My new engine seems to have been the undooing for my rearend. But I suppose I'm guessing until a thorough look see. Regardless, I'd appreciate your interpretation of these symptoms. Driving a 70 GS455 4 spd car with a 2.73 pegleg. Minor but significant new vibration under load in 1,2 and 3 gear with audible noise - seems to actually be a little worse in 2 and 3. Get to 4th gear on the freeway and there really isn't anything to hear or feel accept for noticable vibration at about 65 mph. Nothing to hear or feel when coasting in any gear. This last symptom is the kicker for me. The noise and vibration are noticibly worse when accelerating in 2nd or 3rd off a right turn freeway cloverleaf offramp going uphill. In this configuration the passenger side drive wheel probably has the most load compared to all other drive situations. Thanks in advance for your oppinions.
I would pull that rear passenger side axle and take a look at the wheel bearing and the other side too whle I was at it. Have you checked the pinion angle? A vibration could also be a wheel out of balance. Did one of the weights fly off a wheel? I've had that happen before.
First check the U-joints before you pull anything apart. Bad U-joint will cause all the symptoms you state. :TU:
Its an easy check to pull the diff cover and look at the fluid. lots of metal = bad. Another check that is easy to do: Is there any " clunkage " if you get into and out of the gas real quick stabs? If so, where from? If you get a bunch from the trans, it wouldnt hurt to look at the fluid there too. drivetrain noise/vibration can be tough to diagnose because of all the resonance. Good luck!
check that fluid asap, when a rear end makes noise it usually to late to catch a part before it fails, its already failed and more use just means more damage. So I have been told.
Nothing to hear or feel when coasting in any gear. to me, this implies that it's NOT the ring/pinion. have you tried applying the brakes while coasting? that would load the drivetrain backwards from the normal vectors. i agree with checking the u-joints and the axle bearings, although i would be more suspicious of the joints. wouldn't hurt to go through everything, trans mount, control arm bushings, bearings and seals, the lot.
I am going with the axle bearing...The turn is usually the dead give away with this one. u-joint will have nothing to do with turning. Jim Remeber we are all educated guessing on the info given. YOU ultimately have the part so start tearing apart...lol. Jim
Thanks everyone. I appreciate the assistance. I'll climb under and wiggle the pinion etc. But I highly suspect that passenger side bearing. Does it make sense that that is the bad one? This is work I've not done personally. From the manual pulling axles seems pretty easy. From there I'd outsource the bearing removal & replacement since it appears standard handtools are useless. Any reason to swap out both? I can just do the one side. Make sense??
If your rearend is original then I believe it has the type of bearings and a retainer that need to be pressed off and on. The 71 and 72's used the Timken A9 bearings. When you pull the axle out a bunch of rear end fluid can come out so I allways jack up the side I'm working on a littla higher to force fluid toward the center section. If you can find them Timken makes the best axle bearings and for u joints I like the Dana Spicers.
Well, I pulled the passenger side axle today - 28 splines. That was easy! Before I tell what I saw I'll tell what I heard. With that side tire off I spun the axle by hand; the other wheel was free and this is a pegleg. I heard and felt a cyclical tap-tap-tap-tap-tap. Then I locked up the driver side wheel and spun some more. Noticably tougher to spin couldn't really spin it fast enough by hand to generate the same sound and feel. I saw nothing visibly wrong with the bearing; it moves pretty freely but doesn't feel buttery smooth. Should it? If it's failing what should I notice? Any tricks for getting the axle back into the carrirer?
I saw nothing visibly wrong with the bearing; also check the bearing face of the axle shaft. it moves pretty freely but doesn't feel buttery smooth. Should it? there should be little to no slack space between the bearing needles and they should move very smoothly. is there any grease left in the bearing pack? even if you evaluate the bearing as good, i'd repack it. With that side tire off I spun the axle by hand; the other wheel was free and this is a pegleg. I heard and felt a cyclical tap-tap-tap-tap-tap. Then I locked up the driver side wheel and spun some more. did you do this with both tires? it's a bit late now that the passenger axle is out...
Will be tough to check the face on the axle with the roller bearings still in place. No grease in there - just gear lube.
oh, the bearing is still pressed on the axle? yeah, i would say it should be butter smooth and there should no slack at all if you try to move it in/out on the axle shaft. by the time you can discern slop in the bearing they're usually in not very good shape.
