Sounds Like I’m Dragging a Chain

[powerboatr]

good news is the bolt is rusty , its been broken for a good while, and your axle shaft is not backed into the spool.
i really wonder after seeing all these sheared bolts of they are really needed.

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[Tyler17]

good news is the bolt is rusty , its been broken for a good while, and your axle shaft is not backed into the spool.
i really wonder after seeing all these sheared bolts of they are really needed.

Yeah, it seems that a lot of them have this issue but no wheels fall off. I’ve been driving mine for about 3k miles like that. It’s been driving my crazy but I couldn’t find the origin of the noise. It must have happened right after I rotated the tires. I did that and the noise started about a week later. I never would have thought that bolt would break and be rattling around in the wheel.The soonest the dealer has is Feb 26 so I’ll be taking it in then. The guy I talked to claims he has never heard of the issue. I’m just gonna keep driving it until then.

 

[Buyer2021]

The guy I talked to claims he has never heard of the issue.

This post may be of interest, noting in particular the reference to info found on the "Hot Line" by that dealer.

With any 'luck' you'll get a replacement of the axle shaft assembly consisting of current stock shaft+wheel hub. The downside is that the dealer may try to 'hold' your truck while waiting for the parts.

Good Luck!

 

[Tyler17]

Has anyone had this done recently? Back early last year it looks like parts weren’t available. I’m hoping they are now. Luckily I’m going out of town for work the day after I drop it off and Ill be gone for 10 days so hopefully it’ll be done by the time I get back.

 

[FordConvert]

Just had mine done a couple weeks ago. Shaft was in stock and it was a quick job. Had been making strange noises for some time, including brake squeal. Good as new now.

 

[Je1279]

Without the bolts, the rear brakes are the only things holding the axles in place, correct?

 

[Buyer2021]

Without the bolts, the rear brakes are the only things holding the axles in place, correct?

Without the bolt the axle shaft can move laterally 'inboard' toward the differential; 'outboard' movement of the axle shaft is restricted by a lip and washer on the axle shaft which bears on the inboard face of the hub / bearing assembly. The 'brakes' (rotor / caliper) play no role in restricting movement of the axle shaft in any direction.

FWIW in following numerous threads on this and another F150 forum I've not yet read of anyone having that inboard axle shaft movement actually occur to the extent that damage inside the differential has resulted (if that's even possible), even though many folks have apparently driven many miles with a broken bolt.

None of this to be confused with what holds the wheels in place, which is neither the bolt nor the brake rotors/calipers but is the sealed wheel hub / bearing assembly bolted to the axle housing (both the brake rotors and the wheel are held to the wheel hub via the studs which are pressed through the back of the wheel hub flange).

All that notwithstanding, for whatever reason it seems Ford recommends dealers tell affected owners to not drive vehicles with a broken bolt.

It may be that the bolt, acting to 'squeeze' ('preload') the bearing(s) in the sealed wheel hub between the inboard axle lip / washer and the bolt head / washer, serves a role to maintain the integrity of the hub / bearing assembly. But AFAIK no one has yet dissected that sealed wheel hub assembly to determine that with certainty (the Ford Workshop Manual does not provide detail on the internal configuration of that sealed wheel hub assembly).

Make of it what you will ....

EDIT - a sketch that's better than 1000 words

 

[Tyler17]

UPDATE:

I dropped the truck off last weekend and they fixed it this week. Picked it up today (it was ready in 3 days but I was out of town). They replaced both rear axles as part of that service bulletin. I asked if they were new updated parts and the service writer said he wasn’t sure and to keep an eye on them.

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