Roaring Noise...ideas?

[knockonwood]

I have a 2012 FWD Expedition EL with about 150k miles. I just bought it used. I noticed a roaring noise from the front left wheel area. It becomes noticeable about 15mph until road noise drowns it out at about 50mph. Sounds like wheel bearing, but had the whole wheel hub replaced and still does it. Thought it was brakes needing adjustment, but the sound is unchanged by application of brakes. I can hear it on dirt road and gravel road so it's not tire noise.
It's definitely a rotational noise that is constant with a rhythm to it. Like I said, sounds like brake rotor or wheel bearing, but I believe I've ruled that out.
I'm thinking now it may be something in the front axle. I've lifted the front wheels and turned by hand and I can't hear or feel anything. Of course I can't really turn the wheel that fast as there's a decent amount of friction from FWD.
You can hear it best inside the cab. It's harder to hear through the open window.
I've had it to my normal mechanic and he doesn't hear anything. I took it to the dealership and they threw parts at it to the tune of $1,900. Still makes the noise and the tech now says "brake noise." But pressing the brake pedal doesn't affect the sound, so I doubt that's the issue.
Any ideas out there?

 

[00000]

I have a lot of experience (even worked my way through university selling cars = only 3 weeks @ a Ford dealer though = long story) Chances are this is not your problem . . .
(yet maybe)
Dad bought an off lease '93 Mystique w/ 40k - washed it myself w/ 3 hp pressure washer
cold brakes (road salt) AL wheels would get "the treatment" off the car if we really cared
about shininess means going easy on the rotors YET all kinds of rust comes out of the middle
yikes ! look @ consumer reports = black mark that year for brakes (other years fine) notify Ford & NHTSA etc. / order amazingly cheap Brembo China rotors off eBay ~ they could have
been dangerous yet no recall I know of = must have been faulty (recycled) batch of rotors.

I remember seeing a lot more of wheel balancing ON THE VEHICLE in the past ~ kinda doubt
your friendly dealer performed this => what I think could have happened is previous owner blasted hot rotors in a self serve carwash ~ under cursory exam they look fine ~ left one is
missing an internal bit that cracked off and disappeared => So the rotor is unbalanced ? ? ?

 

[GlennSullivan]

I have a 2012 FWD Expedition EL with about 150k miles. I just bought it used. I noticed a roaring noise from the front left wheel area. It becomes noticeable about 15mph until road noise drowns it out at about 50mph. Sounds like wheel bearing, but had the whole wheel hub replaced and still does it. Thought it was brakes needing adjustment, but the sound is unchanged by application of brakes. I can hear it on dirt road and gravel road so it's not tire noise.
It's definitely a rotational noise that is constant with a rhythm to it. Like I said, sounds like brake rotor or wheel bearing, but I believe I've ruled that out.
I'm thinking now it may be something in the front axle. I've lifted the front wheels and turned by hand and I can't hear or feel anything. Of course I can't really turn the wheel that fast as there's a decent amount of friction from FWD.
You can hear it best inside the cab. It's harder to hear through the open window.
I've had it to my normal mechanic and he doesn't hear anything. I took it to the dealership and they threw parts at it to the tune of $1,900. Still makes the noise and the tech now says "brake noise." But pressing the brake pedal doesn't affect the sound, so I doubt that's the issue.
Any ideas out there?

Your front wheel hubs should be disengaging when in 2WD mode. When it is up in the air, you should be able to turn the front wheels without the front axles and driveshaft turning. Is that the case?

 

[mr_dave]

Your front wheel hubs should be disengaging when in 2WD mode. When it is up in the air, you should be able to turn the front wheels without the front axles and driveshaft turning. Is that the case?

When it's up in the air and the engine is on, you should be able to turn the front wheels without the front axles and driveshaft turning.

The front hubs will only disengage when there is vacuum present, meaning the engine needs to be running.

Mechanic says not to use 4a all the time

I can spin the wheel in when off it just spins the shafts and driveshaft with it. I don’t think I’ve ever tried it running.

www.expeditionforum.com

 

[00000]

Also, if only to justify getting another (perhaps even higher quality) floor jack ~ eliminating
easy to diagnose causes first can save your hairstyle. Say you have a faulty tire (steel belt
separation) swapping front tires would move the noise you are sensitized to. Never trust your safety to a jack ~ never use concrete blocks as jack stands ~ I use multiple stands,
huge robust woodblocks ~ I local thief died trying to steal a Prius' catalytic converter ~ yeah, his concrete block failed him . . .

