Explorer question

[Shaggy]

my wife's 2001 Explorer Sport is making a clicking noise i believe from the rearend that clicks at the reveloution of the tire. it only makes the noise in motion and increases with speed. I first took apart the disc/drum setup (it is disc brakes with a drum parking brake inside the disc) in the back thinking it might be a broken and dragging spring because she has a parking brake light that hasnt turned off in months.. the pass side drum was really hard to get off it drug a little but after loostening both sides up a little it still makes the noise. the u-joint in the driveshaft seems to be in good condition. I dont really want to pull the diff cover unless it could really be a possible ring-gear. it doesnt sound like one to me atleast.

any ideas?

[DRAGOONRANCH]

you sure it's not a nail in the tire?

[Shaggy]

let me go check really quick

[Shaggy]

no nails but it is probably too loud of a sound for that anywho

[DRAGOONRANCH]

We had one that sounded like slapping a domino down on the table if you had the windows down, but you had to be going 10mph or more to hear it. Sometimes it's the simple stuff...

[Shaggy]

i just drove it again to see what i could figure out. it is much worse and gives off vibration if you floor it... it acts like a u-joint but when trying to shake the driveshaft around it doesnt move at all... i was gonna take it off and inspect it better but them bolts are in there tight and i guess i am lazy

[Fredo]

make sure somebody didn't tape a baseball card to your wheel spokes.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

Set the parking brake and put it in nuetral, the u-joint may be in a bind when parked.

[Shaggy]

tried that already and it seems solid

[CRaSHnBuRN]

We had one that sounded like slapping a domino down on the table if you had the windows down, but you had to be going 10mph or more to hear it. Sometimes it's the simple stuff...

nothing to really add here, but I had the same thing happen once, though after about 25 mph the humm of the swampers drowned out the nail

[agjohn02]

i had a rock stuck in my tread once that did this.

[jerryg79]

wasnt there something in the news a few years ago about explorers with some sort of tire issues?

[BMFScout]

Lissa's had a click noise one time right after we had J&P set up the gears. Maybe it was the dust shield? I can't remember. I'd pull the rearend, swap it in your jeep, and take the rest to Bryan Iron.

[Shaggy]

dont think she would like that... and i checked the dust shields

[Shaggy]

i just went to sears and got a half inch drive 12 point 12mm socket so i can get the damn driveshaft off and also to the parts store and got a new u-joint. I am gonna swap that out and see if it makes it better... cant hurt to change it, thing has about 97k on it

[DRAGOONRANCH]

yeah, you are probably saving a head ache later.

[Shaggy]

Turns out it was my current head ache... 10 min worth of work and she runs good now

[Seth]

I was about to say that you should change the Ujoint out first just in case. While you are under there, rear diff fluid might not be a bad idea.

[Shaggy]

not gonna mess with that right now... only diff fluid i have on hand is the heavy stuff and i dont want to run it in the explorer

[DRAGOONRANCH]

Pmcs

[Shaggy]

what?

[DRAGOONRANCH]

preventive maintenance, checks and services. ;)