Clicking front end, both 2WD & 4WD with hubs locked

[bentendo]

Hey guys,

So we had some snow and ice hit us in Memphis last night, and I was tooling around just now with 4WD engaged. Here's what I'm hearing:

With hubs locked and 4WD engaged, there is a clicking from the front. In 4WD it seemed to start up when I was no longer on slick surfaces (i.e. melted portions on the pavement on my way home, it's warmed up).

When I shifted OUT of 4H into 2H, but didn't unlock the hubs, the clicking was still happening.

My running gear in the front is a stock Dana 44 with brand new cromoly axles with new U-joints. My hubs are Warn, and roughly 2.5 years old, and haven't seen any heavy use in that time. I put new seals and bearings in the front, but the ring and pinion are original and, frankly: not in the greatest shape.

(Here's a pic of the front diff when I cracked it open to rebuild 3 years ago:Click for sludgy goodness.

The front drive shaft is original and has *not* been rebuilt.

I'm thinking maybe it's my ring and pinion or the carrier, since they had some wear on the teeth, and when they're not being driven they're not making solid contact and, hence, the chatter.

Thoughts?

 

[Rustytruck]

I'm guessing its your hubs gummed up and not fully engaged or disengaged. If the hubs are working then I would look to the wheel bearings the only thing common between being engaged or disengaged. if its only when the truck is in 4-wd hubs locked or unlocked then I'd take a hard look at the drive shaft or u-joints in the front axles.

 

[bigcountry]

I would check the front driveshaft ujoints.

 

[sykanr0ng]

^^ What they said.
Clicking from the front drive axles is usually U-joint or CV joint noise.

 

[75302auto]

I had the same clicking in 4wd (it turns into a clunking,,) and found the culprit to be the u-joints in the front drive shaft. I'd check those first. $60-80,,,a couple of hours,,,and you will probably be as quiet as a church mouse again.

 

[broncotom]

I'm having the same issue but only in 4WD. I just put in new chromoly axels and a new front driveshaft all within the last 2 years though. I will be looking into all of the suggestions above too. thanks everybody.

 

[driveshafter]

driveshafts

sounds to me like the center yoke is bad that's the yoke that mates wth the ball stud if the driveshaft s sloppy then it needs replaced now if the pin is more than .005 less than .500 the ball stud yoke is bad and your lookiiing at 200 for a rebuild if the stub is bad then 250 new its your best bet to go new cud we use dom tubing and upgrade it to .120 wall we also utilize a 1310 to 1330 ujoint for more angle all spicer ujoints 1" 3/8 16 spline Teflon coted stub

 

[chuzie]

I had a similar issue. Turned out the spindle bearings were shot allowing the axle shaft to flop around when engaged.

 

[bentendo]

Cool. Sounds most likely to be the front driveshaft. I'm gonna take it to a shop in the next week or so and I'll report back with results.

 

[broncotom]

good luck. let us know what you find out if you would please.

 

[bentendo]

Well, I got it to a shop for a rear diff leak that I needed stopped, and asked them to take a look at the front diff/driveshaft to determine where the noise was coming from. The mechanic said that my front drive shaft is actually hitting the transmission crossmember.

Thinking back to the installation of the NV3550, I seem to recall thinking the clearance was really tight between the driveshaft and the crossmember. Anyone else have an NV3550 with this problem?

 

[bentendo]

Did a quick forum search, and it seems like a lot of folks with a lift kit have had problems with front driveshaft angle and the Advance Adapter NV3550 crossmember. Called AA, and they said that trimming a bit for clearance wouldn't compromise the integrity of the support, so that's next on the list.

I'll let you guys know if that solves the clunking/chattering coming from the front in 4wd.

 

[BluebroncoNC]

I'll let you guys know if that solves the clunking/chattering coming from the front in 4wd.

Good, just make sure it isn't this issue...

 

[driveshafter]

driveshafts

what you need to do is instead of trimming a vital piece i would suggest going with a 2" 120 wall shaft the ball stud has more clearance and the tube is smaller but more strength when you ad that to a high angle cv set up you most likely wont have any problems i can even machine your parts down to size and rebuild the shaft for 200 but if you go with a new shaft you will get more travel on the slip n stub which is good because of the offset of the pinion those go for 250 that's complete out the door plus shipping