Daytonatiger (2 Viewers)

[daytonatiger]

HELP !! Awful noise coming from front of truck !!

I have an awful noise in the front of the truck. I had a banging when engaging reverse or first so I had the right axle rebult, new flange(had bad spline)new front brakes and then they suggested flushing the tranny. I had asked that they rebuild both axles but was told this this wasn't necessary. Now I have a noise coming from the right side that sounds like a metal parts coming to a screeching halt. At first they couldnt find it but today they discovered that when you hit a bump you can make it happen, however, we hear the noise sometimes even when the truck is not moving. It happens at all speeds but intermittantly. The mechanic cannot figure it out. Meanwhile, the vehicle rides smoothly inspite of the noise. When I first heard it I thought that the driveshaft was about to freeze up. We have now had the front end apart twice but cannot find anything. The mechanic was driving today and said he could feel it right under the drivers seat, but I hear it coming from the right. Anybody have a clue? I gotta drop it off again this weekend but would like to be armed with something before I do. Would appreciate any help.

Mechanic says everytime he sees me that he can't believe such a little girl is driving such a big truck...wait till I ride in on my Harley next summer.

Thanks in advance to anyone with information. I would appreciate an email at daytonatiger@yahoo.com if you wouldn't mind. Thanks

Tiger

 

[cruiserdan]

We need more information. A clearer description of the noise would be helpful.


A hip-shot cause may be a dry spindle bushing.


D-

 

[e9999]

sheesh...
when a mechanic makes comments about the "little girl" driving the truck and have her come back several times without finding the problem, I'm getting real worried about him...
E

 

[reffug]

Does the individual examining this truck have any experience with LC's or is he just an all purpose mechanic?

 

[landtank]

Unfortunately you are dealing with a bunch of dim witted males here and you'll need to spoon feed us such information as the year of that truck you are driving and the mileage on it as well as any previous service that might have been done in the past.

I agree with Dan that my first guess would be a dry spindle bushing. I had this problem and it would not happen until the temps dropped outside and as it turned out several others during that time were experiencing it as well. I'm on the road right now but did get a MP3 file of the noise and could e-mail it to you if you would like.

 

[reffug]

I'm on the road right now but did get a MP3 file of the noise and could e-mail it to you if you would like.

Dude you have way to much free time on your hands.....

 

[NovaFZJ80]

Going through the same thing right now after getting new pads/rotors....sounds like gunk gunk gunk grinding metal to metal from PS axle..like something is about to fall off...didn't have the noise before getting the new pads/rotors...so must have happened after...does this intermittently as well...sometimes just going straight, other times when turning sharp left turns....hopefully its a matter of something not being lubricated! will let you know when i find out

 

[toddslater]

Nova,

Yours could just be caused by sticking calipers since it has just manifested after the brake job. Pull the caliper on that side and see if you can retract it smootly with nominal effort with a piston compression tool. As far as daytonatiger...after I read the first line I'd of been looking at my u-joints. But after reading the rest, Dan's hip shot is as good as any.

 

[Beowulf]

Tiger,

You are unlikely to get any responses directly to your e-mail. Please check here in this forum for feedback.

>> we hear the noise sometimes even when the truck is not moving. <<

It will help me if you can elaborate on this statement. Is this when the engine is running with the vehicle in park? Is this with the engine off? How do you create the noise.... bouncing the suspension? or does it just make the noise while sitting still with the engine off. More info please.

See if you can give a better description of the sound.


(Later.... after re-reading your initial post...)

You may be hearing a relatively "common" noise. It is not uncommon for these 80 series Cruisers to exhibit a "clunk" sound when shifting from reverse to drive (or vice-versa). We can go into a long explanation of where the clunk is coming from but that's not important to you at this time.

