Howling Driveline!!!

[Cruiserhead05]

Yes, yes, yes.... I searched. There is alot of info out there though so i was wondering with the things i have done so far, if some people could help me pinpoint this noise.

After a good day of wheeling yesterday i noticed once i got on the highway the 80 had developed a high-pitched howling noise. Not a groan.
Having dealt with these before i woke up this morning, drained and refilled both diffs, T-case, and greased what u-joint fittings i could get to(I have a DC front shaft).

So far, none of this has made any effect at all on the noise.

I just went ahead and pulled the front shaft to see if that would help, thinking it would point to a u-joint possible. Still, no change.

The howling is effected by speed, the faster i go, the louder. Also there is a slight change in pitch when decelerating.

Lastly, it sounds like its coming below the pass. floor board but i could be wrong(t-case?)

At this point, i can only think its t-case related although i would have thought the gear oil change would have made a slight difference.

Hope thats not too much info.
Thanks

 

[IdahoDoug]

Brandon,

How about too little info? Mods? Hits or events on the trail? Speed of sound (always -even parking speed??). Last time the front axle repack was done?

Regards,
DougM

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Doug,

2.5" ome heavy lift, front DC shaft. Fully weighted truck. The noise has never been there before like this, Im 99% sure it has to do with the wheeling i did.

The axles and t-case were in a considerable about of water. Thats why i wanted to drain and refill before i posted this, i was somewhat confident it would help, but it didnt.

Axles were gonna through about 1 year ago.

Noise appears at about 5-10mph and goes up from there.

 

[CJF]

Why did you only pull the front shaft?

Curtis

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Curtis,

I had planned on pulling the rear shaft as well but it just came down to lack of daylight.
Also, i dont have any carpet in the truck right now which makes it slightly easier to pinpoint sounds below. This howling is certainly from the front portion of the truck. Either front axle or front half of t-case.

 

[Cruiserhead05]

At this point, im not sure if this is completely obvious but the sound it definately rotational.

At about 50mph or so i popped it into neutral and the sound fades but only very slightly. with different amounts of pedal pressure it will change but again, only slightly.

I hate to have to take this to a mechanic but i feel like thats the way its heading.

 

[CJF]

Don't give up yet, unless you're short on time.

Here's a classic from IdahoDoug to keep your spirits up :

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=433432&postcount=27

Hang in there,

Curtis

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Yes, i just got through reading that thread for like the 2 or 3rd time today.

Any other ideas for determining if its axle related or t-case related?

 

[CJF]

Well, I still say pull the rear DS just to be sure. Think of it as an easy way to get a bit more information.

Curtis

 

[trainrech]

What type of wheeling? Is it possible there is debris between the dust shield and the rotor?

Can you move backwards fast enough to make the sound?

 

[bkfj40]

I'd still try and pull that rear DS Brandon - It might be coming back up the driveshaft from the rear axle.

How did the fluids look?

bk

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Well, i have work and school nonstop till thursday...i will then pull the rear shaft just to eliminate it as a possibility(watch it be the culprit!). The diff fluids were nice and milky!

The wheeling was wet and muddy. Everything looked good around the brakes but i will do the reverse test for kicks.

 

[TheGr8Doughboy]

Brandon, me and Brian (younger Brian) heard a weird noise when you were playing on that steep hill climb. Grinding noise... similar to a baseball card in bicycle spokes. I assumed it was a root or something bouncing off of your wheel. But you might check that passenger front drive flange and possibly birf.

I know you wheel it pretty hard and you could have damaged something previously and it gave out then.

Good luck dude...
Chris

edit: wheelin was fun but easy on the rigs (aside from Brandon's swim in Devils bathtub) slippery trails... but enough traction to basically idle along without worrying too much.

How does this picture keep coming up

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Ok, first thing i will do when i get time is open up the front pass hub and looked for anything weird, then i'll pull the rear shaft.

I'll post up with some info whenever i find something out

 

[Romer]

I think you should take off the rear shaft first. Takes about 10 minutes.

 

[alia176]

Water could have penetrated your wheel bearings! Drive with the front hub flanges removed to see if that makes a difference before going all gung ho on the difficult stuff!

Same with the rear wheels but remove the axles and spin the wheel on jack stands. You should be able to hear/feel a bad bearing.

Good luck!

 

[bkfj40]

just to reconfirm

cruiserhead05 h8s mud

bk

 

[GXO]

good call on the bearings/birf. I would check that after the rear DS.

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Update!

I got off work and drove all the way back home to use the parents garage and get to my tools. After fighting with two of the rear DS bolts for about 30 minutes i finally broke them all free.

Pulled the rear shaft, locked the CDL and she is smooth as glass. I needed something good to happen!

So now to the next question, is there any way to determine whether the noise is coming from the t-caseoutput or the pinion bearing?

FWIW, both the rear pinion and the rear t-caseoutput are leaking considerably and the pinion flange definately has some play in it. lastly, the rear DS was rebuilt less then a year ago and everything felt smooth in it.

 

[CJF]

Pulled the rear shaft, locked the CDL and she is smooth as glass.

Tada!

So now to the next question, is there any way to determine whether the noise is coming from the t-caseoutput or the pinion bearing?

Sure; Doug's patented Garden Hose & Duct Tape Sound Isolating System.

Whaddaya, skeered?

Curtis