drive axle noise

[donjuan5858]

HELP! "drive axle noise"

While driving my 85 today I herd something sounded like a clunk comming from my left rear wheel. A while later it sounded like a loose center cap. Then the terror came. It sounded like the rear wheel was going to sieze. Limping into my local fixit shop the sound disappeared for a while. Up on the rack while turning the tires, a strange sound could be herd from what seemed to be the middle of the drive axle. Kind of like metal grinding togather with a snapping, chipping nasty! someone please help me with the diagnosis. U-joint, some bearing,a gear, dont know much about these independent drive half shafts. thanks!​

 

[Ken]

I can't attempt a diagnosis by the description given above, except to say that it sounds like you definitely have something wrong back there. It could be anything from a bad wheel bearing to the differential gears. I'm afraid you're going to have to start taking things apart until you find the culprit.

 

[WhalePirot]

Those sounds travel quite well in the heavy metal parts, making pinpointing them harder. I do not know what pending wheel seize sounds like. I understand clicking, clunking and whirring and whining (human and not).

Bearing probably don't clunk, but U-joints can. The IRS has 6 of them, instead of just two, but the idea is the same. A visual and/or hand-rotation and shaking (for play) of the drive and half shafts may reveal the culprit, especially if it's a 'clunking'. More clues would come from the sound being tied to one rotation of whichever shaft (the driveshaft rotates about 3x faster than the halfshafts).

 

[donjuan5858]

half shaft noise

Those sounds travel quite well in the heavy metal parts, making pinpointing them harder. I do not know what pending wheel seize sounds like. I understand clicking, clunking and whirring and whining (human and not).

Bearing probably don't clunk, but U-joints can. The IRS has 6 of them, instead of just two, but the idea is the same. A visual and/or hand-rotation and shaking (for play) of the drive and half shafts may reveal the culprit, especially if it's a 'clunking'. More clues would come from the sound being tied to one rotation of whichever shaft (the driveshaft rotates about 3x faster than the halfshafts).

thanks for the replys guys. It's definately coming from the drivers side half shaft. Nasty popping,cracking sound as I turn it.

 

[Jeb]

thanks for the replys guys. It's definately coming from the drivers side half shaft. Nasty popping,cracking sound as I turn it.

My first inclination would be that you've got a U-joint problem. Have you checked for play in the shaft?

Mine went out a couple of months ago and the sound was like you described and it was heard when taking off from a dead stop. It was a rather low pitched clicking sound that got faster as the car accelerated. It actually sounded like something was banging against the inner fender.

I had all 6 U-joints replaced while they were down there, figuring that if one went, they were all due and I might as well bite the bullet. Cost was about $550.00 for the total job. Depending on how they do it, you might also need to align the car when they're done. Be sure to ask.

BTW, that vibration in the steering wheel that I had at speed previously went away with the new U-joints.

 

[donjuan5858]

culpret found

Thanks for all the replys guys! Inspecting the suspect half shaft and voilà! ... there it was. The bearing cap was actually broken all the way around. Totally dry,rusted and some of the bearings were in pieces falling out as I pulled out the shaft. Took out both shafts to replace all four uni's tomorrow. Should be up and running by the weekend. Thanks to all!

 

[WhalePirot]

Took out both shafts to replace all four uni's tomorrow. Should be up and running by the weekend. Thanks to all!

Good to hear. You did mark the shafts so they go back in as they came out. You may have vibration, if not.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Thanks for all the replys guys! Inspecting the suspect half shaft and voilà! ... there it was. The bearing cap was actually broken all the way around. Totally dry,rusted and some of the bearings were in pieces falling out as I pulled out the shaft. Took out both shafts to replace all four uni's tomorrow. Should be up and running by the weekend. Thanks to all!

Good detective work!
Man, that would ruin your day if you hadn't caught it in time.
Good luck with the replacement. Nice to hear you are doing your own work on it.