help! 4wd hub issue.

[terr5178]

On my 2003 expedition e/b 5.4 4x4 I decided to change the front hub today because it was making a humming noise while making right turns it got louder driving at highway speed. I bought a brand new hub from rock auto and installed it. quick easy job. after I drove the car for a test drive I notice the constant humming was gone. But I now have an intermittent hum/ vibration which was very odd it would vibrate and Hum as if a motor was turned on and then it will go away. it was only on acceleration in two wheel drive if I turned it to 4 wheel drive it would not hum. Back to 2wd and the hum would start again. On for 2 seconds then off for 10 sec. does anybody know if by replacing the hub I could have damaged the vacuum four wheel drive or if the seal around the hub is bad will that cause the four-wheel-drive vacuum system to my function? Or any other ideas. 4wd seems to work well and the noise only started after replacing the old hub. I saw what appeared To be a rubber seal around the new hub. If that was damaged would that cause the vacuum system to malfunction? Any help would be great before I reinstall my old hub back in the car.

 

[mindgame]

Sounds like you'll need to also change your IWE solenoid. approx. $40 and 5 minute fix. This is a very common issue...

 

[terr5178]

Tested 4x4 system worked well. Vacuum tested and solenoid opened and closed as expected. Does anyone have experience with defective hubs? What were the symptoms?

 

[mindgame]

If you had a defected hub, it would be engaged (locked) regardless if in 2wd or 4wd. Again.. Replace the IWE solenoid..

In 2WD the IWE is supposed to provide full vacuum to disengage the actuator, but it isn't.. In 4WD no vacuum is applied, so the hub are engaged.

All it takes is small amount of dirt and water to get in the solenoid (via the vacuum hoses) to make it unreliable.. I would suggest that you Google "IWE F150" as this is a common issue to BOTH Expedition and F150s.

 

[terr5178]

Update... checked 4x4 solenoid and did vacuum test.. all good... after the new hub the truck sounds as though traction control or antilock is attempting to apply brakes.
In 2WD I got the rear tires to spin on snow and the noise started even though the front wheels and truck were not moving at all.
Does the 2003 expedition Eddie Bauer have traction control? I'm thinking the wheel speed sensor built into the hub might be bad causing antilock brake or traction control to assume truck is loosing traction.

 

[mindgame]

Yup.. search the forum.. Someone had a thread to where you can use a volt meter to check the resistance to determine which sensor is bad..

 

[FordandPolaris]

You can remove the fuse for the ABS to see if the problem goes away as well. That would at least tell you if the ABS system is at fault. If the ABS light is on the dash, the ABS system is fully disabled.

 

[terr5178]

I'll remove the abs fuse and see what happens. I have ordered a second hub to see if the hub is the issue considering that is when the problems started and the truck had been perfect for the last 3 years.

 

[Stoned06]

Do you have a traction control button by the cupholders or "Advance Trac" or "RSC" badging on the tailgate? If so, you have traction control. If not, most likely not.

 

[terr5178]

No traction control button or badge so I guess that idea is out.
Found the check valve closest to the solenoid valve was leaking vacuum. Changed that but noise still intermittent. Sound like a 3 second long " burr" then stops. Very odd, only in 2wd. Never made that noise till I changed the d.s. hub.
Still have a hum coming from the new bearing I installed. Waiting on a an exchange hub.
Thank you everyone

 

[terr5178]

Replaced d.s. hub and intermittent brrrrr noise went away. Seems as though the wheel sensor was bad on that one and kept activating the abs.
So now I'm back to square one. New hub on d.s but the original humming noise is still there. Gets louder when I turn right and lower on left turns. Rotated tires but didn't change anything. Verified 1/2 shafts are not engaged and transfer case in 2wd, front driveshaft spins free.
Humming Noise is loudest around 40 mph and causes a vibration in pedals and steering wheel... any other ideas?

 

[terr5178]

Problem found. It was the rear drivers side hub causing the humming. It sounded like the front hub but after 3000 miles the humming got louder. At that point I was able to find play in the rear bearing that wasn't noticeable before.
For anyone replacing a hub. Do yourself a favor and buy a us made hub. I changed both the front and rear hubs with china made parts only to have to redo them again in 600 miles or less. The front abs sensor was bad from the beginning and the rear went bad at about 600 miles. I replaced both with timken bearings and no issues.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Thanks for the update.

 

[terr5178]

Hey old me, ter5178 from 2014, this is even older me, terr5178 from 2024!
10 years later I'm having the same strange noise from my o7 expy.
I hate when I have to start all over again with a different truck similar noise
Thanks for nothing terr5178 2014 lol