on the wheel bearings. You can check for play yourself by grabbing the top and bottom of the wheel and trying to shake it or pivot it up and down. There shouldn't be any noticeable movement by hand. Wheel bearing noise will usually change with cornering or going straight. I'm not sure about your model but many Rangers have a hub assembly that has the bearing kinda built in. You have to replace the entire hub assembly.
4. You also have inner front axle bearings that the noise could be coming from. Does the noise come only when the vehicle is under load or does it also do it on a lift? If on a lift can you use a mechanic's stethoscope to try to locate the source?
5. You might also have an axle shaft seal behind the wheel assembly much like Barney0024 described above (even if you don't have the vacuum hubs). Check it out.

These are just some things I'd check out before getting into a major Differential or Tranny job.

 

[wa2be]

That noise is coming from the wheel seal. On Rangers and B4000's with pulse vaccum lock hubs there is a seal located inside of the steering knuckle behind the hub. It is also known as a vaccum daiphram. This seal mates to the axle shaft on the backside of the steering knuckle. The design leaves it partialy exposed to dirt, water, salt etc. these seals are lubricated with wheel bearing grease. If not lubricated, as they wear they start to whistle when the axleshaft turns. Eventually the seal fails and the 4x4 ceases to operate.

Remove the hub/wheel bearing assembly and the shroud on the back of the steering knuckle. push lightly on the axle shaft until you can see the sealing surface. If the seal looks bad replace it. Check the mating surface on the axleshaft for scoring. the seal in the steering knuckle is spring loaded and if it is exposed it can score the surface on the axleshaft.

Some people will tell you that this seal doesnt matter if you have changed to manual locking hubs. This is not true. Even though the hub/wheel bearing assembly is a sealed unit there is one roller bearing pressed in the hub that the axleshaft rotates in. If that goes you can damage the axleshaft and that repair isnt fun to do.

My 4x4 stopped working on my 98. I ended up replacing the hub and seal after all kinds of other parts were replaced. the cause of all the problems was that stupid seal. A $50 part at ford cost me hundreds of dollars.

Hope this helps

Is this what is referred to as a "wheel oil seal"?? I'm looking online to buy these, but I'm not sure if I'm looking at the right item or not.

 

[terre]

Wheel hubs

I have a 98 Mazda b3000 and I have replaced the front wheel hubs and seals, also the front brakes and still can hear same noise. Its been a pain in the b^*^ [

Any comment?

 

[brock71]

Singing Noise from Driveline

I have owned a 2001 manual transmission 4x4 for about 10K mi. Twice I've heard a "singing" noise at cruising at about 58 mph. Goes away if I load up by accelerating. Seems to be from the front end.
I wondered if it was a bad wheel bearing or something in the 4x4.
From the messages above It seems we all have a similar noise. I don't think I have the vacuum seal, but will look at that area.
I did recently replace the right front wheel hub bearing assy. Heard the singing noise once after that, but it did fix the loud "rumble" noise I had developed.
Does the 2001 have an o-ring in the front wheel/hub?

John
new to 4x4

 

[4x4RangerGuy]

For the fulltime axle setup, that singing noise is almost always the axle seal that mates against the knuckle to seal the bearing assembly. Replacing and lightly greasing the new axle seal will usually take care of it.

 

[brock71]

Bearing noise

The 2001 has a selector switch to engage 4wd. Is that a full time unit?
Is replacing the seal in the full time axel a pain or is it a simple thing ?

 

[4x4RangerGuy]

The 2001 has a selector switch to engage 4wd. Is that a full time unit?
Is replacing the seal in the full time axel a pain or is it a simple thing ?

Any Ranger 4x4 built on or after July 2000 will have the fulltime setup. The fulltime setup doesn't refer to a fulltime four wheel drive system, like in some fullsize Fords and Dodges, but rather refers to the fact that the axles are secured to the wheel bearing hubs via a nut, so the entire front driveline turns fulltime regardless of the position of the transfer case.

You must remove the CV axle to replace the seal as it presses onto the outer CV joint.

