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Rear axle shot?

trunks

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
268
Location
Annandale, MN
I've read every thread about driveline noise out there so I'm thinking it's an axle, but I want to make sure before I buy them. I've got a single but pretty violent clunk sound coming from the rear. It does it pretty bad on decel in gear at higher rpms in 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Once I get into 4th and 5th it's not as bad and if I push the clutch in it doesn't do it. Also, when starting out from a dead stop I'll occasionaly hear a grinding sound for less then a second and that's it on acceleration.

I've got new carrier bearings and I get a little wub wub on normal deceleration but nothing to terrible. My only other suspect would be motor mounts or the diff mounts but they seem to look okay. I thought it was hitting my exhaust but now that I've rewelded the hangers for the 3rd time, I know it cannot be that. I'm just wondering if anybody has had a bad rear axle and what their symptoms were.

Thanks!
 

trunks

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
268
Location
Annandale, MN
So I took it to the shop today to have them throw it up on a lift and run it to see where it's coming from. They said that they couldn't get all four wheels to spin and the same speed, and one time one wheel went backwards. The differential is original as far as I know but he said it acted like a lsd.

Is that a normal thing? If not does that point to the differential or transfer case as a cuprit?

Any thoughts welcome.
 

raptorWagon

Well-known member
Joined
May 17, 2007
Messages
2,827
Location
Oak Harbor, WA
It's probably an axle, do you hear the clunking more on one side than the other?
 

trunks

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
268
Location
Annandale, MN
It's loud pop from the rear. I'm getting lots of vibration now too so I'm back to driveline I think, although one cv boot was pulled off slightly from where it should be. I crawled under there tonight and rolled around in melting snow and dirt - tasted like salt. Everything is solid, but my driveshaft has some play. I put the parking brake on and I'd say there's 1/4 inch. When in gear it's solid so I believe that means rear differential? I'm trying to find a 3 bolt lsd and axles to buy.

The rear carrier didn't have spacers in there so I put them in so hopefully that'll help until I can replace the diff.
 

RedTwo

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2008
Messages
1,917
Location
New Zealand
Bad rear axle? Well, when a 3 bolt axle fails it makes a really loud bang/crack noise and shatters just inside the diff. It starts to vibrate and clunk a lot and eventually may start to slip out of the diff and sag. Generally you will know something is up pretty quickly.
3 bolt and 4 bolt, but hey, watcha gonna do? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

trunks

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
268
Location
Annandale, MN
Vibrate and clunk a lot - sounds like my car! I did get the diff and axles bought and they're hopefully on the way. The guy said no play on it but we'll see. I've just been babying it in the meantime - got passed by a Prius this morning /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bawling.gif. At least it'll be a lsd now. I didn't go 4 bolt since it's a dd and I won't be launching it anytime soon.
 
Last edited:

trunks

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
268
Location
Annandale, MN
I installed the new differential and axles last night / today and it is a ton better. I think it was the differential clunking and banging since the axles looked okay. I've still got some deceleration vibration but I can live with it for now.
 
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