110 with a clunkity clunk in the drive train, where to look first?

[gm13]

After a few hundred miles of highway driving the 110 developed a clunk in the drive train, upon take off. It's a bit chattery too. It's not the uj's, they've been replaced recently and are good. The rear propshaft has some play in the splines where it slides in/out and maybe that needs replacing but don't think that's it. The issue appears to be in the rear diff? or transfer case? I can rotate the propshaft by hand and there is quite a bit of play along with a clunk. Any ideas before I start pulling things apart? Could it be axles? transmission? Are these obvious symptoms to anyone?

Thanks in advance.

 

[I Leak Oil]

Salisbury rear? Loose pinion nut, worn axle drive flanges. Don't assume those u joints are fine. Loose bolts on drive shaft flange?

 

[gm13]

Salisbury rear? Loose pinion nut, worn axle drive flanges. Don't assume those u joints are fine. Loose bolts on drive shaft flange?

Thanks for the suggestions.
Yes, Salisbury. I don't see any movement in the uj's, could there be an issue w/o visible movement? I did replace the drive flange, I'll look into the pinion nut, it was fine for probably 4000 miles after replacing but maybe it could loosen. Flange bolts aren't loose though.

 

[gm13]

double

 

[Arlo]

The ball joint inside the A-frame sometimes is the noise's source.
Have a look at the rubber sealent above it.
If there is a cut visuable the grease will be replaced by play.

Sorry, bad picture.

After the repair is finisched it should be looking like this.

 

[Gren_T]

Hi Gene,
I'd have said the drive members were worn and chattering, the members may be new but have the splines on the axles worn? some axles have a threaded hole in the end a drive member bolt should go in then try rattling the shaft in the member or try packing them with grease & see if the noise goes & returns when the grease has been displaced.

Again you can check the spines on the prop by pumping it full of new grease, if there is no nipple on the prop it may have been knocked off or replaced with a grub screw.

It could also be play in the diff pinion bearing drop the prop from the diff and check for lateral and vertical play on the flange.

You could also try fresh oil in the xfer box & axle and see if it quietens down assuming you find no issues elsewhere.

not trying to teach granny to suck eggs but I'd lift one rear wheel so I could feel for play or binding in the UJ's as I rotated the wheel if you grease them does grease come from all 4 cups? as a left fielder i'd check the bushes while i was under it..

have fun
regards
Gren

 

[gm13]

Kurt, I no longer have a center strut, removed all elements related that would rattle some time ago. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Hey Gren,
I haven't checked the drive members, wanted to do that today but it's a rainy one and I'm garageless. The splines on the propshaft are pretty loose, did look at that again today. May be a good part of the chatter, more than I originally supposed, but probably not the clunk. Sent an email to Bill at Great Basin Rovers, hope to get a new shaft on the way early this week.

I did just grease the uj's a couple of weeks ago, all seemed well, that's when I noticed the slop in the shaft(greased it too) I'll check drive members and bushes next, though I'm fairly sure the bushes are ok. Since the shaft is getting replaced, I'll know about the pinion bearing then. Granny needs to learn to suck eggs(haven't heard that one), differentials, transfer boxes and transmissions are uncharted territory for me. Hopefully I don't need to dig too deep this time.
Thanks again.

 

[redneck44]

A common one for unknown clunks is the Panhard bar bushes on the front axle.
I know you said it sounded like the rear but I could have sworn I had problem in the rear end which turned out to be front axle mounts rotted out on my D1.

 

[gm13]

A common one for unknown clunks is the Panhard bar bushes on the front axle.
I know you said it sounded like the rear but I could have sworn I had problem in the rear end which turned out to be front axle mounts rotted out on my D1.

Yep, That was the clunk I dealt with 6 months ago. Thanks for the input.

 

[gm13]

The ball joint inside the A-frame sometimes is the noise's source.
Have a look at the rubber sealent above it.
If there is a cut visuable the grease will be replaced by play.


Sorry, bad picture.

After the repair is finisched it should be looking like this.

Kurt, I was under there today I see what you're referring to, Was thinking about the strut end of the A frame. Seal looks good there, thanks for the pics.

 

[gm13]

The major clunk was traced to the upper bolts on one side of the A frame, they were loose, so an easy fix. New drive shaft on its way so that should remedy the rest. Of all the vehicles I've driven over the years and all their problems, I've never been so lucky as to have such an awful sounding clunk be as simple as loose bolts, always wished for it though. Thanks Land Rover.

 

[Arlo]

You will need new bushes inside the A frame, I guess.

 

[DividingCreek]

Glad it was an easy fix Gene. The way I check the rear drive flanges is to jack up one side and try rotating the tire/wheel. With the rubber dust boot removed you can watch the axle move in the splines. Any movement means you need new flanges. I like the heavy duty ones. I have seen trucks where you could get a 1/4 turn of rotation within the drive flages-it was a wonder to me the truck would move forward.

 

[gm13]

With the new propshaft in it's as "smooth" as it ever was but I should inspect the drive flanges anyway. Doug are you referring to the pro line HD's? I see RN has the LR DF's for 500ish a pair, tempting to go with the 56.00/pr Pro Line HD's, I like their screw on metal end caps too. Decent product?
Thanks again for all the input.

 

[DividingCreek]

Gene,
I have gone with what I guess RN is marketing as Proline but I bought them from Paddocks Spares and shipped them. While they aren't hardened like Ashcrofts http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=60

, I haven't managed to destroy one. Just lube the splines well with a good quality synthetic grease and they have lasted me well on the 130 and previous 110.