My 80 started making a typical driveshaft u-joint noise on the front shaft. I noticed the front u-joint had some play and mimicked the sound i was hearing when I moved it with my hand. After changing the joint, I've noticed the sound is still there. Not constantly and not as bad as it was, but definitely still there and in the same general area.
I also noticed the front driveshaft has a fair amount of play. Not loose bearing play like side to side, but I mean that I can manually turn the shaft quite a bit by hand. The rear shaft can't be moved by hand...and no other car I've had will allow me to manually move a driveshaft this much. I'm assuming I have an issue with either the front diff or the transfer case. Or is there some weird thing where the front shaft is supposed to move like this?
Anyone dealt with this? Where would you start to look for the problem? I'm not afraid of a front axle rebuild, but I just don't want to start chasing problems.
By the way, I rolled over 300,000 miles just a couple weeks ago, and the axles have never had a rebuild. Other than changing and topping off diff oil, they've got the full mileage on them. Same for transfer case.
Thoughts on where I should start to diagnose?
Thx.
I also noticed the front driveshaft has a fair amount of play. Not loose bearing play like side to side, but I mean that I can manually turn the shaft quite a bit by hand. The rear shaft can't be moved by hand...and no other car I've had will allow me to manually move a driveshaft this much. I'm assuming I have an issue with either the front diff or the transfer case. Or is there some weird thing where the front shaft is supposed to move like this?
Anyone dealt with this? Where would you start to look for the problem? I'm not afraid of a front axle rebuild, but I just don't want to start chasing problems.
By the way, I rolled over 300,000 miles just a couple weeks ago, and the axles have never had a rebuild. Other than changing and topping off diff oil, they've got the full mileage on them. Same for transfer case.
Thoughts on where I should start to diagnose?
Thx.