The classic Cruiser clunking noise (it's a one-time "clunk"; not multiple "clunk-clunk-clunks") can be lessened by a good lube job on the driveshafts. This can be done by having your mechanic remove both shafts, clean out all old grease; and hand-lube the splines. You'll also notice a reduction in the clunk noise with a normal driveshaft lube which should be done at every oil change (approx 3k miles.) Please read the archives on the DS removal as you need your mechanic mark for proper re-installation and to understand what amount of grease is needed.

-B-

 

[Rookie2]

we hear the noise sometimes even when the truck is not moving.

If this is true, seems like that would rule out anything in whole knuckle, wheel, spindle bushing area. Don't see how it could make a noise as none of the parts are moving when the vehicle is stationary.

Just my .02


Rookie2

 

[daytonatiger]

Thanks for all the input. Haven't been on the site much as I have had my daddy in the hospital on and off. I have had the truck back to the mechanic from hell who now says he thinks it is the spider gear. I did take it elsewhere and the mechanic there tells me that he replaced a broken clamp on the muffler and the truck has truly only made the noise once since then, but I do notice on occasion that the right front wheel seems to be feeling out of control for a second now and then. The mechanic first replaced the right front axle, then said that the flange was bad but he did not think so when he first did the axle; now he says the spider gear. He tells me that he will install another axle for free because he thinks that the spider gear caused the damage in the first place. Me? I think the weezle is guessing and that either the spindle is dry or when he installed the axle that the load is wrong. The guy was the master wrench for saab but I don't know how much experience he really had on 4X4. Sorry for not identifying the truck earlier. 1992 FJ80. The noise definitely comes from the right side in the area of the wheel but you can feel the vibration under your feet from the driver's side when it happens. And yeah you are right..when ya see a little girl driving a big truck it might seem like an easy target but I try not to be. How 'bout ridin a wheelie straight at him on my Harley? Might change a mind eh? Anyway, I already told him he could let me know when the parts come in...maybe I will just purchase the spider gear and cart away the new axle, but not sure I will let him work on the truck again. I told me that I would not pay any more for labor and he said that work something out for me..I think not. I'm a little stressed out between working too many hours and my dad's health and don't have time for some guy to be jerking me around let alone wanting to rip me off. Maybe I'm bein mean but right now I feel like he took advantage of a bad situation. I really feel like the brake is freezing up but have never heard a noise like this before. There is absolutely no pattern to the problem either. It sounds like metal parts that are getting ready to come to a screetching halt, but when you stop the vehicle and then begin again it stops for a while.

Sorry for being so long winded...overtired and I type fast.

Thanks in advance to anyone with a solution or who trys to give me some clue here. I really appreciate it.

Tiger

 

[semlin]

whoah, you may want to look into using paragraphs Your post raises many questions for me...

Number one, is this a clatter, a clunk clunk or a metal on metal screech?? Is it the same noise all the time or different noises?

Number 2, as beowulf notes, standing still noises are rare and help narrow it down. are you sure you get the noise when standing still? Can you answer b-wulf's questions about that? Is the wheel turned when this happens?

Number 3, what do you mean when you say he "rebuilt" the axle and what do you mean by saying that he is offering to replace the axle now with a new one? The "axle" actually consists of two parts but also commonly refers to the whole front end? An axle rebuild might mean he just tore it down and repacked everything with grease an installed new seals and reassembled or it could mean he actually rebuilt something. Can you find out what he rebuilt or replaced? There is an inner axle and an an outer cv joint with an attached "stub" outer axle (The cv joint is called a birfield on this forum but your mechanic will likely not recognize the term). You mention he replace the flange because of bad splines. The flange fits over the outer stub axle attached to the cv joint. A bad flange could mean he also replaced the cv joint since bad splines on the flange probably means bad splines on the stub axle that mates to it. When you tear down the axles you get a chance to look at and service the wheel bearings, the spindle and the knuckle bearings. some questions to ask are (a) did he replace the inner oil seal (b) did he replace or repack the wheel or knuckle bearings (c) was the Cv joint replaced or rebuilt and, if the Cv was rebuilt was it only the splines on the stub axle or was the cv joint itself rebuilt?

