Sudden Chatter in drive train?

[Jeff Farrar]

Don't try turning the rear wheels if they are off the ground and hanging. The half shafts will be at an extreme angle.

 

[rohard]

Don't try turning the rear wheels if they are off the ground and hanging. The half shafts will be at an extreme angle.

Would that cause the difficulty I am having turning the wheels? Seems like that would be a constant drag if the U joints were binding. What I have is a relatively easy turn then they "freeze".

 

[Mike McKown]

Would that cause the difficulty I am having turning the wheels? Seems like that would bea constant drag if the U joints were binding. What I have is a relative
ly easy turn then they "freeze".

That's exactly why you can't turn the wheels. Put the posi lube in it and send the brake parts back.

 

[Pittsaj]

If you try and turn the wheels with both hanging, the u joints can bind.
Sounds like this is what happened.
Continue with the lube change
That should fix the problem.

Tony

 

[rohard]

Am pursuing the parking brake fix, and hoping that is it. Got the car on stands, the KO's off (that was a job, I don't think they had been off for a while, everyone worries about them coming off, I had to drill the pin on one side!).
Now the interesting part. The rivets were still in the rotors. 41 years, and 32K on the Odometer. Could it be real?
Anyway, next step is to get the calipers off. Worried about breaking or bending the brake line, there is no "hose", just the steel line from the frame clip to the caliper. Looks like enough slack, but will be tight. Soaked the bolts with WD-40 tognight, hope they come lose easy tommorrow.

 

[67l36driver]

Worried about breaking or bending the brake line

I have always considered the rear brake lines as 'sacrificial'. Have a pair on hand when R & R the calipers for kits or bearing maintainence.

 

[rohard]

OK, for those of you who offered advice, I finally have the answer. I wimped out, and had the car flat bedded to Corvette Clinc in OKC. (I could not figure out how to get the calipers lose w/o opening the hydralic system.) He called today, one side of the parking brake had come completley lose, and was binding the wheel inside the drum. He told me (before he started) that he thought from the way it drove that it was the rear end (as many of you also advised), but he would check the parking brakes before he went into the drive train. He did, and that was the problem. It still is going to be a $450 repair, plus parts, but glad it was nothing more serious. Thanks for all the good advice, it was very helpful to a Newbie.

 

[Kid_Again]

At least you know for sure.

 

[rohard]

At least you know for sure.

Now I have to eat crow. The guy called me, told me to come get the car (it was 4:45 PM on Friday), it was fixed, he had to drive it, but the parking brake was set, and holding!
I got about 1/3 way down there (30 mile trip) and my cell rings. He says brake works fine, BUT the chatter is still THERE!
Takes it apart this morning. The carrier is broken, one of the caps is broken, and there is metal everywhere in the differential. He tells me this is common, I could see it had been cracked for a long time before it broke. He is rounding up parts (the case might be reusable, but he doesn't advise it with a broken cap), and supposed to have an estimate tomorrow, if he can get the parts in town. Looks like it is about $900 at Ecklers, plus $300 core (mine is not usable) if he can not get the parts here. Ouch.

 

[gmjunkie]

Just be glad it didn't come out'a there Banging 3rd!!