Drivetrain sounds like a playing card in a spinning bicycle spoke

TJ Highlander · #1 09-29-2003, 05:53 AM

I was out off-road today on a trail that's barely a 2 if even that. I never even took it out of 2 HI. On the way home, I heard a sound that sounds like it's shedding rocks from the tire treads up against the bottom of the tub. Nothing unusual there. Except that I hear one dull "pop" that I also feel through my shifter. Then when I let off of the gas (whether in gear or out of gear) I hear a sound coming from under my TJ that sounds like a playing card in a bicycle spoke (for those that did that trick when you were kids). When I apply any amount of gas at all, it disappears. The sound is accompanied by feedback through my shifter and it varies with my speed.

When I crawled under it I see nothing unusual or out of place.

Nothing seems different about the way it's handling or running in any way.

My first thought was the u-joints, but they appear to be solid and the caps are all in place.

Other ideas or suggestions?

Thx!

Scott Hill · #2 09-29-2003, 06:10 AM

Rear drive shafts or front if no hib kit. centering ball is shot.

drop the shaft and wiggle the CV area it should be smooth moving if not you can try to take it apart and lube it but if it is making more thena squeek you will need to replave it.

Scott

mrblaine · #3 09-29-2003, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scott Hill
Rear drive shafts or front if no hib kit. centering ball is shot.

drop the shaft and wiggle the CV area it should be smooth moving if not you can try to take it apart and lube it but if it is making more thena squeek you will need to replave it.

Scott

Scott, did you find any backed out torque convertor bolts?

Scott Hill · #4 09-29-2003, 07:27 AM

loose but not out enough to hit any thing it did reduce the noise a little, but was not the cure.

Scott

mrblaine · #5 09-29-2003, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scott Hill
loose but not out enough to hit any thing it did reduce the noise a little, but was not the cure.

Scott

did you try running it with the dust cover off?

TJRON · #6 09-29-2003, 08:26 AM

What tranny? I just went through this with my manual AX15........

Scott Hill · #7 09-29-2003, 08:34 AM

yes I did try with no dust cover.

TJ Highlander · #8 10-03-2003, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TJRON
What tranny? I just went through this with my manual AX15........

manual for Y2K which is NV3550 as I recall

TJ Highlander · #9 10-03-2003, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scott Hill
Rear drive shafts or front if no hib kit. centering ball is shot.

what's a "hib kit" - that's a new one on me.

also - is the centering ball user servicable/replacable? Anyone have a write up on this?

Thanks Scott

karstman · #10 10-05-2003, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TJ Highlander
what's a "hib kit" - that's a new one on me.

also - is the centering ball user servicable/replacable? Anyone have a write up on this?

Thanks Scott

I think Scott meant "Hub kit".
You can take apart the centering ball and lube it, or replace it with a greasable unit from Spicer. You need to make sure the yoke that the ball rides on is OK, or have a new one welded on the driveshaft if the old onw is pitted or worn at all.

Is the jeep still making noise?

TJ Highlander · #11 10-05-2003, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by karstman
I think Scott meant "Hub kit".
You can take apart the centering ball and lube it, or replace it with a greasable unit from Spicer. You need to make sure the yoke that the ball rides on is OK, or have a new one welded on the driveshaft if the old onw is pitted or worn at all.

Is the jeep still making noise?

Hey Mark, how are you liking Colorado?

Dumb question: Where IS the centering ball?

To me, the strange part is that it only makes noise when the drivetrain is NOT under load. For some reason that strikes me as counter to what I'd normally expect.

Keyton

Scott Hill · #12 10-05-2003, 11:36 AM

Dont start with my spelling Blaine does that enough.

mine only made the noise when at coast for a little while.

the centering ball is what sits between the two U-joints on a double caridan. ( CV )

Scott

karstman · #13 10-06-2003, 05:42 AM

Hi Keyton,
I thought that was you. Loving every minute here. Spent a summer full of wheeling, camping, and fishing.

Ditto what Scott said about the location of the centering ball.

Is the jeep still making the noise? Same level, or has it subsided at all?

Making the noise when it's not under load is not really strange. The drivetrain is unloading, and creating enough room between 2 parts to hit and make the noise you hear. Once you load the drivetrain, that clearance disappears and so does the noise. Now you just need to figure out what parts are making all the racket

Is the noise completely cyclical, or is there any randomness to the frequency?

later,
mark

TJ Highlander · #14 10-06-2003, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by karstman
Is the jeep still making the noise? Same level, or has it subsided at all?

It seems like it may have subsided a bit - but then again, it could be that I've gotten used to hearing it.

Quote:

Originally posted by karstman
Is the noise completely cyclical, or is there any randomness to the frequency?

Completely cyclical and the rate varies directly with vehicle speed.
For this reason, it's most noticable at low speeds.

It does sound like it changes pitch slightly between coasting in gear and coasting with the tranny out of gear.

Still sound like the centering ball?

Scott Hill · #15 10-06-2003, 07:14 PM

Easy to check.

Spray centering ball with white lithium grease spray.

Scott

(typed by Christy

)

karstman · #16 10-07-2003, 05:35 AM

Yea, spray it or pull the front shaft.

Noises that just go away on their own are usually not a good thing.....so I'd have a look-see.

TJ Highlander · #17 10-13-2003, 04:42 PM

OK, so maybe I'm the Jeeper version of a hypochondriac

After looking over my driveline and finding nothing wrong with it as far as I could tell, I took it in for service to see what they could see. As I'd said, the sound was dimishing to the point of being non-existant. After looking it over, their determination was that while it could stand a little grease here and there, everything else looked and tested fine. They thought that I probably just picked up a rock that had lodged somewhere where it was getting "nicked" by the driveline or one of my wheels as they worked and eventually worked itself free.

Thanks