Spindle bushings (3 Viewers)

[Rivman1243]

I've been reading about spindle bushing for awhile now and I'm wondering what people's opinions are about the new bearing style. I'm assuming that my clunk noise when accelerating/braking or hitting a bump is the spindle bushing. It is slop in the driver's side of the front axle. I removed the front drive shaft and the noise was still there. I can wiggle the axle in the spindle If i remove the drive flange. The wheel bearing are right

 

[Dave 2000]

This spindle issue is showing up on a lot of 80's now, I have only replaced with the solid bronze version. The reason is that to date, I have fitted three bushings and on two occasions the CV or Birf was slightly oversized or the bushing slightly too small, it is easy to ream out the bronze version. Either the roller bearing type specs are a little off or the cheap CV's the customer supplied were not in spec?

I have to be careful here, I know some of my customers drive their vehicles quite hard, and when I quote them the price for decent CV's they have a coronary! So I have to sit back and let them supply the parts, if they break then tough, it is down to them.

I will be replacing mine with the roller type so the Birfs will have to be top notch gear or OE, when the time comes.

regards

Dave

 

[Tools R Us]

The bushing can have play without issue, they were not that tight new and don't need to be tight. A dead or dry bushing usually makes a grumbling sound, like running over highway rumble strips, usually only st high speed.

What you report sounds more like dry and/or worn driveshaft splines. Does it do it when shifted from D to R?

 

[canman]

What exactly is the purpose of those bushings? I remember thinking the same many moons ago when I rebuilt front axle shortly after my purchase thinking they were badly worn only to find out the new ones were the same and still lots of play.

 

[Dave 2000]

Despite the Birf being supported by the drive flange they help keep the join between axle and Birf stable. The problems I am seeing lately is a driver will be slowing with the brakes gently applied, a front wheel hits a bump or perhaps a drain in the road, and the ABS activates. So in effect it helps control run out and also takes the thrust as the Birf is moving the small amount in and out of the spindle, it picks up the end float if you like? I had the ABS activation problem and had not realised this was the cause, I replaced mine about six years ago, and the ABS issue disappeared as a by product of replacing the birf and bush whilst doing the oil seal and knuckle bearings.

IMO this bushing should be replaced when the spindle is off as a guard against future issues, don't let anyone tell you they don't wear. In worst case scenarios the outer part of the CV can hit the inner casting of the axle knuckle.

regards

Dave

 

[Rivman1243]

It doesn'tmake the noise when shifting drive to reverse. I took the drive shaft apart when I removed it trying to isolate the noise. The splines looked good and u joints were smooth. Im fairly certain that the noise is in the driver's side front axle. It makes a very loud pop. I recently replaced the driver's side drive flange because the splines were worn. That actually made the sound go away for about 1/2 a mile but it's back. After the noise came back I jacked the axle again and checked both sides. The pass side wheel bearings were loose so I tightened them. The driver's side axle seal is toast, I have birf soup. The soup is also part of the reason I am thinking about the bushing. I'm also thinking the drivers birf will need to be replaced .

My plan is to tare down the axle, replace the driver birf, replace trunnion bearings and wheel bearings, replace rotors and pads, and if needed the spindle bushings.

 

[Rivman1243]

Despite the Birf being supported by the drive flange they help keep the join between axle and Birf stable. The problems I am seeing lately is a driver will be slowing with the brakes gently applied, a front wheel hits a bump or perhaps a drain in the road, and the ABS activates. So in effect it helps control run out and also takes the thrust as the Birf is moving the small amount in and out of the spindle, it picks up the end float if you like? I had the ABS activation problem and had not realised this was the cause, I replaced mine about six years ago, and the ABS issue disappeared as a by product of replacing the birf and bush whilst doing the oil seal and knuckle bearings.

IMO this bushing should be replaced when the spindle is off as a guard against future issues, don't let anyone tell you they don't wear. In worst case scenarios the outer part of the CV can hit the inner casting of the axle knuckle.

regards

Dave

I know what you're talking about with the abs activating but I don't feel it in the brake pedal and it makes the same noise when I accelerate from a stop or if I let off the gas and the gear train switches from driving to being driven. Does that make sense?

 

[Dave 2000]

I think if the run out gets too excessive and add in some soup the birfs 'bind' and then release making that noise you describe, see if you can exaggerate it by trying a slow sharp turn on a grippy surface with the CDL on, forwards and backwards.

regards

Dave

 

[Dave 2000]

I know what you're talking about with the abs activating but I don't feel it in the brake pedal and it makes the same noise when I accelerate from a stop or if I let off the gas and the gear train switches from driving to being driven. Does that make sense?

There are loads of places where you could get enough wear to cause that noise but, given you have some play in the CV, and soup as well, you might as well at least pull the spindle and replace the axle seal and give the bush/birf a good look over, wash the birf ball bearings and see if any of the case hardening has gone, that causes binding with corresponding wear inside the 'bell' and the pop as the ball moves position inside the birf housing.

regards

Dave

 

[Rivman1243]

A little more background info..... i bought it about 4 months ago and it had the abs light on- I read the codes and saw it had a code for an abs sensor open- inspected the sensors and the drivers side was broken- where the broken pieces are is unknown- in the glove box is paper work from a large tire chain store rebuilding the front axle. receipt literally says front axle rebuild- it also says notify cust brakes need to be replaced and abs sensor is broken- so i got a used sensor and installed it and thats when i saw the birf soup- i drained the diff and refilled it with 75w-90. added half a tube of valvoline ford chassis grease to each knuckle. i also noticed that the front pads were shot so i replaced them with some napa brand. i checked the rears and they looked like new- searched mud and found that the lspv hadn't been adjusted for the lift- so i adjusted the valve as far down as it would go and proceed to bleed the brakes. thats how i found out about the joys of bleeding an 80 series with abs! after several days of reading and bleeding the brakes i figured out that i needed to activate the abs to get the air out.

Other stuff I've checked-
front susp arm bushings- looks like they are starting to bulge- checked torque on bolts- all were tight- has yellow bushings- on the list of needed repairs
pan hard bar bushings and bolts- bushings looked good- probably original- bolts torqued to spec
steering linkage and tie rod ends- starting to show some wear- not tight but definitely not sloppy loose
front wheel bearings- pass side was loose- tightened via FSM
drive flanges- drivers side was worn out- replaced it-
caliper bolts- torqued to spec
steering arm nuts on knuckles- nuts torqued to spec- didn't check studs yet
steering box bolts- torqued to spec
lug nuts- flanged style for the alloy wheels and torqued to spec- retorqued after 50 miles
sway bar bushings- starting to show their age- on the list of repairs- also looks like i don't have any spacers for the lift


thank you all for your input!

 

[Rivman1243]

i should probably start a "build thread" or change the title in this one and edit the first post