weird noises front left

hey guys new to this forum.
picked up a 2005 d22 td the otherday. took it out 4x4ing today n did a small run in the mud was going fine till i got stuck on a fallen tree it made a terrible noise when i hit it which is not un comon when 4bying. i ended up reveresing back out once i was out i noticed a funny noise and virbation in the front left it goes away when acelerating its still there when i take it out of 4 whell drive and when the hubs are unlocked it drives fine steers fine and brakes fine but in reverse its sends the vibration through the car i got home took the wheel off and all seams fine im hopeing its not diff related but but am starting to think its is (its got a front loka too fyi) i was wondering if its happend to anyone else or if u know what it could be

Welcome to the forum.

It could be a CV joint or the front axle. What did you hit the tree with, the wheel or the underside?

It hit and went over the front left tyer then stopped on the sidestep
I've only ever even played with drive shafts/cvs in my 180sx and most of the time they've just snapped how could u know for certian it's stuffed anything else I should check

Hitting it with the tyre shouldn't damage the diff, and unlikely to damage the axle. It's more likely to be a shock absorber. How's the bounce on that side of the car?

It seams fine if it were a dead shoky would it be sending shudders/vibrations through the car when reversing

O it also seams to go way when on full lock

was the diff locked??
sounds like a c/v to me

It's a auto locker and the hubs were locked so yeah I suppose it was locked

Yeah anyway to tell if it's cv or shocky?

It won't be a CV joint if the noise is still there when you're not in 4wd and the front hubs are unlocked. Neither the CV joints, front diff nor prop shaft will be turning.

Wheel bearing maybe?
Brake calipers?

Won't it all still spin but just freely
Wheels bearing would be noisy the whole time wouldnt they?
N what in the break caliper would be doing this

Locky g said:

Won't it all still spin but just freely
Wheels bearing would be noisy the whole time wouldnt they?
N what in the break caliper would be doing this

Click to expand...

Nope, the front hubs lock the wheels to the CV's, so if your front hubs are unlocked, then your CV's shouldn't be turning over, and if your transfer lever is in the "2L" position, then your prop shaft isn't being turned over, therefore your front running gear is essentially not doing anything.

So if your hubs are unlocked, and you're in 2L, and still have the noise, then the issue is NOT front diff, prop shaft or CV related.

It may also be the running hubs themselves?

As for why and how, no idea, but it's something to look at maybe.

Edit double post

Ahh righto I'm a 4x4 noob still all new to me I'm used to rear wheels drive drift cars

I looked under it just before and it the gearbox cross member is a little bent but the rubber mount is still intack could this be causing the problem?
Also could there be water in the hub or would it always be making the noise

Locky g said:

Ahh righto I'm a 4x4 noob still all new to me I'm used to rear wheels drive drift cars

I looked under it just before and it the gearbox cross member is a little bent but the rubber mount is still intack could this be causing the problem?
Also could there be water in the hub or would it always be making the noise

Click to expand...

Got a photo of the bent cross member? And the running gear that may be affected?

not great pics but gives u the genral idea gunna take it off tomorrow take it to work n try n straighten it if i cant ill just make a new one

fewmore pics of it

Was the cross member coming into contact with the torsion bar when there's a little extra weight on the front end - for example, when you're reversing, or not accelerating?

it dosnt look like theres marks on the torsion bars but there's a little buit of rubbing on the crossmember

how much would it move ie could that be it mabe?

For sure. Try getting a couple of mates to help you out. Put some plasticine (modelling clay, bluetack, whatever) on the cross member where the torsion bar crosses it and get everyone to put their weight on the front of the car (hopefully you have a bullbar).

Then climb under and see how flat it got.

The torsion bar is absorbing wheel impacts, it's going to move about - it could easily be what caused your problem, so replacing that cross member (I am not confident it would survive repairing with the strength that it was intended to have) might fix your noise problem.

ive already taken it out and yeah it looks like it gunna be a pain in the ass to straighten nissan want 158 for a new one which i dont think is to bad ill give some wreckers a call see what they can offer will let u know

Changed the cross member amdddd


It's all fixed now


Thanks heaps for all your help guys I know where to turn if I need help with anything else