HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

mototard

mototard

New member
Well, I picked up my cv half shafts and jacked up the front end and my cv boots look fine. No tears, no leakage, nothing. When driving if I took off on a hill I'd get some pretty harsh clicking and I'm talking everytime and it would click about 4 times and stop as if the slack was taken out of it and if I turned sharp some really harsh fast clicking. So I figured CV joints shot. Well, after this morning I can't really see any wear or damage. Is there anything else that could be making this noise? Its really bad on a full radius turn. I guess the boots don't have to be torn for the cv joint to go bad?? Could it be my front axle? or prop shaft? I jacked up all 4 wheels and put it in drive and turn the wheels and everything sounds great. No noise at all? I'm baffled.
 
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Don W.

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Axle woes?

Re: HEEELLLPPPP Axle woes?

Previous posts on this topic have indicated that it's the transfer case. Specifically the viscous clutch in the transfer case. Mine makes a similar noise (although not as bad based on your description). I'm considering a rebuild. Apparently a good source for a kit is:

http://www.wittrans.com/under-construction.asp

Another thing to check is the front driveline.
 
mototard

mototard

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Axle woes?

Re: HEEELLLPPPP Axle woes?

Not saying it isn't the T case, (god I hope not) and thanks for the reply. But explain that the clicking is worse when I'm turning and that it seems to be coming from up front not under my seat? Could turning make the T case slip or click if there was slack? Its not a tick, tick noise its more of a harsh clicking clunk :roll: Hard to explain but it does sound like any other CV joint I've heard. Guess I'll change em out and see if it helps. I already bought the cvs. Just hate to replace them if not needed.
 
mototard

mototard

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Axle woes?

Re: HEEELLLPPPP Axle woes?

Well got them in, wasnt no where as bad I thought it would be. Any way cleaning up and going for a test drive. Hope its fixed.

Well hell it wasn't the cvs the clicking clunking it still there. Atleast I can rule out them. 120k miles on the original ones so I guess new ones can't hurt. Ok on to the next thing. Anyway I can rule out the T case? Will it be ok to pull the prop shaft and test drive it? That would let me know if it was the front differential. I can actually feel the clunk almost like a gear with a missing cog?
 
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mototard

mototard

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

Ok I've done searches and read post for the last 1 1/2 hrs. There are atleast 5 people with this same baffling problem. Somebody has to have fixed it by now. Somebody? Anybody?
 
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BacDoc

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

My gawd. I just picked up a front axle today because I have the same problem. I am not happy to hear this.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

So you got htem in. Didnt you drive it yet? If its still there its your Tcase. If you say it sounds like every other CV then htats probably what it is.. The chain in your Tcase will not normally jump under turning. When mine stretched it just did it under acceleration. Or launching, yes, launching. I drove that thing into the ground. There was nothing left in there when I opened it up. Very cheap to build though unless you need a Viscous coupler, then youre kinda screwed unless you find someone with a good used one. I paid $288 for hard parts, NEW chain, and bearing and seal kit. It was VERY easy to do, took about 2 hours with R & R.
 
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BacDoc

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

Right now I get hard popping when turning left only. No other time. I kept thinking it was a bad ball joint or maybe the CV but now I'm thinking different. yikes!

Edit: 100k miles on original parts.
 
Sy229

Sy229

Move with Purpose
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Axle woes?

Re: HEEELLLPPPP Axle woes?

mototard said:
Well got them in, wasnt no where as bad I thought it would be. Any way cleaning up and going for a test drive. Hope its fixed.

Well hell it wasn't the cvs the clicking clunking it still there. Atleast I can rule out them. 120k miles on the original ones so I guess new ones can't hurt. Ok on to the next thing. Anyway I can rule out the T case? Will it be ok to pull the prop shaft and test drive it? That would let me know if it was the front differential. I can actually feel the clunk almost like a gear with a missing cog?
Click to expand...


Yup, go ahead and pull the propshaft - driving without for a mild test run will not harm the truck. And you'll have one less thing to do when you yank the t-case...
 
ashman

ashman

------
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

i had the exact same problem...popping (4-6 times) under acceleration. t-case chain fixed my problem
 
mototard

mototard

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

DAAAMMMMNNNN . Sounds like my T case then. Where did you guys buy your chain and stuff from. I have a T case from a 94 Bravada will it work as a bolt in? Pulled the propshaft pretty sure it the T case. Any info on where to buy the parts or if the Bravada T case is a bolt in would be greatly appreciated. Wit trans is still under construction. I'll call them tomorrow anybody else sell the parts?
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

Well did you drive it with the new CV's in yet? I wouldnt go doing a Tcase unless you have to. I got my parts locally but found a site theother day you can order BW4472 parts from.
 
mototard

mototard

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

Yes I've drove it the day I installed the new CVs (see 3rd post). Its still popping without the propshaft in. So I'm pretty sure its the T case. Do you know if a bravada t case is a bolt in?
 
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BacDoc

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

This is not good news.


Let me ask a n00b question. What kinda fluid is in the t-case? And would low fluid cause this? And where is the drain plug (or fill plug) for that biotch?
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

Drain and fill plugs are on the back side of the case. You use a 3/8" drive extension to remove or install them. I imagine low fluid could cause this. When mine took a dump, there wasnt a single drop in mine. I d ont think the chain would skip at all with the propshaft disconnected, I could be wrong though. Best bet is to have someone drive it while you stand outside and listed to exactly where its coming from.
 
ashman

ashman

------
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

the popping isn't caused by low fluid. it's caused by a stretched chain. the demise of the chain was probably accelerated by low fluid.
 
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BacDoc

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

My problem sounds exactly like post #1 except I only get the popping noise when turning left. The sound is loud and feels like it's under the truck.

I'm sure there's no fluid in there but I'm gonna get it checked and see if there any improvement. And I'm not changing the whole axle until I'm sure.
 
ZavzTy547

ZavzTy547

Senior Member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

BacDoc said:
My problem sounds exactly like post #1 except I only get the popping noise when turning left. The sound is loud and feels like it's under the truck.

I'm sure there's no fluid in there but I'm gonna get it checked and see if there any improvement. And I'm not changing the whole axle until I'm sure.
Click to expand...

Jumping in on the band wagon..
My truck has a hard/click sound when I'm in reverse (only does it in reverse) with the wheel turned all the way to the left or right...
 
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BacDoc

New member
Re: HEEELLLPPPP Front axle woes?

ZavzTy547 said:
Jumping in on the band wagon..
My truck has a hard/click sound when I'm in reverse (only does it in reverse) with the wheel turned all the way to the left or right...
Click to expand...


I'll try that in a few minutes when I go out.
 
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