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Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 1:01 pm
by audiocontr
I've noticed that the front differential makes a light ratcheting sound when I rotate the front wheels by hand. The ratcheting is pronounced while turning, especially tight turns. Is this a normal sound for the haf fie?

Re: Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 4:43 pm
by Heinkeljb
I would say NOT.

Most likely problem area from what you describe is the front "Repeza" joints (universal joints). You are supposed to take them off every so many miles and clean and re-grease them - but I don't suppose many people do it as often as the manual says!

It involves taking the top and bottom swivel pins out - (king pins) and then pulling the whole hub and joint from the drive shaft or if you are doing it as part of a check / replacement of hub bearings / cogs, you take that bit off first, then pull the joint from the drive shaft.

Be careful when you pull the shaft out that you do not pull the actual drive shaft out of the diff joint or you will have a tough time putting it back in again.

Might be worth your while to join thehaflinger.com as this issue has been discussed there previously.

Haflinger technik sell a replacement joint but it is expensive - original is no longer available new, so only S/H ones which may be in the same state as your current ones.

You can get lots of whine from the drive train due to worn bearing and cogs, but ratchet noise is consistent with universal joint wear.

John

Re: Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 9:00 pm
by TechMOGogy
Agreed
Hubs are noisy when driving but if this is when your turning front wheels it is not normal.
Could be the hub bearings but depends where sound is.
Are you sure front diff lock is fully disengaged?

Re: Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 6:27 am
by audiocontr
I plan on trouble shooting today. When i had the wheels off the ground, and was able to rotate the front wheels, they made the ratcheting sound from what sounded like the differential. It was challenging to locate. I want to make sure the sound is from the diff and not the hub before making any further assumptions.

The noise while turning may be the CV joints. There may be two different noises combined.

Re: Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 6:38 am
by Garrycol
My front end is pretty noisy when everything is cold - similar to what you have but after a few km when everything has warmed up it all quietens down. I have always assumed it to be the Cvs with the grease all thick when cold and with use the grease warms up and things quieten down.

garry

Re: Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 10:56 am
by audiocontr
I guess it could be the CV but they didn't change the ratchet sound regardless of the steering angle. I dont think it's the CV.

Sounds more like it's in the hubs. Left one is louder than right a little. I'm guessing game normal sound, or bearing issue. I changed out the fluids and no change.

I was thinking about the CV. Couldn't we drill two holes and flush/fill while on the vehicle? I would need to see the inside to determine where to drill, but I can understand the issue of getting to them.

Re: Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 12:20 pm
by Heinkeljb
The effort of getting into the hubs to see if you are missing a tooth would be well worth it, as you can carry on till you take the Rezepa joint out and dunk it in a petrol bath. Start moving things around to wash out all the old dried on grease which will never have been cleaned out before!

When I got Lurch, I ended up doing all of this work so I know what you are getting into - If I hadn't taken the left hand hub apart, I would never have known that I had to replace all the bearings as they were rusty! The oil change was actually a water change, but I still would not have known the extent of the damage inside without opening it up.

If you take the Hub(s) off, and the Rezepa joints, you can then turn the drive shafts which will tell you if the noise is in the diff! You will also have taken off a lot of the stuff needed in order to take the Diff out easily. No unwieldy heavy hubs on the ends of the drive shafts that want to turn one way but you wan them to turn the other.....

Good luck which ever way you jump!

John

Re: Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2016 8:22 pm
by Garrycol
I will put this up - are you looking for something that is maybe not there - are there noises (big noises) when you drive it? The front is noisy anyway and unless something really bad I would be tempted to leave it and wait and see.

I have found you can go searching for things and spend a lot of time for minimal return. These days I am tempted to leave things until the location is obvious.

If you look an some of my posts on TheHaflinger forum you will see I also went searching for noises in the front to the point the entire front end was out and I replaced just about every bearing in the diff and hubs, rebuilt the CVs and reassembled and the noise is still there - so must be normal.

When I had my CVs out I drilled holes in them like this so new grease can be inserted without have to pull the front end out - tolerances are tight and the bolt cannot go inside the Cv but the bolt head needs to also clear the hub when the CV is rotating. There is no evidence my CVs are loosing grease so I have not service them in place.
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Garry

Re: Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 7:21 am
by audiocontr
Ive read the ENTIRE forum over there =)

And i did see your posts. I agree that the noise is too similar on both sides to be a coincidence, and is some what normal for the vehicle. Nice job on the modified CV!

I do not plan on digging any further until something gets louder/changes.

Re: Is gear noise from front normal?

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 11:47 am
by Heinkeljb
Thought of another possibility, if the four wheel drive selector is in just the wrong place that would give a "ratcheting" sound as the teeth slide past one another.
Not sure what noise the front diff lock ring would make if it wasn't quite engaged / disengaged.

Use a long screw driver and listen for noises in various places.

John