 

[JasonH]

I had a roaring noise coming from the driver's side a few months ago. Replaced the hub and noise was still there. I thought maybe it was my all terrain tires, so went for an alignment. Turned out, it was the passenger side hub that was bad. Replaced it and the noise went away. I have no clue why it sounded so much like the driver side was making the noise, but get your passenger hub checked as well. If you hear the pitch change when turning, it's likely the other wheel hub.

 

[Yupster Dog]

NOTE: Replacing suspension/brake/wheel parts for wear and tear with miles on it? Replace in pairs. While you got the tools out, peace of mind, safer and the second one takes half the time if you do it right then.
Don't put a price on your time and safety.

 

[knockonwood]

It

Your front wheel hubs should be disengaging when in 2WD mode. When it is up in the air, you should be able to turn the front wheels without the front axles and driveshaft turning. Is that the case?

It turns the axle, seems to be locked in at the hub. Ford Mechanic guys were vague about this, but indicated that it was "probably normal" that the transfer case was "probably not engaged". And it doesn't feel like 4wd when driving, so they may be right about that.

 

[knockonwood]

I had a roaring noise coming from the driver's side a few months ago. Replaced the hub and noise was still there. I thought maybe it was my all terrain tires, so went for an alignment. Turned out, it was the passenger side hub that was bad. Replaced it and the noise went away. I have no clue why it sounded so much like the driver side was making the noise, but get your passenger hub checked as well. If you hear the pitch change when turning, it's likely the other wheel hub.

I actually had both hubs changed already.

 

[knockonwood]

NOTE: Replacing suspension/brake/wheel parts for wear and tear with miles on it? Replace in pairs. While you got the tools out, peace of mind, safer and the second one takes half the time if you do it right then.
Don't put a price on your time and safety.

Yep, both hubs and both sides IWE were replaced.

 

[knockonwood]

I took it back to the dealer and just left if with them, asked them to just track down the noise and not throw parts at it. Will update if/when I find out anything.

 

[Trainmaster]

If the noise is not speed related, have you ruled out a fan that's not disengaging? It will stay engaged if the truck's low on coolant and sound like a roaring transmission that's not shifting out of second...

 

[knockonwood]

I have not thought of fan engaging.
There is a slight change in the sound that corresponds to speed, just not typical pitch increase. It's a subtle increase of volume and the rhythmic sound gets faster. Also I can hear the fans running distinctly from this noise. That makes me think it's not fan.

 

[JamaicaJoe]

I have a 2wd 1st gen, so a lot wont apply. Recently I had new tires, brakes, rotors, upper control arms, lower ball joints installed. All great/ However at about 30 MPH I had a rumbling sound that was annoying. My gut told me wheel bearing. I took it back to the shop, they told me it was the Michelin Defender tires wearing in, wheel bearings were good. ok... I drove 100 miles, watched a youtube that said to put your hand on the spring to feel low frequency vibes while rotating the wheel in the air. Went back to dealer and asked if that was how they checked. A couple hours later I had a free new wheel bearing.

 

[knockonwood]

Ford dealer just called me and said they can fix it for another $1,800. Transfer case this time

 

[JamaicaJoe]

Are they going to credit you for the $1900 in work, already paid, that did not fix the problem?

 

[GlennSullivan]

Are they going to credit you for the $1900 in work, already paid, that did not fix the problem?

Exactly X2 and Is there a guarantee that this is THE FIX.

 

[knockonwood]

I bet you can guess the answer to both those questions. They did say they would "help me out" because it was so expensive again. Also, the transfer case has a 2 year warranty, so that's something.
Here's hoping this fixes the issue.

 

[Jachniw]

Based on OP's description, my vote is wheel hub assembly (i.e., wheel bearing).
My EXPy has 141K and all 4 have been replaced within the last 40K.

 

[Stephen Dunster]

I had a similar sound in my 2013. I put it in the air and found the rear hub was bad.