Thread: drive train is slapping me

Next place/s I'd look is at the u-joints and if the hand brake is adjusted properly. Wouldn't cause wandering, but could cause the noise.

I had an issue where my handbrake drum was out of round and would rub the shoes. It eventually warped the drum and would "catch" at two points, causing a really bad slapping/banging sound from the back half of the 110.

WRT the transmission noise, what oil are you using? Not sure if you get this stuff over there, but Redline MTL quiets things down a bit. Might help add some life back to your trans.

You replaced your drive flanges but what state are the axle splines in? Rear half shafts are where I'd be starting.

The drive line play is likely to be a combination of things, but you can check where it is by doing a series of tests. Handbrake on, get somone to rock the vehicle forward and back - if the back prop shaft moves at all, check the U-joints on it. Remove the rear hub dust covers and repeat - should be no perceptible movement between the axle and drive flange. Replace the flange, and if necessary axle, if there is any movement.

Also check for movement while rocking at either end of the lower links, or the ball joint or A-frame.

Engage centre diff lock, moving a few feet to make sure it is engaged. Engage fourth gear, engine stopped, handbrake off. Rock the vehicle as before - any increase in movement is in the transfer case. Disengage centre diff lock. An increase in the movement shows free play either in the centre diff or front axle. How much is in the front axle can be determined by centre diff unlocked, transfer in neutral, handbrake on - how far can you turn prop shaft?

Also note, as suggested, a lot of the issues from driveline slop are exacerbated by a dragging handbrake. Chock the front wheels, jack up the back, handbrake off, T/C neutral, centre diff unlocked, and turn the rear prop shaft by hand. Should be no significant drag, and no scraping sound from the drum. Do a full turn, as the drum may be out of round. Check that there is no radial movement on the drum, as lack of preload on the output shaft bearings may allow the drum to touch the shoes under load if the shaft can move axially.

Most likely problems are rear drive flanges and handbrake, in my experience.

Hope this helps,

how come rear flanges flog out quicker than front flanges?

Good question, but they seem to. Probably higher peak loads (the torque when a wheel slips is proportional to the load on the wheel), which is, on average, higher on the back.

John

Originally Posted by komaterpillar

how come rear flanges flog out quicker than front flanges?

Although it is a constant 4x4 the rears do most of the work.

Originally Posted by komaterpillar

how come rear flanges flog out quicker than front flanges?

Probably has a lot to do with the front running CV joints that let the flanges align under load. The faintest misalignment of the rear hub to axle would create a fretting motion in the flanges.

Cheers for all the info so far guys, I had M.R Auto do the flanges while they did the oiled bearing conversion - I spoke to them today and went through their notes and spoke to the guys that did the work they said the axles were in good shape and no problems there. I already had the maxxi drives on the front when i bought the car. M.R Auto also pressed in the adjustable A frame balljoint, I have just put all new bushes in too recently all superpro (which I know are supposedly a little stiffer) but it wasn't noticable till afetr all the recent work which was after the bushes.. It feels like its behind the cab and I'm leaning towards the U-joints or prop, I don't know what it was towing or whatever before I got it so who knows. I have had surging issues though which again could be handbrake related also so I'll get onto the mentioned tests and see how I fair. Ive seen the disc brake replacement mod for the drum handbrake... anyone done it? is it a big mod? can I buy it as a kit? cheers again guys