Rythmic/harmonic sound at 60mph

[AdamDude04]

So today, on my way home from work I noticed a very loud sound coming from the Bronco. Loudest at 65 and goes away around 60.

It's got a rhythmic low tone. Kinda sounds like in a car or suv, if you roll down just a single back window a little you get that thumping loudness.

No vibrations, just a loud rooar, rooar, rooar, rooar.

I also noticed on my rear driver tire, fluid dripping down the sidewalls. It's coming from the rear brakes. I assume rear axle seal??

I have work tomorrow, so I'm going to test by putting truck in nutural to rule out motor related.

 

[miesk5]

yo

get it in asap to dealer or shop for that "fluid dripping down the sidewalls"

hopefully, that thump isn't da 8.8 getting ready to serve itself as lunch if that is a seal leak and the diff needs to expand, violently

 

[nelbur]

It sure sounds like a rear wheel bearing. If yours is like my '86, there is no inner bearing race. The rollers run on the axle, and when the bearing goes bad it ruins the axle. The local parts stores sell an offset bearing and seal that allows the new bearing to run on a different spot on the axle, but I have not had good results using them. To work on the bearing the axle has to come out, which has to have the clip removed from inside the diff., which makes it a real job. Perhaps your more modern Bronco has a different arrangement. I hope so.

 

[AdamDude04]

Well today no noise on my way to work..

I'll take it to the shop and have them figure it out. Only need it to run another month. Then it's parked for a yr or so lol

I'll check the gear fluid level tomorrow. If it's normal, should I still worry? Woke up this morning and nothing leaking down the tire sidewalls..

 

[miesk5]

yo,

If it's @ norm level, & since you wrote, "also noticed on my rear driver tire, fluid dripping down the sidewalls"

maybe a Chow-Chow or Boxer was strolling by and decided to mark that tire as it's own?

@ normal, let it go until next year if no more fluid or noise pops up or is squirted again

somethAng may have gotten stuck on a tire causing the noise or imbalance of same

 

[bobstrat]

how's your brake fluid level? fluid on the inside sidewall could indicate a bad wheel cylinder.

 

[AdamDude04]

I'll check brake level today too.

What's a wheel cylinder? I assume something round in that area?

I don't think it was a dog taking a leak. There are two other faint areas. I'll snap a photo today and post up tonight

 

[miesk5]

yo,



see da wheel cylinder

Typical Drum Components; RIGHT side shown

by Steve83

 

[nelbur]

A leaking seal will put grease on the inside of the rim, and a leaking brake cylinder will do the same. If the fluid is on the outside of the rim it is likely a dog. My Bronco has experienced all three.

 

[Seabronc]

Seriously, put your finger in it and smell it. If it smells like ***** - DOG or Someone who doesn't like you. If it, smells sort of pungent and gagy - Axel seal. If it just smells oily - Brake fluid from brake cylinder. Of the 3, the axle seal is the most work, followed by the brake cylinder, well maybe followed by the ***** /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> . My suggestion is that if you don't know what a brake cylinder is, take it to a shop or get prepared to learn how to wrench on your truck.

Good luck,

>-

 

[AdamDude04]

Mine is on the inside. It's coming out of a gap at the bottom of the brake unit. I'll smell it tomorrow. There is also the same discoloration by the bleeder ****** for the brakes.

 

[miesk5]

yo Adam,

As Fred advised, take it to a shop

Or A FORD DEALER...

Too save some $ at your local/ or fav Dealer, join Owner Advantage Rewards™ are our way of thanking you for your business each time you purchase parts or service from your participating Dealership

For parts I can't get on the ww or need right away, I buy from my dealer under the proggie and now have $145.00 ready to use for brake parts.. Oil changes and tire rotations help...esp in winter and KANT beat da price; for example...

Oil and Oil Filter Change up to 5 Quarts of Oil. only...$12.95

and they top it off ending up w/6.. and no extra charge

and btw, glad to assist you, but when you ask a Q, please incl all the facts that you have in first post.

 

[95 Bronco XLT]

yo!

I have the same thing going on in my 95 Bronco. The parts should be here next week from JBG as I told you in another post but Im thinking you could be a busy man. My question is this, should I not drive the BRONC until I fix this? The drum has a small chip on the outside rim and it is not a super bad leak but its def from the ax seal. The rear brakes have made a sound for quite some time. I thought the sound was from the front and I guess I had sounds from both.....sounds! unbelievable sounds bro!

so, should i not drive her until i fix this leak? you sound emphatic about attending to this situation.

 

[Seabronc]

yo!

I have the same thing going on in my 95 Bronco. The parts should be here next week from JBG as I told you in another post but Im thinking you could be a busy man. My question is this, should I not drive the BRONC until I fix this? The drum has a small chip on the outside rim and it is not a super bad leak but its def from the ax seal. The rear brakes have made a sound for quite some time. I thought the sound was from the front and I guess I had sounds from both.....sounds! unbelievable sounds bro!

so, should i not drive her until i fix this leak? you sound emphatic about attending to this situation.

Nobody is going to tell you to keep driving something that has the potential to **** you. Now that may seem like I'm taking it to an extreem and I am. However, when your brakes are involved and could fail because fo oil getting on the surface, it is time to get the problem corrected. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want my son/daughter in or infront of your truck.

Good luck,

>-

 

[nelbur]

I doubt that you can order the right parts until you tear it down and see what is wrong. If the bearing is making noise, you will need a new bearing and seal, but since the bearing likely rides on the axle, the axle might also be messed up. If so, you will need another axle or an offset type bearing, and different seal. I would advise tearing it down, determining what is wrong, and buying the parts at your local parts store. They sell a lot of old Ford truck parts and will likely have what you need, if not in stock, probably by the next morning.

If it is your axle seal you will have oil all over your brake shoes. This makes them grabby. I have tried washing the oil off with solvent, but was never able to get them to work as well as they did before they were oiled down.

If the fluid is brake fluid it will likely be a bad wheel cylinder. Your local parts store will have rebuilt cylinders for small money that can quickly be bolted in, the air bled out, and the shoes washed off with water.

 

[AdamDude04]

here are some photos.. sorry really busy due to hoildays an such.

the problem has gone away, as far as the in an out humming at 65mph. However, now it does it around 75-80 though not as loud, and rare as I never really do over 70 unless wide open road.

Brake fluid is just as follows.. this ofcourse on a hill, but you get the idea. Brakes were fully serviced last year, around october-ish. So I'm not sure that much fluid should be missing in 10k miles of use in a years time..

 

[AdamDude04]

Thanks for the advice guys. Unfortantly I dont have the time to fix myself, however I have no problem letting the shop handle things. But to protect myself, I like to get everyones thoughts so they don't stick it to me for needless things that I'd rather not pay for. But on the other hand, if a simple 3hr driveway job to replace a seal, I could do that with ease.

 

[nelbur]

The picture shows that it is either brake fluid or axle grease. Stick your finger in it and smell it to tell which. If it is brake fluid, it is a simple one hour cylinder replacement. If it is axle grease it is much more complicated.

 

[AdamDude04]

Yesturday I took the wheel off.. good thing for my haynes manual! I was trying to pull off the drum and it wouldn't move. Had to loosen a thing with a ***** driver..

Anywho, yep looks like a wheel cylinder. I'm affraid of removing the springs though. I don't have a tool, and they seem to have a good amount of force held in there.