rear end ?

reborn55 · July 27, 2009, 08:53:27 AM

Need a little advice. Been fighting the vibration in the ragtop and started to notice a whine from the rear end I think--so much wind noise can't really tell. Sounded like a wheel bearing, but they are all new front and rear. What I do hear is a clicking noise coming from the area of the rear wheels on both sides. Sounds like someone putting a baseball card in bicycle spokes. Can't tell where it is coming from--used stethescope and screwdriver. I have had the cover off and replaced the side gears and axle bearing---ring and pinion have got some pits in them like they were under water for a time. You can hear the ticking noise spinning by hand and it is really amplified with the wheels and tires on in gear up on stands. shut the motor off and let is coast to a stop and it sounds like a amplified fast ticking Timex. Hold the pinion and still hear clicking so I kinda ruled out Pinion area Got about 10 days before Louisville and time is getting short. Driveshaft also looks like it bounces a lot, but I have got another one. Don't want to waste any more money---Any ideas
Nova 10 bolt--73-74 vintage

enjenjo · July 27, 2009, 11:15:41 PM

Back the brake shoes off, and see if it stops. I have had a ticking noise caused by too rough a cut on the drums, screwing the shoes away from the backing plate, then it snaps back.

The Paisano · July 28, 2009, 12:21:52 PM

Some drive shafts have an inner sleeve,and if it may have a crack,under centrifical force,its will give a cracking type noise.It will some times give a vibration due to being "out of round" from the inside.
Also,on your side gears,if you have an up and down play when they are sitting in the carrier,that's becuse the gear material is harder than the carrier metal and causes it to slap around when you "coast".This is known as a "chuckle".
This will vibrate sometimes,and you will need to replace the carrier.Whing is a ring and pinion problem.
Good Luck,Paisano

wayne petty · July 28, 2009, 03:23:55 PM

i really think that the proper thing it to pull the axles back out and inspect them.. and the axle bearings.... with them out.. put the cross shaft and lock bolt back in... spin the drive shaft.. see if the noise goes away....

if so its the ring and pinion...

when spinning on axle ... with the ring and pinion locked... the spider gears will sometimes make noise...

i have seen so many axle bearings like these fail... and take out the axle shafts...

by the way.. do you have the floppy headed tool for extracting the axle bearings... it can get them out without damaging them usually...

see the 3 different sized black objects... the heads on those pivot and lay flat.. you slide them through the bearing .. flip them up and use the slide hammer to pull the bearing and seal out of the housing end...

http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/alt/648611/image/8/

HF used to sell them cheep... i cannot find an item number...

when they get driven in... if they are not perfectly seated.. do to scars on the housing bore do to tool marks... they can get in crooked.. and wear the axle.... axles also need to be rolled in Vee blocks to check for straightness..

replacement axles are available from dorman for your application.. and axle saver bearings are also available...

a tip.. for people with noisy posi units... mostly gm clutch plate type...

when they get noisy going around corners... find a parking lot.. something paved.. crank the steering wheel all the way to the left and make tight circles to the left... 10 should do.... then to the same thing to the right... as tight a circle as you feel is safe... this works the lube into the clutch plates and smooths out any lumps...

i shall try to be quiet on this... click. click. click....

one more thing... this has drum brakes right........ how about the parking brake spreader bar... is it rubbing the axle do to missing springs that don't come with the kit.. or just totally worn ends that don't hold it up flat.....

??

https://www.dormanproducts.com/images/items/hwrap1/21129.jpg

reborn55 · July 28, 2009, 07:24:41 PM

Update---pulled it all apart. Carrier side bearings are bad--right side bearing and race pitted--left side starting to pit. Pinion bearings and axle bearings OK. Strange thing though--found 7 roller bearings laying in the left tube. I guess they were from past axle bearing failure unless there are bearings somewhere else in the rear end assembly I don't know about. Any how--new side bearings tomorrow, good cleaning and start putting it back together. Rear end has had water in it sometime in its life. ring gear pitted in spots, but will have to wait til later.

wayne petty · July 28, 2009, 08:26:26 PM

cleaning the inside of axle housing tubes... 99 cent store toilet brush... shoved into a piece of pipe.... taped in place... or a screw through it... plastic pipe will work.... i have also just pushed it through and taken it out in the center...

this gets out all of the little junk...

a trip to radio shack will get you some super magnets.. for the bottom of the housing ... to catch any metal fragments that have eluded a cleaning..

remember... for all that read this... the diff throws oil up the cover and down the axle tubes to lube the axle bearings... being sure to jack up one side of the axle and then the other after filling the rear end and before driving it will get critical lube to the bearings.. including full floating truck axle rear ends...

tompeters · July 28, 2009, 11:51:22 PM

very good advice , tipping the axle. wonder how many times it is not thought of?

reborn55 · July 30, 2009, 08:46:26 PM

Well got the rear end put back together--new side/carrier bearings, pinion race and right axle bearing. Drove the car and noise(whine/roar) is still there. Guess the ring gear with pitted teeth from water contamination somewhere along the way may be causing the noise. Off to Louisville next week--just turn the radio up louder or put the top down. THANKS all.

Harry · July 31, 2009, 04:14:57 PM

Bad u-joint?

phat46 · July 31, 2009, 05:02:57 PM

Had that same noise in a Dodge rear on a '92 Van. The ring gear had slight pitting on it. I was stupid and had it replaced. Then talked to many people that had that noise, some right here on the RRT, and lived with it for years and thousands of miles. I remebered that many Mopar rears "howled" for the life of the car. My Dad had a '64 Dodge that had a howl for it's entire life, he bought it new and had it back to the dealers many times for the noise. Never got fixed and the car had a rough life, a couple of us kids got it for a first car and since it was a 318/stick it got whooped on ( I broke the rear springs and burned off a set of rear tires in six months) The rear howled the whole time. Bad thing was my dad got it "radio delete" ( "...don't need a radio when you're driving...") so you couldn't turn up the radio and drown it out.

reborn55 · July 31, 2009, 11:31:12 PM

I guess I am to anal--need to have everything right. Wife says I can't enjoy driving anything because I am always looking and listening to find something wrong.

Harry--clicking is in teh side gear area.

papastoyss · August 01, 2009, 11:42:55 AM

Quote from: "reborn55"I guess I am to anal--need to have everything right. Wife says I can't enjoy driving anything because I am always looking and listening to find something wrong.

Harry--clicking is in teh side gear area.

Ken, I had a 8" Ford rear that had a similar noise & the diff. housing was worn where the side gears fit in it.It came out from under a Mustang II w/ 302 & stick. It had a very hard life. I bought it cause it was a 3:00 gear. I changed out the diff housing & side gears from another chunk I had & the noise was gone.

reborn55 · August 01, 2009, 12:16:14 PM

That is what I am thinking--can live with teh clicking noise for now--only hear it when it is up in the air. the howling/whining is what I can't stand.
See you all at Louisville