 

[cheenulee]

is this the excluder seal?

Hi - I know this is an old post but I have the same whistling noise. Is the wheel seal on the 1998 4x4 the same thing that is mentioned in the service bulletin for the 2000 and 2001 Rangers (the excluder seal)? This noise is driving me crazy to no end.

 

[theboatcapt]

That noise is coming from the wheel seal. On Rangers and B4000's with pulse vaccum lock hubs there is a seal located inside of the steering knuckle behind the hub. It is also known as a vaccum daiphram. This seal mates to the axle shaft on the backside of the steering knuckle. The design leaves it partialy exposed to dirt, water, salt etc. these seals are lubricated with wheel bearing grease. If not lubricated, as they wear they start to whistle when the axleshaft turns. Eventually the seal fails and the 4x4 ceases to operate.

Remove the hub/wheel bearing assembly and the shroud on the back of the steering knuckle. push lightly on the axle shaft until you can see the sealing surface. If the seal looks bad replace it. Check the mating surface on the axleshaft for scoring. the seal in the steering knuckle is spring loaded and if it is exposed it can score the surface on the axleshaft.

Some people will tell you that this seal doesnt matter if you have changed to manual locking hubs. This is not true. Even though the hub/wheel bearing assembly is a sealed unit there is one roller bearing pressed in the hub that the axleshaft rotates in. If that goes you can damage the axleshaft and that repair isnt fun to do.

My 4x4 stopped working on my 98. I ended up replacing the hub and seal after all kinds of other parts were replaced. the cause of all the problems was that stupid seal. A $50 part at ford cost me hundreds of dollars.

Hope this helps

Hi,I just changed to the manual AVM manual hubs. I'm not sure I understand where this seal is? I have a 1998 XL 4x4,4.0 with auto tranny. Is there a illustration somewhere on line I could get thats clear enough to see this or gives instructions on replacing? these local auto parts manuals are crap and just show examples. Also where and how do you plug off the vacum after you replace with AVM hubs? any help would be appreciated. If I had read this forum on the Ford Ranger and all its problems I would never have bought this headache!!!! You obviously know more about this than most so thanks for the input and help. Chuck

 

[theboatcapt]

Help on Seal and front hubs

That noise is coming from the wheel seal. On Rangers and B4000's with pulse vaccum lock hubs there is a seal located inside of the steering knuckle behind the hub. It is also known as a vaccum daiphram. This seal mates to the axle shaft on the backside of the steering knuckle. The design leaves it partialy exposed to dirt, water, salt etc. these seals are lubricated with wheel bearing grease. If not lubricated, as they wear they start to whistle when the axleshaft turns. Eventually the seal fails and the 4x4 ceases to operate.

Remove the hub/wheel bearing assembly and the shroud on the back of the steering knuckle. push lightly on the axle shaft until you can see the sealing surface. If the seal looks bad replace it. Check the mating surface on the axleshaft for scoring. the seal in the steering knuckle is spring loaded and if it is exposed it can score the surface on the axleshaft.

Some people will tell you that this seal doesnt matter if you have changed to manual locking hubs. This is not true. Even though the hub/wheel bearing assembly is a sealed unit there is one roller bearing pressed in the hub that the axleshaft rotates in. If that goes you can damage the axleshaft and that repair isnt fun to do.

My 4x4 stopped working on my 98. I ended up replacing the hub and seal after all kinds of other parts were replaced. the cause of all the problems was that stupid seal. A $50 part at ford cost me hundreds of dollars.

Hope this helps

Hi,I just changed to the manual AVM manual hubs. I'm not sure I understand where this seal is? I have a 1998 XL 4x4,4.0 with auto tranny. Is there a illustration somewhere on line I could get thats clear enough to see this or gives instructions on replacing? these local auto parts manuals are crap and just show examples. Also where and how do you plug off the vacum after you replace with AVM hubs? any help would be appreciated. If I had read this forum on the Ford Ranger and all its problems I would never have bought this headache!!!! You obviously know more about this than most so thanks for the input and help. Chuck