What did I break?

[xcntrk]

Your guess is as good as mine.

Did some wheeling this weekend, unloading the EB from the trailer and found this noise. Hard to pinpoint, definitely coming from the rear end, but seems to be most obvious around the passenger axle tube. Makes the same sound under acceleration and while coasting. Otherwise drives around fine?:?

Completely rebuilt last year.
New R&P, all new bearings & seals
Detroit TrueTrac
31 spline axles w/new bearings


[youtube]Ovf0DTZgcMc[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovf0DTZgcMc

 

[Timmy390]

Can't say what it is but you're only a few bolts/nuts away form pulling the axles and pumpkin and knowing for sure.

Sounds like maybe a broken gear tooth floating around in the housing.

Tim

 

[BRONCROB]

I would disconnect the driveshaft and turn it by hand to try and feel for something binding.Does it make the noise with both wheels spinning? It sounds like your locker.

 

[broncnaz]

I would disconnect the driveshaft and turn it by hand to try and feel for something binding.Does it make the noise with both wheels spinning?

x2 on that. May want to drain the oil see if there is any metal in it. Of course aas was said your probably better off just pulling the center now and checking it out.

 

[Mountain Ram]

Sounds exactly like the noise I found yesterday on mine... 40 miles from home with the wife and kids aboard. Thought at first it was a blown trac-lock and a chance to upgrade, but it turned out to be a bad axle bearing- same side as you show in the video. Pull the shaft and see if there is any play in the bearing or if it or the keeper has moved.

Good luck.
Todd

 

[rwill]

axle bearing. my guess.

 

[xcntrk]

Yep, looks like the axle bearing on that side is bad. In the vid below, the axle on the right is from the driver side and spins as expected, axle on the left is from the pside and has clunk & tink as it spins. There's also a hard crunchy spot. So presumably this bearing is damaged moreover worn since it only has 1k miles on it! I guess this is why the large bearing housings are more ideal for big tires and off-road use then the smaller bearing housings. Also the bearings that were included with the axles appear to be lower grade China crap.

[youtube]4-WAlPsDhWE[/youtube]

 

[surfer-b]

I would say you nailed it, its becoming a pain to find good quality bearings anymore, I have been having good luck with Koyo brand, German brand and some Timken bearings, good luck. They both sound kinda dry in the last vid, but I cant really tell for sure.

 

[xcntrk]

If I'm not mistaken, they're a dry non serviceable (sealed) bearing anyway. You stuff axle seals inside the tube so that these bearing are not lubricated by the diff oil like the original open style. If I'm mistaken somebody please correct me!

 

[NYLES]

If I'm not mistaken, they're a dry non serviceable (sealed) bearing anyway. You stuff axle seals inside the tube so that these bearing are not lubricated by the diff oil like the original open style. If I'm mistaken somebody please correct me!

Sealed bearing you are correct! but they are not dry they have grease in em

 

[Timmy390]

I installed National brand bearings from O'Reilly last year. No issue so far. At $42 each, they better not be from China......

Tim

 

[Apogee]

Yours are the "original style", sealed, lubed for life (1k in this case) ball bearing which were run with an internal oil seal. The SET20 tapered roller bearings didn't become standard in Ford 9" applications until 78 or 79 in the Big Broncos and F/E-150's...not sure about the car applications that still got 9's.

There are aftermarket sealed ball bearings that have an O-ring in the outer race and claim to not require the inner oil seal, however that has not been my experience as every one I've ever had has leaked, some sooner than others. The condition of your housing ends becomes more crucial when you're relying on the fit of the bearings for a seal.

FWIW, Koyo is a Japanese brand (OE Toyota for a lot of stuff), although that's not to say that they don't have manufacturing facilities all over the world. Good stuff IMO, up there with SKF, BCA, Timken, etc.

 

[broncodriver99]

I installed National brand bearings from O'Reilly last year. No issue so far. At $42 each, they better not be from China......

Tim

I have a set of National Bearings on the shelf. They do say made in china.

FWIW, Koyo is a Japanese brand (OE Toyota for a lot of stuff), although that's not to say that they don't have manufacturing facilities all over the world. Good stuff IMO, up there with SKF, BCA, Timken, etc.

I have had pretty good luck with KOYO. On my last transmission, D20, and both axle rebuilds I spent the extra cash and bought all SKF as they are supposed to be the best. While most of it was SKF, all of the D20 bearings were reboxed KOYO, and some of the D44 and 9" bearings were reboxed Koyo or Nachi bearings. All of the SKF bearings were USA made and the KOYO and Nachi stuff was all Japanese. It was a little irritating to pay extra for one thing and get another but at least it wasn't Chinese junk.

I will say that I had a set of input/output bearings for a toploader from KOYO and SKF and the KOYO bearings felt heavier and had less play in them.

 

[DirtDonk]

90k miles on the original set before they went dry (did not fail though). 65k miles on BCA brand (and still good). Big bearings though.
Never thought to look to see what the original OE brand was at that time. I do remember just "assuming" they were Timkin, but that's not always the case.
Most Timken bearings are still made in the US, but my last set were made somewhere else. Will have to look at the box again.

Paul

 

[Timmy390]

I have a set of National Bearings on the shelf. They do say made in china.

Not happy unless you mean the town of China Texas over Jefferson county way?

Tim

 

[xcntrk]

I just ordered a set of Timken. Hopefully that does the job.

 

[Mountain Ram]

I installed National brand bearings from O'Reilly last year. No issue so far. At $42 each, they better not be from China......

Tim

Should have had them price match... I got the National brand at Oreilly yesterday price matched to Advance Auto... $20!!

Mine is the big bearing rear and I have no idea how old they were. Bought another one for the driver side when it decides to take a dump.

 

[surfer-b]

FWIW, Koyo is a Japanese brand (OE Toyota for a lot of stuff), although that's not to say that they don't have manufacturing facilities all over the world. Good stuff IMO, up there with SKF, BCA, Timken, etc.

Yes Koyo are Japanese, I didn't mean it to sound like they were German made

 

[Timmy390]

Should have had them price match... I got the National brand at Oreilly yesterday price matched to Advance Auto... $20!!

Mine is the big bearing rear and I have no idea how old they were. Bought another one for the driver side when it decides to take a dump.

Nice price.....Heck, I might have. Then again I prob didn't. I was buying so many parts at that time. I was doing a disc conversion, Full steering upgrade, front/rear gear upgrade as well as changing the cups on the 9 inch. Had to change axle bearings due to sacrificing them in the housing alignment and welding process.

LOL...I do remember pressing them off....Even with the retaining rings removed, they let go with a BANG.....Love my HF 20 ton press....Love it I say

Tim

 

[crab]

Although I agree your bearing looks bad, the youtube video doesn't sound like bearing noise to me. I agree with the first posts and broken teeth on the ring gear bouncing around. Did you rotate the assembly after you pulled the axles?