Hard Clicking above 60mph in drive line

[Cterry77]

Ok it's hard to explain but I have a hard clicking, thumping sound in the drive line at highway speeds. Sounds like going over expansion joints on a bridge. The side note to this is it feels like a chain dragging on a bad link as well. Sort of like a popping past that link. I have checked the CV joints, drive shaft, support bearing, U joints, and all the bushings. Everything looks and feels fine. Nothing is torn, cracked, or dry rotted. There is a small vibration that is felt as well but not in the steering wheel. Any suggestions welcomed as I really hate taking any of my vehicles to the dealership just due to the fact it's a rip off and half the time they are best guessing themselves and cost you more money for fishing around. 

[Brainz006]

How many miles are on the driveshaft? A failing center bearing /bushing would be the most likely suspect based on others' experience. The driveshaft center bearing has a reputation for failing in as few as 60k miles. While the rubber bushing part usually fails first (and causes a banging under the car as the drive shaft whips around), it's possible that the bearing in yours is failing, causing the clicking and accompanying grabbing/popping/thumping. Have you removed the driveshaft and spun the center bearing to check for condition?

[lewisweller]

+1 cardan shaft

[Cterry77]

I have not removed the shaft yet. I will say this I can replicate the noise and feel by putting it in off road reduction on mode. I'm thinking front diff or transfer case. 

 

105k on the odometer. It does look as tho the shaft us been replaced once already. From what I've read, that center bearing and bushing should be trashed by now and it looks fairly good. 

Edited September 3, 2016 by Cterry77

[Brainz006]

It makes the noise/feeling when you engage low range? I'll defer to others, but that could be the transfer case motor. I know they can fail, but I'm not sure of the symptoms. I'd still check the driveshaft bearing first.

[lewisweller]

With the suspension in high position and locked (hold sector in high position for 20 seconds until dash indicates) you can crawl under enough to give the centre bearing a good shake and tug. It should be solid. What normally happened is the bearing get hot first and wears out the rubber bush. 

If all feels good RE cardan shaft centre bearing then yes move onto the TC transfer case, most likely the chain is rubbing on the case because it is stretched. YouTube video has a guy with a touareg who striped his TC and found only the stretched chain was causing your same symptoms!

Also another guy stripped his and found nothing. He then went back to the cardan shaft, removed it and spun it in his lave, despite finding it in good condition when he checked previously on the car, long story short it was the centre bearing and Bush! 

 

Edited September 3, 2016 by lewisweller
update

[Brainz006]

Excellent advise. Agree that TC chain is a possibility once the driveshaft is ruled out.

[Cterry77]

Checked the driveshaft and all is good. Spun the bearing and completely smooth. No play anywhere. Looks like I need to open the TC and check, swap the chain out. That has got to be what it is. It isn't constant but it is annoying when it happens. This is one of those times I really wish I had put that lift in my garage when I bought the house. 30K in tools and I still have to lay on the ground. 

[Brainz006]

Ha, no kidding about the lift. Pulling heavy bits off your car while laying on your back is no fun. Good luck with the TC chain. I've heard they definitely stretch, and possibly more so sooner on the CTT given the torque.

[lewisweller]

1 hour ago, Cterry77 said:

Checked the driveshaft and all is good. Spun the bearing and completely smooth. No play anywhere. Looks like I need to open the TC and check, swap the chain out. That has got to be what it is. It isn't constant but it is annoying when it happens. This is one of those times I really wish I had put that lift in my garage when I bought the house. 30K in tools and I still have to lay on the ground. 

May I suggest considering the cost of a 1litre of Toyota type iv atf fluid you simply drain the TC fluid and have a look at the condition and any particle and also how much you get out, the TC will whine if the fluid is low!! 

This is a 15 minute job if you have a cheap hand fluid pump. 

 

[Brainz006]

More good advice from Lewis. For $10 and less than 30 mins, it might save you the pain of wrestling with unbolting the TC.

[Cterry77]

Took it into the shop and found the Front diff is shot. Now I have to find another one for it. 

Edited September 12, 2016 by Cterry77

[lewisweller]

10 hours ago, Cterry77 said:

Took it into the shop and found the Front diff is shot. Now I have to find another one for it. 

That's a ball ache. Must have a broken tooth or worn down. 

My front diff whines a little at 120kph and I just ignore it (drive at 118 or 122 and can't hear it really, ignorance is bliss), I swapped the fluid twice and no metal or anything. I read the front bearing just likes to whine at certain speeds. Some people even had this whine since they had the car at low km from new! 

