I rotated my tires today (way overdue) anyways, when I put the passenger side tire on and snugged up the lugs I realized that I can grab the top and bottom of the tire and wiggle it. Probably about 1/4" of play if I had to guess. I thought that was kinda odd. So I let the jack down so the tire touched the ground and torqued the lugs, then jacked the truck back up. No change, still wiggle, wiggle. What do you think it could be? I'm thinking TRE or BJ.

 

if its moving that a BJ if i remember correctly.. happened to our explorer 2 years ago

 

Sure the lug nuts aren't topping out? For same reason maybe a rim is a couple MM thinner than the wheel you just removed.

Wait, is the wheel moving separately from the lugs/hub or the spindle?

 

can several things. hub would be my guess. just going by a friend of mines truck that had the same problem.

 

get some one to help you and get someone to wiggle the tire why you watch it and see if its the ball joints or the wheel hub/wheel bearings

 

I just crawled under the truck and wiggled it with my head under the truck. It look like the hub is moving. The part where the CV shaft goes in is moving. LOL great explanation I know. Also I rechecked that I had the wheel on properly and I do.

 

your 4x4 right? if so its your wheel hub

if your 2wd its your wheel bearing. are you sure your ball joints don't have alot of play in them?

 

if your 2wd you can adjust the bearing.. just snug it up dont over due it. 4wd you have to replace the hub :(

 

For Ball Joints Jack up under the control arm and use a pry bar or anything to get leverage under the tire and see if there is play, then that will narrow down the BallJoints which is a ford issue, I sounds like you have WB play.

 

oh if it whell bearing play u should be able to wiggle it up and down and side to side

 

Yes sir. I can move it up and down and side to side, and yes I am a 4X4.

 

So kinda like if I can 'lift' the tire up and down sorta deal??

 

If this turns out to be a wheel bearing/hub that's shot, is it something that HAS to be replaced right away? Moneys very tight at the moment. I'm kinda thinking yes

 

ya i would your wheel could fall off. check rockauto

 

Thats kind of what I thought

 

Well I took the wheel back off, unbolted the caliper, pulled the rotors. Well the wheel bearing is the culprit. It had a lot of play in it and when I turned it I could hear it growling..... And the best part is, I phoned down to my dealer and the wheel bearing is covered under my power-train warranty. Sooo on Saturday morning the truck goes into the stealership. Until then I'm borrowing my parents car to get to school. Now if only they would do my front brakes for free too haha.

 

hahhaha tell them you are having problems with them and maybe they will you never know

 

I asked when I dropped it off this morning. They just laughed. They did however give me an 06 screw lariat. I don't think I'm gunna go back for the ranger lol

 

Well I have a nice new passenger side wheel bearing now. Something still doesn't feel quite right though. The front end of the truck is pulling, both ways. A couple of people have told me it is because I have my bars cranked. Would cranking my bars cause my truck to pull to one side and then the other? It kinda feels like a wheel is loose(I've already re-torqued all the lugs). Any ideas? I think I'm gunna take it in and have the alignment checked. What could cause the front end to pull around like that? Bad ball joints?

 

No defiantly not.

When does it happen? Like when your applying the brakes? Or just driving?

Side note, what dealer ship did you go to? The one in Ridge?

 

It happens only when driving. Like driving everywhere, on the city roads on the freeway. It's gotten pretty bad. It's been doing it for a while, but now it is worse after the new wheel bearing. It's almost scary at times.. I take all my vehicles to Metro Motors, I have umm.. connections there. With the owner.

 

Gotta use the connections, no point in having them if you dont use them lol.

I would give it to them and tell them your complaint. If its as bad as you say, they should have no trouble feeling it.

 

Ya. My only issue with that is I'm not under bumper-to-bumper warranty any more. I don't wanna get tagged for diagnosis fees. Alas, back to the stealership I go I guess.

 

Just make sure you give a little cough before it goes in. Makes it hurt less.