Front drivers wheel is grinding and clicking

[jjz28]

Sorry, i didnt know where to post this. My 92 rangers front drivers wheel is clicking or grinding all the time going down the road. It sort of sounds like a cv joint on a front wheel drive car. I have been using the 4 wheel drive in the snow a lot recently. The first time i noticed it was about 4 months ago. I was hauling stuff around my back yard and was backing up and heard a crunching noise like something was getting smashed. Well, when it did that i figured my hub was messed up so I put it back in 2 wheel and forgot about it. I've been hearing the clicking for a while after that. It even happens in 2 wheel with the hubs in "free" position. 4 wheel works god and it goes like a tank. Just makes that noise. Its no different with hubs locked or not, or in 2 or 4 wheel. Could it be a wheel bearing? Sorry so long. I waited to long to check it out and now it is 4 degrees outside and I'm woried my wheel may lock up. Thanks guys.

 

[snoopdoggie]

There is chance the hub on that wheel is damaged and spinning the axle shaft all the time, whether you have it in 4WD or not, and a U-joint is bad in either the axle shaft or possibly even the driveshaft. Start at the hub and work inwards.

 

[jjz28]

Thanks man, I just went out and jacked it up and I can pull out on the bottom of the wheel and it comes out a pretty good bit. The hub seems to be working fine. I spun the wheel locked and unlocked and i turned locked and not free. The bolt or pin on the bottom ( I dont know if it is a ball jont or not) Has play in it. I thought maybe it has too much play and wore the bearings out. The wheel makes no noise turning but it dont have any weight on it either. I think when i set it back on the ground the wheel moves up and grinds the bearings. Is that pin or bolt ( it looks like a pin) suppose to have any play when the bearings go out? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/diagrams/d28.gif
in this picture no. 40 and 43 are your ball joints and they shouldnt have any noticeable play in them. make sure that no.s 58,59, and 60 are torqued down to the proper specs as the D35 has a tendecy to loosen them on its own.

 

[OilPatch197]

have you hit a curb side? When I hit a cub and slashed my front tire, I had no ideal that my wheel bearing was cracked, and it just took several weeks then *boom* it busted up and fubared up my spindle!(2wd)

 

[snoopdoggie]

Thanks man, I just went out and jacked it up and I can pull out on the bottom of the wheel and it comes out a pretty good bit. The hub seems to be working fine. I spun the wheel locked and unlocked and i turned locked and not free. The bolt or pin on the bottom ( I dont know if it is a ball jont or not) Has play in it. I thought maybe it has too much play and wore the bearings out. The wheel makes no noise turning but it dont have any weight on it either. I think when i set it back on the ground the wheel moves up and grinds the bearings. Is that pin or bolt ( it looks like a pin) suppose to have any play when the bearings go out? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

That Pin like thing is a Ball Joint. It should not have any play in it. I'd say you have found the problem. It will have to be replaced. Don't think it will have hurt your bearings.

 

[jjz28]

Thanks guys. Yeah, it was #43 that has the play in it. You guys have helped out a lot!