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I'm sure I'm going out on a limb here, but I've just started noticing a noise coming from what I believe is a part of the suspension associated with the driver side front wheel. It's almost like a rattling/low pitched popping noise or something.
I can feel it in my steering wheel and hear it pretty regularly while driving, not just going over bumps or anything (although that makes it more noticeable).
I have a video that I uploaded to youtube and hopefully it helps. The sound is probably more noticeable towards the end and there's a section where I go over a railroad track.
Maybe 35-40 seconds and on is the best
I thought that could have been a possibility, but I had a ranger with a bad wheel bearing and it sounded more like a steady noise instead of thumps. But I don't have any experience with this stuff so I'm probably wrong.
Thanks for your reply! My next oil change is in a week or two, I'll have a look at the bushings and end links then. I'm surprised at how cheap they are too haha.
Hah, yeah, i've seen that he has videos for a few years now, but something about them and/or their style, or something?! stopped me subscribing over the years.
However, having now acquired a Ranger and realised a lot of his stuff uses one as a basis, i gave up and subbed, he does have a lot of useful stuff.
Yeah, he does have a unique style, but nothing wrong with that I suppose! I have never watched a video of his where I have caught him in a gross mistake or him being just plain wrong. I like the fact that he does his videos with the "less than experienced" DIY'er in mind... helps a lot of people do their own work, saving money.
I've seen some of ChrisFix's stuff. I've seen his wheel bearing vids (and I meant moving wheel with my hands, rotating was a bad word choice lol). I'll be sure to check out the play test with the truck jacked up during my next oil change as well as look at the bushings/end links. Thanks guys!
Take a look at these end links....I think I found the rattling problem. Also, the driver side front wheel has a tiny bit of play in on when it's jacked up and I move it with my hands, the wheel bearing is starting to go bad I guess.
time for another job :D
Also, I got my fuel filter assembly from rock auto, but when I went to price check wheel bearings, the only options were for 4WD and my truck is 2WD. Do y'all have any recommendations on where to buy parts?
Your 2WD has standard Timken style tapered bearings and races (inner and outer). Don't forget the seal. I would pull the bearings out and wash them thoroughly with gasoline first and check them. They may simply need to be repacked and adjusted. :)
Sounds complicated lol. I'll have to do some research/video watching for that one. I'm gonna do the sway bar next weekend and do the wheel bearing's sometime else when I get a chance.
Would the slight amount of play be corrected by just the wheel bearing or would the whole assembly need to be replaced for that? I noticed some gritty sounds on both fronts tires when they freely rotated but it hasn't gotten to the point where I can hear it while driving.
If the bearings are not preloaded correctly, you can have play like that. Best bet is to pull the bearings, clean and inspect them. Here is a video to do it on a 1998 Explorer, which is pretty much the same thing you have:
I'm all set for mt end link/bushing replacement for this weekend, but I had a random question that I was thinking about after watching videos for the wheel bearings on my truck.
If I were to replace the rotors during a brake job, I'd have to remove and replace the wheel bearings for that as well?
I've seen contradicting videos where the rotor just slides off the hub assembly and others where the rotor and hub are one part (both on ford rangers). Can they be used interchangeably and it depends on who did the brake job before I got the truck?
My 2004 Ranger 4x4 also made a creaking noise from the left front of the truck. I replaced the shocks, sway bar links. The mechanic said I have ***** joints without grease fittings and that's probably what's making the noise. He said they work and fit fine and are not sloppy. Can I grease them somehow without the fitting?
@mfoley312: Your 4x2 has the rotor with tapered roller bearings. The ones with the hub assembly are 4x4. If you replace your rotors during a brake job, you can reuse your bearings, but I would replace the grease seals just for best practice.
@mrvids: There is no way to grease ball joints or tie rods that have no grease fittings. The thought behind the absence of grease fittings is that if there is a fitting, someone will pump too much grease into it and blow out the seal, causing premature failure.
09-18-2017
