Rear drums clanking?

[alwaysFlOoReD]

After reading your second to last post, I'm wondering if it is "spring wrap" or worn out spring bushings. If the springs are tired, they can allow excessive movement of the axle, creating the conditions you spoke of. "slapper bars" could be a cheap fix.

Richard

 

[shane96ranger]

So, did this start before or after the axle swap?

After reading your second to last post, I'm wondering if it is "spring wrap" or worn out spring bushings. If the springs are tired, they can allow excessive movement of the axle, creating the conditions you spoke of. "slapper bars" could be a cheap fix.

Richard

Yep, this is what I was getting at. Or, I wonder about the pinion angle


Posting whilst sitting upon the throne.

 

[Chris_North]

It has happened with the original axle. In fact, I've had this problem since I've had the truck. It has always been the same and hasn't gotten worse or louder. I just figured it was the destroyed gears inside the differential having play and making that noise and that it would go away with a new diff.

If it is worn springs, would something else be noticed as well? Rough ride, squeak noise, or something?


I will get to work early, see if someone can shift while I look again and try to get back to you guys.

 

[PanamaExpat]

I hope that when you did the axle swap you spent a few extra bucks and replaced the spring bushings. Can you post a vid of the movement you described?

 

[Chris_North]

Okay so I didn't amke it to work as early as hoped, but still had time to look underneath again. I did nothing other than what mentioned in my one of my previous posts, but the movement is almost completely eliminated. I didn't have a lot of time, but it seems like the noise is coming from the other end of the driveshaft now. I am certain that it was originally coming from the rear. Is it normal for the transfer case and trans to have some much wobble and movement? The engine idles rough, but I wouldn't think it should be visible that far back when in drive.

I didn't change anything other than the rear. It was reccomended that I change the U-bolts, and I think someone on here had said to do the e-brake cables as well. I didn't change the u-bolts because they looked to be exceptional and I had a real hard time finding them. Like I said it has a bad engine; I am not willing to sink a lot of money that I don't really have anyway into something that has a big problem already. I might fix/swap the engine, but despite my fondness for it, the truck is not entirely suited to my needs and is fairly old (I know a lot of guys have rangers from the 80s, but to me 15 years is pretty old for a daily driver, especially in this area). I don't have money to buy anything new either though, so I'm a bit stuck.

 

[shane96ranger]

A video could save a lot of going back and forth with comments. If you could take a video of the movement you are experiencing and the play you are finding, it would be very useful in diagnosing your issue. Until then, it's going to be a game of darts.



Sent from my Quad Core Acer A210

 

[Chris_North]

I was at work and therefore very limited as far as what I could do. I only managed to sit for a few minutes to type out that post hoping it might be a little useful.

Haha I haven't used my photobucket account in years:

http://s52.photobucket.com/user/ChrisNorthInGer/media/VID_20130622_161018_627.mp4.html

http://s52.photobucket.com/user/ChrisNorthInGer/media/VID_20130622_161112_576.mp4.html

Anyhow the clank is definitely no where near as bad. It's actually quieted down so much it's hard to pinpoint over the sound of the engine. It was also jumping much more than it is in the video. The second video is the best shot I could get of the transfer case without crawling under the truck which I wasn't about to do with my friend behind the wheel, haha.

Honestly it's gotten to the point that if I don't figure it out soon I'm just going to leave it. It's like so loud it echos through parking lots any more, so I think I may be good with that. I've been lucky this week that I've not much to do, next week I'll likely be busy every day after work so I won't have much time to mess with the truck anyhow. Maybe tomorrow I will throw what's left of the paint on what's left on the rust and play around under her once more.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I hope you did NOT disturb that pinion nut. It is used to set the bearing pre load on the two opposed tapered roller bearings the pinion runs on. Over tightening it puts too much preload on the bearings and they will destroy themselves in short order. There is a crush spacer between the bearings, you cannot loosen the pinion nut after you have over tightened it except by pulling it completely apart and replacing the crush spacer and properly crushing it to the proper preload, which is measured by rotating the pinion with the axle shafts removed, and a extremely low range inch pound torque wrench, beam type, probably less than ten inch pounds max range on the tool. The manual will have you measure the rotating friction of the pinion and tighten the nut until the preload of the bearings is reached, as determined by the rotation torque. Its close to a black art and not something to mess with.

Please don't willy nilly try to tighten the pinion nut.

If you have to replace the pinion seal, you punch mark the nut the end of the shaft and the flange, and count the turns off, exactly. Reinstall it, exactly to the same spot and no more than a thousand or two tighter from the nut to shaft punch marks, that could even be too much. Easiest way to hold the flange is take a piece of flat steel or angle iron and drill it for a couple of the flange holes, and bolt it to the flange, and allow it to rest on the leaf spring. Makes it a one man job.

Hope you haven't ruined that new rear end.

Charles

 

[Chris_North]

Where were you guys before I tried to tighten it? Haha. Some one suggests something is loose, the only way I know of to check that is to put a wrench on it and spin it clockwise. If that doesn't work, it must have left-handed threads. I guess I could have researched it a bit before touching anything, but regardless I couldn't get the nut to budge so I am pretty confident nothing moved at all.

Anyhow so I guess there is definitely just that one mount and there is a way to check it, so I will try that. I guess also that spline is not solid plastic but nylon coated steel? doesn't matter really, just found it interesting.