[frontyfan]

So, myself and Bigdog went out to URE. I brought along a buddy with a 2008 Z71 that did surprisingly well. There were some guys from thenewx out there and two guys named John that Bigdog knows. We didn't all wheel together though. So anyways, I know what you are all thinking.....used too much skinny pedal and drove like a jackass....not the case. It was a good trip but on the first trail, the first time I engaged my 4wd (not even on an obstacle) I started hearing a grinding/screeching/cracking noise from up front. After turning off 4wd the sounds went away, 4H and 4Lo both had the lovely noise which got my hopes up that I had destroyed my R180 (justifies my titan diff swap!!!!!)

I don't think this is the case. I don't have any flashing lights on the dash and it doesn't make the sounds if I'm in 4wd coasting down a hill, only when I push the gas it starts to make the noise. There's no fluids leaking, no boots torn...no visible sign of damage. Probably two other times, I switched into 4wd just to give the problem one last "F-you" on the trail so I can hurry up and replace the weak link in the truck. We only did the one trail, which I'm glad I at least had that locker or I would have been screwed.

So I now have a question that Bigdog and I were trying to figure out. If I did a M205 swap and a Titan suspension swap, could I use Titan axles or would I need to contact Greg for his extended axle shafts? I have this question because the V8 Pathfinder axle shafts are so bloody expensive new and there's not an absurd amount of those Pathfinders in scrap yards, so I may save a coin by doing a full Titan swap.

What are your thoughts?

Oh and since :worthless_thread: here's where the pics are http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f33/whos-up-day-ure-57800/

By the way, Bigdog put his truck into a two wheel stance yesterday in a 4 foot deep mud pit. It teetered on the driverside tires for a bit until it came back down to a three wheel stance which then allowed him to crawl out of the pit. He was centimeters from taking a drink from the brown lagoon!

 

[nizmut]

If you are doing the suspension swap you can use the titan axles, they will go right in to your frontier spindles.

 

[mike]

I don't think it's your diff. Did you look at the front drive shaft to see if it is toughing something?
Can you jack up the front end and have someone hold one tire still while you spin the other? The one tire should spin freely.

 

[penski61]

didnt truckgal have an issue where her diff spun upwards and the driveshaft was grinding on something because the rubber mounting gromets wore out , she also has the calmini kit
but like nizmut said if your doin both suspension and diff swap you can use the titan axle shafts

 

[frontyfan]

I don't think it's your diff. Did you look at the front drive shaft to see if it is toughing something?
Can you jack up the front end and have someone hold one tire still while you spin the other? The one tire should spin freely.

Drive shaft wasn't touching anything. At first I was hoping it was the diff...but I don't see cracks/leaking fluid and I don't get any flashing lights on the dash.

 

[roastbeef]

didnt truckgal have an issue where her diff spun upwards and the driveshaft was grinding on something because the rubber mounting gromets wore out , she also has the calmini kit
but like nizmut said if your doin both suspension and diff swap you can use the titan axle shafts

if i remember correctly, the driveshaft didn't appear to be close to touching anything until 4wd was engaged and there was torque on the shaft.

 

[penski61]

thats right

fronty fan did you see if you have any score marks on the driveshaft?

 

[bigdog]

well let's hope its nothing major and can get back out on the trails quickly. But if you do go with the full Titan swap I've got dibs on the M226 that you know your going to want to swap out for the wider titan m226.

Be sure to lose those 6x4.5 lugs in the process too.

 

[frontyfan]

Will do......but it's going to cost you..............

I'll check for markings on the drive shaft.

 

[HKYStormFront]

i'm with these guys, doesn't sound like front diff based on what you've described. if you had grenaded the front diff and it was in pieces it would be making noise all the time and you would know. i guess it could be a bad bearing causing excess movement but doesn't sound like it. i'd be willing to put money on it being the bushings as stated above since it only happens in 4wd if i had to guess... at first i thought something in the t-case but that would probably make noise even in 2wd as well depending on the issue

 

[bigdog]

i'm with these guys, doesn't sound like front diff based on what you've described. if you had grenaded the front diff and it was in pieces it would be making noise all the time and you would know. i guess it could be a bad bearing causing excess movement but doesn't sound like it. i'd be willing to put money on it being the bushings as stated above since it only happens in 4wd if i had to guess... at first i thought something in the t-case but that would probably make noise even in 2wd as well depending on the issue

Yea, based on the sound it was making and location it seemed to me to be in the t-case too. So we cycled in and out of 4-hi, 4-lo, and 2WD the noise only happens when rolling in 4wd (hi or lo) so maybe its in the driveshaft, bearings, u-joint something like that.

 

[HKYStormFront]

yea could be a u-joint if that's how it works (vs a CV joint style which also could be making noise). seems like that would make noise all the time as well but maybe it's only when it's got torque on it, not just free spinning...

 

[frontyfan]

I checked out the front DS, no visible signs of contact or damage. I'm hoping to get it up on a lift Friday or Saturday, but I'm headed out of town Monday. I may have to wait to get this fixed. I'd really like to get it done so I can head back out to URE in mid June.

 

[frontyfan]

I'm still looking for visible signs of damage, and here's what I got. The front drive shaft is extremely close to the cross member, but there are no signs of contact. Also, there is play in the U-joint closes to the t-case. I don't experience any play anywhere else.

 

[HKYStormFront]

did you try putting it in 4wd while on the lift? although it's not typically a good idea to do such things unless the axles are supported to prevent teeter, sometimes this is the only way to duplicate problem sounds

 

[frontyfan]

It wasn't on a lift, I just spent more time laying underneath the truck snooping around.

 

[frontyfan]

Got my truck up on a lift today, u-joint closest to the T-case was SHOT! Took it apart and the needle bearings were literally powder or just non-existant. It was quite amazing. Replaced both front drive shaft u-joints with some Duralast Gold from Autozone. Couldn't beat $12 and a lifetime warranty. Man, what a cheap fix. Tested it out real quick and didn't hear a sound.

 

[bigdog]

great news!

 

[HKYStormFront]

yea you got lucky man. great easy fix for what could have been a much more costly repair.

 

[HarshReality001]

here's to easy (and cheap) fixes!