Gotta love these pigs

 

[Cterry77]

Ok so I got it back from the shop and found that the bearing was bad in the front diff plus one of the mounts was broken. It's been replaced and it does drive a little better but tonight driving on the interstate I felt and hurt the clunking again. It isn't the transmission and definitely not the diff now. It doesn't click when turning hard so I don't think it's the CV axles. I'm pushing towards the transfer case chain. I definitely feel it in the front tires and only at highway speeds. I've searched and seen some issues with the motor on the transfer case and some issues with the chain. The pig doesn't do it all the time which is what is the most puzzling about all this. If it was constant it would be easier to trace down and if it did it at lower speeds as well. Any other suggestions before I go digging any deeper into this problem. She's got 106K on the odometer. Starting to wonder what the hell the original owner did to this thing or didn't do for that matter. 

[lewisweller]

16 ago, lewisweller said:

 

Well that's a tricky one. A clunk could be a lot of things. Transition mounts I replaced when my engine was out for head gaskets, they were all cracked and I could here them clunk when shift sometimes but mainly when on off accelerator abruptly. 

Your gonna need to narrow this down a bit. 

When is the clunk? Cruising acceleration braking turning etc also shifting up down? 

Don't rule out suspension as well as mounts and drive train, wheel bearings even brake disc backing plate etc too many things possible really. Do some more driving and get back to us. 

[Cterry77]

It is definitely in the drive line. I can barely feel it at lower speeds driving down surface roads. Small vibration but a defining lump or loping feeling in the front. It isn't the tires out of balance just in case someone throws that out there. What is going on is not a constant but can be felt majorly at 60-70 MPH. It will go away with hard acceleration at any speed which leads me to believe something in the drive line is loose or has slack and tightens up with torque. I am not getting the typical clicking on the CV axles when hard turning to the right or the left. I would assume that if the transfer case chain was stretched then I would feel this at more of when the vehicle starts to move and anytime I hit the accelerator. This is more of a light acceleration issue. It will stop doing it for the most part if I allow the vehicle to coast or put it in neutral while driving. I have already checked the drive shaft and bearing and all that is fine. I actually think it was replaced before I purchased the car due to how good it looks. I am not thinking it is the transfer case motor as it is not an issue with shifting gears. I guess the best way to explain it is if anyone has had a bad U-joint before or dealt with a gear that has that one small point of resistance when spinning then pops past it. 

 

Let me add that it is heat related as well. When the car is first driven for the day it doesn't happen but as I drive it becomes more noticeable and if I drive on the interstate after about 10 miles or more is when it starts to act up. One min its there and the next its not. Like driving over expansion joints on a bridge. 

Edited September 28, 2016 by Cterry77

[lewisweller]

1 hour ago, Cterry77 said:

It is definitely in the drive line. I can barely feel it at lower speeds driving down surface roads. Small vibration but a defining lump or loping feeling in the front. It isn't the tires out of balance just in case someone throws that out there. What is going on is not a constant but can be felt majorly at 60-70 MPH. It will go away with hard acceleration at any speed which leads me to believe something in the drive line is loose or has slack and tightens up with torque. I am not getting the typical clicking on the CV axles when hard turning to the right or the left. I would assume that if the transfer case chain was stretched then I would feel this at more of when the vehicle starts to move and anytime I hit the accelerator. This is more of a light acceleration issue. It will stop doing it for the most part if I allow the vehicle to coast or put it in neutral while driving. I have already checked the drive shaft and bearing and all that is fine. I actually think it was replaced before I purchased the car due to how good it looks. I am not thinking it is the transfer case motor as it is not an issue with shifting gears. I guess the best way to explain it is if anyone has had a bad U-joint before or dealt with a gear that has that one small point of resistance when spinning then pops past it. 

 

Let me add that it is heat related as well. When the car is first driven for the day it doesn't happen but as I drive it becomes more noticeable and if I drive on the interstate after about 10 miles or more is when it starts to act up. One min its there and the next its not. Like driving over expansion joints on a bridge. 

Inner CV joint!

[Cterry77]

1 hour ago, lewisweller said:

Inner CV joint!

I was figuring CV joint. Time to order 2 new axles. any suggestions on quality and price? 

 

Thanks

[Galway]

Hi. I presume you have taken the wheels off and checked for balance and concentricity. If not do bring them to your tyre centre and watch as they check them on the balance machine.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

[lewisweller]

 Have a look at this thread 

http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic/47619-front-axle-clunking-noise…-differential-or-cv-joint/