External USB Hard Drive disconnects during large file transfers.

I have a Western Digital 2TB USB Hard Drive that Ive been using perfectly for a couple of years on my MacBook Pro. A couple of months ago I bought a 27inch iMac and started using it as my main computer. So I had that hard drive connected to my iMac.
I started to notice that during large transfers (be it many files or 1 big one), usually into the Gigs, I suddenly got a warning message saying that the Hard Drive was inappropriately disconnected. It doesnt appear in Disk Utility so I have to manually connect and disconnect the drive in order for it to show up again on the iMac. I tested it again on my MacBook and the same thing happened.
Another problem:
Sometimes it will dissappear from the iMac without a warning message, it just doesnt show up. (Usually after long periods of inactivity). I then have to manually disconnect and connect for it to show up.
So what do you think? Is my Hard Drive Dying?

I've been having similar problems with Lion on both external USB2 drive docks and more recently a Mediasonic 4 bay Firewire RAID drive.  It was suggested that powersaving mode shut these down but changing that didn't completely solve the problem.  I'm returning the Mediasonic for a replacement but suspect that it is something in the OS that is causing it.
If the replaced drive still causes the problem, I'll do a rebuilt of the system, eliminating apps that were migrated over, even though the system is only 5 months old.  If anyone has solved similar issues, please let me know as well.  Thanks.

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