Number 4, if it is a screech then a definite possible cause is the spindle going dry as landtank says. You will have to replace it if that is the problem. You should ask your mechanic if he inspected the brass spindle bushing and what shape it was in, and also whether he lubed the bushing before reassembling the axle. A bad spindle is not an uncommon problem: the spindle on the 80- series was redesigned at some point and the newer version used as a replacement has needle bearings inside the brass bushing.

Number 5, Let's talk about clunk noises now. One possibility is that it is the cv joint (birfield) but you will not get birfield problems when standing still so if you are sure this has happened when stationary and without turning the wheel it is not your cv/birfirld. A birfield problem is more noticable when turning sharply. Try turning the truck in tight circles in a parking lot or doing sharp turns right and left from a standing stop. If you hear a loud popping or clanking noise, the cv joint is likely bad.

Number 6, The other possibility is that the problem is in the diff or the drive train which is where your mechanic seems to suspect trouble. Some of the terms you have used confuse me. First off, by spider gear does your mechanic mean the spider joint (u joint) or the diff gears and is he talking about the hub flange or the differential flange? Diff noises are usually single loud clunks.

 

[PHAEDRUS]

Daytona
one other point that might help us out is where the hell are you.
there are a lot of really great guys on this board and chances are one of them lives near to where you do. this is extremely ahelpful to hear the noise in person and can make a world of difference.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say the SAAB mechanic while a nice guy is less competent than you are at turning a wrench on these trucks. Not sure what mileage you have but the u joints and the entire differential on the front end of these trucks (excluding long and birfield shafts) is pretty much bulletproof. unless when he changed out the axle he did not seal it properly and lost all of the diff fluid into the knuckle. if this was the case the side he worked on would have a lot of grease and goo built up on the back side of the knuckle.

I would recommend that you post up the answers to -B- s questions and possibly where you are located and it would be more helpful
Dave

 

[daytonatiger]

thanks guys. I really appreciate a bunch of guys trying to help me out instead of just poking fun at the dumb blond. I am located in East Haven Ct. Right now the truck is not making the noise but I don't like the feel of the right front wheel. every once in a while it just feels like it's not on the same plane at the rest of vehicle..like it might freeze up but it doesn't and like it's about to lose control but it doesn't. The noise has stopped for now. The sound is like metal on metal. It sounds like moving parts coming to a halt but I'm not saying it is moving parts just sounds that way. when it happens I feel a vibration under my feet. My receipt from the mechanic lists the following parts: Wheel bearing; bearing wheel, seal, gasket, cap, washer, ring, bolt, axle rebuild, k55 trans flush kit, atf dextron 3, brake pads, brake rotors, seals. oil filter, turbo oil, bulb 1156, bult 1157, g 44k engine clean: services: axle drive shaft replaced, brakes front bad service, tranny power flush, replace tail light and change oil. I beleive he did the CV joint.

If there is anyone out there from my area I would truly appreciate the extra help. I am truly overwhelmed and tomorrow I am being scheduled for surgery for a neck injury that has taken toll with nerve compression. When I am better I wanna have this thing in shape so I can take her off road and have some fun. I hear the doc wants me to retire my Harley which aint fine but at least I have my truck. Can't take my little sports car out there and play..too many cops and too many tickets already.

Thanks again

Tiger

 

[Beowulf]

Tiger,

I give up. Plead with landtank to let you take your truck up (down?) to MA and let him take a look at your front end. You can drool on his snorkle while you're there.



-B-

 

[landtank]

DT has asked for me to e-mail my sound file of the bad bushing however it went with my last computer crash. Can someone who might have received it the first time around help me out by e-mailing it back to me.

Also E. Haven CT is not to aweful far away and I could probably help you out in the very near furture or you could drive it up here as I'm sure it's the dry bushing issue I had as it seemed to manifest itself in colder wheather and come and go.

This week I'm in Rochester NY but the next week hasn't been scheduled yet.