rear half shafts

[gaz2trs]

hi dude i have a slight clonk sometime when pulling away and sometime changeing down put it down to the half shafts anyone recomend what to do just change the uj or do i need to replace the shafts i can feel play in the shaft when underneath ???regards gary

[Chris Mountford]

Hi Gary,

 

First thing is to find out where the clunk is coming from; It could be either universal joint on each shaft or it could be play in the sliding spline itself.

 

Best bet is to hold each part of the shaft and twist them in opposite directions to see which part has the wear. You may find that the prop UJs are worn so check that as well.

 

If there is only minimal play in the splines (I'd be amazed if there wasn't some) I would just change the UJ's and grease the splines on the shaft. If you have loads of money there are some fancy aftermarket items that others on the Forum may be able to advise on.

 

If all of that lot is OK then check the where the diff mounts onto the chassis as one of the front mounts may be broken. Again try and twist it on its mounts and you should feel no discernable movement.

 

Here's hoping its a UJ!

 

regards, Chris

Edited March 10, 2010 by Chris Mountford

[Dave Burgess]

I reckon it's a bottle of scotch rolling about on the floor behind the back seats. best cure is to drink the contents as quickly as possible, put empty bottle in bin. You wont be able to hear anything after that!!

[Kiwifrog]

Don't forget to tighten the attaching bolts for the lever arm shock absorbers (i know someone will tell me they are actually screws but they look like bolts) before anything else. Its very common for them to come loose and cause a pronounced "clonk" at the most inopportune moment. If ok then carry on as Chris has suggested

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[stuart]

Don't forget to tighten the attaching bolts for the lever arm shock absorbers (i know someone will tell me they are actually screws but they look like bolts) before anything else. Its very common for them to come loose and cause a pronounced "clonk" at the most inopportune moment. If ok then carry on as Chris has suggested

 

Cheers

 

Alan

 

No you are right they are bolts as they have a shoulder above the thread. Set screws have the thread all the way up to the head.

Stuart.

[67_gt6]

Don't forget to tighten the attaching bolts for the lever arm shock absorbers (i know someone will tell me they are actually screws but they look like bolts) before anything else. Its very common for them to come loose and cause a pronounced "clonk" at the most inopportune moment. If ok then carry on as Chris has suggested

 

Cheers

 

Alan

 

 

Yes, I think the parts books show these as having no nuts. They can, and do, drop out. I've added spring washers and nuts to mine.

 

Andy

[gaz2trs]

i have put new rear diff mounts on, and the pins /bolt that hold the diff are fine as i thought they might of gone i can feel play in the half shafts both sides how much should there be if any is it worth droping the shafts on both sides and checking for wear on the splines ? i supose there could be wear on the wire wheel hubs ?

Edited March 12, 2010 by gaz2trs

[67_gt6]

i supose there could be wear on the wire wheel hubs ?

 

 

I would certainly check these first as it 5 mins each side - put the handbrake on hard, jack up each side and see if you can rock the wheel from side to side.

 

Andy

[88V8]

i can feel play in the half shafts both sides how much should there be if any is it worth droping the shafts on both sides and checking for wear on the splines ? i supose there could be wear on the wire wheel hubs ?

 

There should be no play in the ujs, and hardly any in the splines.

If the ujs are worn you will get a clonk, and perhaps some vibration although maybe not as the shafts revolve quite slowly.

 

If the splines are worn you will get more of a loud Tick!! when the load reverses.

The shafts should be regreased every couple of years anyway, use a moly grease like the stuff for CVs.

 

Wire wheel hubs, ah, yes, another can of worms.

Try swapping the wheels front to back, if the fronts have always lived on the front they may be less worn, at least that will help your diagnosis. However, the hubs will be worn as well as the wheel centres, so swapping them is not a cure, only as I said a means of finding the cause of the noise.

I believe the adaptors can also come loose.

 

If the damper mounting bolts are loose, they will come loose again, no point in just tightening them as the thread in the mounting will be misshapen. As QT said, fit a longer bolt and lockwasher on them, and a nyloc. Also, look at the damper itself, the mounting hole could be worn oval in which case the damper is scrap.

Also, the rubber drop link from the damper to the T/A could be worn, which you will only find by taking it off the car as it's under tension when mounted and you can't see the slop.

Having said all that, in my experience the time you get noise from the dampers is when the car's moving over rough ground, rather than when you're just setting off.

 

Ivor

[Guest ntc]

Hi Gary

Clonk on drive take up ? shaft's or uj's. Tick/tick ,hub's