whinning sound and bad vabration on 2wd with locked hub

[dark_flame221]

whinning sound and bad vibration on 2wd with locked hub

So ! i got this bad sound/vibration that seems to come from the front axle... happen when i lock my hubs even in 2wd. Sound/vibration are progressive start around 25mph and over 50 it feel really bad...

maybe u-joint ? or spindle bearing ? this past summer it was already making that sound so i changed my spindle bearing checked the u-joint they felt okay...

what else could it be ?

 

[exbass94]

Did it start happening after you removed/replaced the passenger side axle shaft? Make sure the center u-joint and passenger outer u-joint are in phase.

 

[bobbywalter]

typical of worn splines in the slip on the drive shaft and axle shaft along with the passenger side being out of phase as mentioned above. usually not bad till the joints tighten up or blow out.

 

[dark_flame221]

well i did not disassemble the u -joint, i just cheked if they had play in them (that's how you check them right ?)

edit: well after i checked some youtube video i can tell the sound is more like chirping than whinning.... my truck make a sound like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti96LVC_V-A

also, it make the same sound on 4x4 with lock hub on free

 

[70roadrunner]

I would bet on a bad u-joint on the front driveshaft. most likely the double joint

 

[ab_slack]

I have similar noise that occurs as speed goes any time the front drive train is spinning (hubs locked or 4WD engaged or both).

To me it sounds like a bad bearing, but no noise at low speed but as it gets higher speed some vibration kicks in and it making a rumble/growling sound.

The one thing I do note is where the front shaft comes out of the transfer case, pushing the shaft sideways it moves just a little like there is a little bit of slop in the splines between the shaft and transfer case. Moves maybe an 1/8". I don't know if that is an issue or not.

 

[dark_flame221]

I would bet on a bad u-joint on the front driveshaft. most likely the double joint

i can definitly tell that sound come from passenger side axle... ..

 

[Mike92STX]

I have the vibration on mine with the hubs locked. It's not u joints because I just replaced all 3 when I changed the front diff. Got a junk yard set of axles because my rear differential was worn out and the set I got from the junk yard were better gears and the back was a limited slip. Please explain what you mean by out of phase, I don't think I've heard of that before.

 

[wildbill23c]

Mine doesn't make that noise, but that is definitely a weird noise. With my hubs locked in and in 4WD I get a howling noise, probably should check the front diff oil, but can never seem to remember to do so. I don't recall bearings ever sounding like that, not sure a U-Joint would sound like that either, but definitely not normal.

 

[exbass94]

I have the vibration on mine with the hubs locked. It's not u joints because I just replaced all 3 when I changed the front diff. Got a junk yard set of axles because my rear differential was worn out and the set I got from the junk yard were better gears and the back was a limited slip. Please explain what you mean by out of phase, I don't think I've heard of that before.

You need to make sure the ears on the shaft for the center u-joint are in the same position as the ears for the outer u-joint. In other words, if the ears for the center u-joint are in the 3 o' clock and 9 o' clock position, the ears for the outer u-joint should also be in the 3 o' clock and 9 o' clock position. If they're not, you'll get a bad vibration.

To make sure the joints are in phase, do the following:

Rotate the shaft coming out of the differential so that the ears at the end are in the 12 o' clock and 6 o' clock position. The stub shaft that connects to it will then be in the 3:00 and 9:00 position. The long part of the outer shaft that connects to the stub shaft should have its ears in the 3:00 and 9:00 position, and the last outer-most part of the shaft should have its ears in the 12:00 and 6:00 position.

If the ears for the u-joints are not exactly like this, you'll get a bad vibration.

 

[Mike92STX]

Thanks Exbass94, I was thinking it was somthing like that but didn't want to guess and have it wrong. My sons and I did the switch and I don't think we lined them up like that unless it happened accidently? The chances of that are pretty slim.

 

[ab_slack]

You need to make sure the ears on the shaft for the center u-joint are in the same position as the ears for the outer u-joint. In other words, if the ears for the center u-joint are in the 3 o' clock and 9 o' clock position, the ears for the outer u-joint should also be in the 3 o' clock and 9 o' clock position. If they're not, you'll get a bad vibration.

To make sure the joints are in phase, do the following:

Rotate the shaft coming out of the differential so that the ears at the end are in the 12 o' clock and 6 o' clock position. The stub shaft that connects to it will then be in the 3:00 and 9:00 position. The long part of the outer shaft that connects to the stub shaft should have its ears in the 3:00 and 9:00 position, and the last outer-most part of the shaft should have its ears in the 12:00 and 6:00 position.

If the ears for the u-joints are not exactly like this, you'll get a bad vibration.

This was the post that got me looking at the work I had a shop do and they had gotten the phasing wrong.

Yesterday I pulled it apart myself and fixed the phasing. At leas 3/4 of the vibration is gone. I drove 50 miles today and hit 80mph. At highways speeds I noticed some vibration which I would like to improve. Seemed to hit some resonance spots about 55 and 65 then evened out faster. It was however tolerable. Before fixing it getting up over 40 miles an hour it was quite noticeable and at 55 I really didn't like the feel and wasn't comfortable with it locked.

What I didn't appreciate is that while the vibration had been bad at 40mph+ that even at 20mph, 30mph and such there was still something there that put me on edge and I didn't like the "feel". Now I notice nothing at all and at 55 the bit of vibration seems less than what it was doing at 20mph. Not perfect but acceptable which means I can drive in mixed conditions and be able to switch in and out of 4WD. Thank you for the heads up.

Just thought I would pass along the result to affirm, yes getting the phasing right does make a big difference.