Grinding/Vibration in 4x4 only.... Help!

[ToMang07]

So I'm attempting to track down a grinding/vibration I'm getting only in 4x4. Mechanic checked the axle and front drive shaft u-joints and he said they're all fine. It's not the wheel bearing they are both fine, one is brand new.

I have no idea what to check next or how. Any insight would be much appreciated.

 

[TyCorr]

Everything the mechanic said is fine.

 

[TyCorr]

Id jack it up and maybe put it on stands. Front and rear. Put it in gear. And see. Or shut it off and turn a wheel by hand if you're scared. Its either the u joints, the bearings, the gears themselves, the slip yoke, or the tcase. Unhook the driveshaft and see if it continues. If it does, the case is all thats left.

 

[mandkole]

Both hubs fully engaged? It's basic but your description sounds like my obs did when one was partially engaged. Good idea pulling the driveshaft and testing.

 

[TyCorr]

Both hubs fully engaged? It's basic but your description sounds like my obs did when one was partially engaged. Good idea pulling the driveshaft and testing.

Thats painful experience speaking.

 

[ToMang07]

Id jack it up and maybe put it on stands. Front and rear. Put it in gear. And see. Or shut it off and turn a wheel by hand if you're scared. Its either the u joints, the bearings, the gears themselves, the slip yoke, or the tcase. Unhook the driveshaft and see if it continues. If it does, the case is all thats left.

I thought about that, but it only really does it with a load on it, which I can't simulate on stands. If I put it in 4x4 and cruise down hill, you can barely tell if at all that something is wrong. It FEELS like a bad u-joint, which is why it's so maddening. :fustrate:

 

[ToMang07]

Both hubs fully engaged? It's basic but your description sounds like my obs did when one was partially engaged. Good idea pulling the driveshaft and testing.

I haven't been able to manually lock them since I had the truck, I did take them off last year to clean them and replace the o-rings/re-lube. That said it feels like they are fully engaging, when I put it in 4x4 you can see/feel them digging in when I turn at low speed.

 

[TyCorr]

Those hubs are junk. The best way to use them is take the snap ring out, remove the mechanism, and then throw them in the trash.

 

[TyCorr]

I thought about that, but it only really does it with a load on it, which I can't simulate on stands. If I put it in 4x4 and cruise down hill, you can barely tell if at all that something is wrong. It FEELS like a bad u-joint, which is why it's so maddening. :fustrate:

Yea. Idk. It'll do it while you drive. Thetes no way to recreate that other than driving but the way i described you are checking everything from locking hub to transfer case. The best way, in my experience, is to unhook the drive shaft and go for a drive.

 

[78f100]

You can pull the hubs out and drive it in 4wd to rule out hubs. It could be a wheel bearing/hub assembly. There are needle bearings that the front shafts rides on in the hub assembly. The only way to replace them is with a new hub assembly, I've had several at the shop where the wheel bearing is fine but the needle bearings are bad causing noise.

 

[TyCorr]

As 78f100 said. To elaborate if you can change the presence of the noise by being in 2wd or 4wd its classic bearing failure. If you unlock your hubs but the front ujoint or just one u joint turns then bearings are shot.

 

[TARM]

I vote hubs. When they start to go they feel just like you are describing.

One the first recommendations I make to anyone after changing/ flushing ALL fluids and filters is if its a 4x4 model dump the OEM auto hubs and pickup whatever high quality aftermarkets you think are best. Any of the top brands are many times better than the stockers.

I actually cleaned up and got my OEM auto hubs to work flawlessly and they sit in a box heavily greased in storage. Just in case in years to come someone is doing a original restore for some reason. Its about all they are good for IMO outside of use once or twice a year in the snow..

 

[griz700rocket]

I had a similar issue recently and it ended up being the ball in the middle of the double cardone joint on the front drive shaft. Both u-joints were still perfect but shaft squeaked and had some play in it when I turned it by hand.

 

[ToMang07]

I had a similar issue recently and it ended up being the ball in the middle of the double cardone joint on the front drive shaft. Both u-joints were still perfect but shaft squeaked and had some play in it when I turned it by hand.

Nail on the head!

Rebuilt the entire front drive, 3 Spicier u-joints, new Ford/Spicier differential flange, cardan joint bearing, and strap kit. Going in was a hell of a lot easier than disassembly! Finally got rid of the vibration/grinding I was getting in 4x4.

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[ToMang07]

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[griz700rocket]

Looks like you had a worse time of it than me. I just replaced the one u-joint I had to remove to get to the ball and didn't break off any bolts. One strap bolt I rounded the head on so I just left it in and bent the strap a little to get the joint out.

 

[ToMang07]

Looks like you had a worse time of it than me. I just replaced the one u-joint I had to remove to get to the ball and didn't break off any bolts. One strap bolt I rounded the head on so I just left it in and bent the strap a little to get the joint out.

Well the flange wasn't that expensive, it was only $60 shipped with a OEM Ford Spicer flange. So I figured screw it and just get a new one

And I've had the truck for 60,000 miles and haven't replaced the front U-joint yet, so I figured I should do it while I had everything out anyway.

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