ABS Self Test Issue?

Jaedus

Test Drive
Hello all! First post here, thank you for having me.

I am a noob mechanic, and was working on replacing my front shocks on my '04 Xterra. The top nut was rusted and stripped from the previous owner trying to do it himself I am guessing. I ended up cutting it out, and cut my ABS line in the process.

I left it alone as finances are tight, and I don't want to drop $40 on a new one just yet.

I had a shop replace the upper and lower control arms, as I don't have the skills to do so myself, and in the process, they went ahead and replaced my calipers on both sides as well since I had the parts in my trunk. (the head mech there likes me and did it for free)

After picking it up from the shop, I noticed at 20mph I started hearing a noise akin to a baseball card in the spokes of a bicycle tire. I slowed down and it stopped when I dropped to around 15-20mph again. I assumed it was the slide bracket for the brake pads rubbing against the rotor, and decided to reach the speed limit of 35 mph and just get it home. I did so, heard the noise increase in volume slightly, then heard and felt a THUNK, and all noise went away. It has done this 85% of the time I drive since I picked it up from the shop a few days ago.

In looking online, I am actually thinking it is the ABS self test cycling because I cut that line and have one good side, one bad.

Do you think this is accurate? If so, would pulling the ABS fuse be a short term fix? Or would replacing the line be the best? Am I damaging my truck by driving it like this?

If this isn't the case, what do you think it could be?

Thank you for reading the whole thing. Haha. Any insight would be appreciated.
 

Jaedus

Test Drive
I do, yes. I haven't attempted to move into or out of 4WD since last winter though. I don't know why that would act up out of the blue.
 

Bklyn.X

Skid Plates
Moderator
Supporting Member
Founding Member
Location
Brooklyn, NY
They're old trucks my friend. Pull the hubs and drive around a bit, if the noise is gone you know what to do.

On the side, I drove around for a year with a cut ABS line and never noticed any sound, just an annoying light on the dash...
 

Jaedus

Test Drive
I wonder if the clicking is the metal brake pad slide bracket rubbing up against the rotor.

Glad to know that the cut line shouldn't be a big issue. :)
 

Bklyn.X

Skid Plates
Moderator
Supporting Member
Founding Member
Location
Brooklyn, NY
That bracket normally make a screeching or grinding sound rather than the clicking, baseball card sound
 

Jaedus

Test Drive
Hmm, you're right. I thought maybe if just one edge of it was hitting the rotor it might "flap" or click.

I'll be pulling it apart here shortly and will hopefully figure out what's going on.
 

Jaedus

Test Drive
Alright @Bklyn.X . Got an update of sorts for you.

Pulled the front wheels off. No issues with the brakes.

Drivers side hub spins by hand without the axle turning. Passenger side rotates maybe 15-25 degrees back and forth with the axle turning.

I rotated the front driveshaft by hand clockwise and counterclockwise. After rotating it a certain amount, I would hear and feel the aforementioned clicking in the driverside hub only. The axle would rotate with the crankshaft, and after the "click", would no longer rotate.

This is leading me to believe the auto locking hubs are bad.

Would you/anyone else agree?

Additionally, would it be safe to drive it about 550 miles total this weekend for a wedding I'm in? Or would I be ruining the differential, hub, etc?
 

Bklyn.X

Skid Plates
Moderator
Supporting Member
Founding Member
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Sorry, it’s hard for me to follow what you’re describing. Here the diagram of our front axle from the FSM;

AX-8.jpg


With the wheels on the ground the rotation of our front “Driveshaft” (the one from the transfer case to the differential) and in turn our “Drive shaft assembly” actuates the “Auto-lock free-running hub assembly” to “lock” them.

The reverse rotation of the wheel unlocks them. Therefore if you spin the wheel one way a few times, then the other way a few times the “Auto-lock free-running hub assembly” unlocks.


If the “Drive shaft assembly” always turns with the wheel and will not unlock the hub is bad.


There’s a thread on here somewhere that has a post that goes into more detail if you want.


As far as driving with it “locked”;

If it is “locked”, with the “Drive shaft assembly” always turning you’ll put some extra wear on that part and your front diff. They’re pretty tough and can probably take it but it is wear. The front “Driveshaft” and Transfer Case shouldn’t be turning in 2wd unless you’ve modified your “open” front diff.


If it was my truck I’d pull the “Auto-lock free-running hub assembly” and try cleaning them. Sometimes folks put too much grease in them and the mechanism gets gunked up.


Brake cleaner, wipe clean and then light grease.


If they are obviously broken or still fail after cleaning I’d take the “guts” out of it (outside of the “Snap ring”) put the shell of them back on the truck to keep any dirt out of the wheel hub and drive to my buddies wedding.
 

Jaedus

Test Drive
Sorry, it’s hard for me to follow what you’re describing. Here the diagram of our front axle from the FSM;

AX-8.jpg


With the wheels on the ground the rotation of our front “Driveshaft” (the one from the transfer case to the differential) and in turn our “Drive shaft assembly” actuates the “Auto-lock free-running hub assembly” to “lock” them.

The reverse rotation of the wheel unlocks them. Therefore if you spin the wheel one way a few times, then the other way a few times the “Auto-lock free-running hub assembly” unlocks.


If the “Drive shaft assembly” always turns with the wheel and will not unlock the hub is bad.


There’s a thread on here somewhere that has a post that goes into more detail if you want.


As far as driving with it “locked”;

If it is “locked”, with the “Drive shaft assembly” always turning you’ll put some extra wear on that part and your front diff. They’re pretty tough and can probably take it but it is wear. The front “Driveshaft” and Transfer Case shouldn’t be turning in 2wd unless you’ve modified your “open” front diff.


If it was my truck I’d pull the “Auto-lock free-running hub assembly” and try cleaning them. Sometimes folks put too much grease in them and the mechanism gets gunked up.


Brake cleaner, wipe clean and then light grease.


If they are obviously broken or still fail after cleaning I’d take the “guts” out of it (outside of the “Snap ring”) put the shell of them back on the truck to keep any dirt out of the wheel hub and drive to my buddies wedding.


I did end up removing both hubs, cleaned and regreased them. I think it was just an issue with the shops reinstall. No issues after I did so.

Thank you again. :)
 

harryron

The Grumpiest of Mid-Westerners
Location
ohio
Make sure they are put together right. Both of mine grenaded at once doing 50mph. it sucked and someone got an ass chewing when I got it back to the shop.
 
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