Hey everyone, I'm having an issue with one of my front hubs or rotors I'm not sure which it is. Anyway, when I'm driving and my truck hits around 30mph I start hearing a scratching like sound up until i hit about 45-50mph then it disappears only to re-appear when I hit 30mph again whilst breaking. Any ideas? I need to put some new brakes on it this week but I'm fairly certain thats not the issue. Oh also when I got my tires rotated last the sound went away for a few weeks...not sure if that will help with the diagnosis...thanks guys

 

Next time it makes the sound kick it into 4x4 and see if it keeps making the sound...

 

manual locking hubs bro lol but ive ran it in 4x4 and it still does it

 

i was reading something on another Ford forum, and the problem they were discussing was needle bearings I believe, and it sounded exactly what my problem was like...can anyone tell me if that sounds right or not?

 

That's why I asked if it went away in 4x4.... If it was needle bearings, it'd go away as soon as you kick it into 4x4, even if your manual hubs are unlocked...

 

yea well I'm going to take it to the Ford Dealership sometime this week when I get a break from work and see what they came up with...I've taken it to 2 other places and I'm getting some fishy stuff from them. Ones telling me my right hub assembly needs to be replaces and the other tells me they both do. I dunno, but I honestly don't see the hub assembly having to be replaced...but what do I know

 

I'm betting my money on that the dealership will try and replace the hub assembly. They'd rather replace the $300 assembly than a $15 bearing.

 

yea I hear ya there bud, that's the feeling I was getting from the other 2 places.. i think the one place i went to wanted to charge me like $1300 to replace the right hub, I almost reached across the desk and smacked him

 

Welcome to Fayetteville, Chuck. If the world ever became constipated, that's where they would apply the enema.

 

chance are one enema just wont do it glc...lol

 

I've had the needle bearings sieze up on my last bearing assy, and that does sound like what you're describing. Its not really all that difficult to pull the bearing. I'd suggest pulling it off and inspecting the needle bearings. You can also check for grease leaking out around the seals as well. It only takes me 30 min to have one bearing off the truck. If you decide to replace one, make sure that the bearing you get comes with new studs. Most of the cheap ones on ebay don't come with studs, but the higher dollar ones at Napa (Timken bearings) do come with studs and o-rings.