Another fault to diagnose

[Changi]

Ok, so no sooner had I thought that I had my Navara working 100% and now I have another issue.

Just went four wheel driving today and when I engaged 4WD low range and started going through some tight switchbacks you could hear an alarming crunching noise coming from underneath the front end on both sides. It was particularly occurring during full lock and when the suspension was being compressed.

I cant confirm yet whether it was happening on a consistently rotational basis but when I disengaged 4WD and went back to 2WD the problem ceased.

Any initial thoughts on what it may be.

I am currently experiencing the words CV joints floating through the back of my mind but am hoping not.

 

[Jason]

Probably just your steering stops, they all do it.

 

[jjohn]

Probably just your steering stops, they all do it.

Good call.

My first thought was cv's but yeah. Hope that's it.

 

[Old.Tony]

If it's only happening as you reach full lock it's probably the stops. Chuck some grease on them and try again. Do it in 2WD with the hubs NOT engaged and see what happens.

If you still get the noise with the hubs disengaged and transfer lever in 2WD mode, it's just the bump stops. If it happens when the hubs are engaged OR the transfer case is in 4WD, it could well be the spider gears and it would pay to inspect them before you needed to rely on them.

 

[Changi]

Gone through and had the ute inspected. Unfortunately definetly not the bunp stops. The grinding noise is ceasing when 4wd is disengaged. When 4wd is engaged it is rotational in nature. I'm suspecting CV joint or front diff more and more (sigh...)

Just so I'm aware, what are the spider gears as this is a term i'm not familiar with.

 

[Old.Tony]

On the end of the axle where it enters the hub, there's a free-floating gear that allows the angle between the axle and the hub to change without having to use chains. Here's a pic of one - the protrusions fit into slots in the wheel hub and when the shaft (that goes into the spline you can see in the centre) is turned, the hub is turned.

 

[Changi]

Hmm this is very interesting. I will pass this on to my local mechanic as this will probably be very handy for him. We took the ute for a test drive today and pretty much confirmed that wheel bearings are shot, CV joints are pretty rooted and the front diff is almost certainly in the hurt locker.

 

[nathand22]

How old is the ute?

have you not noticed any problems before you posted this initial problem??

how much 4wheeling do you do or has the ute done??

its just seems odd that all of a sudden you would have two cv's, two wheel bearings and a diff all go without prior warning??
I have heard one one going or maybe one cv and the diff, BUT only after a incident while actually giving the ute some grief trying to clear a tricky section out on a trail.

If it is a cv you will be able to hear it clicking and clacking while turning and particularly when under acceleration and turning, if you put your windows down and engage 4wd and hubs then drive (on dirt) going side to side or lock to lock you should be able to clearly hear which side of the car the noise is loudest, as the cvs are on the outside close to the rims it is fairly easy to determine where or which side is the issue.
You could even get some one to stand and listen while you do circles around them.

If its the diff in most case the noise will be there all the time regardless of you turning.

Same for wheel bearings the noise will be there all the time and may be worse when tuning, BUT it will do this with out being in 4wd/hubs locked. the wheels are always turning even if the axles are not so you will get squeaking or if they are really shot some crunching ALL the time not just when turning.

From your description my money is on A cv or at worst two.

 

[Changi]

The ute is an 06 model and is sitting at 175000 ks. I have given it a huge workout over the last 3 years and only just got back from a trip to Cape York. The bearings is definitely an issue and i was aware of it on the return from cape york. I think you might be on the money with the diff however. The right CV is definetly worse than the left hand one. When i dropped the oil out of the front diff though, i noticed a few metal shavings which were bronze in colour. That didnt really make sense to me as i was expecting something steel in nature. So i'm not sure if it was some sought of contaminant.

What i might do is just ask for the CV joints to be done and the bearings and then see how the ute performs. Then if theres still issues get the diff done.

 

[vool104]

I've seen people do this when they try shift on the fly into low range. Shift on the fly is for high range only!!