Growl with right turn

[afpj]

ok driveline people...started getting a low frequency growl on right turns from front end. So replaced the obvious (original) wheel bearing hubs with AC delcos . Noise still there. Someone suggested front diff, so as a test tried to see what sound it makes with awd engaged (not 4hi)...sound not there. Put back in 2hi, sound comes back. (yeah, should've done this test before replacing hubs) . What in the front diff would do this? The front diff was rebuilt about 3 years ago, because it was starting to bind on turns ( even in 2 hi) and had the classic front diff whine starting at 45 mph. Binding went away, whine improved but did not get completely eliminated. Any opinions appreciated. 2002 yuk 4x4, 167k miles.

 

[drakon543]

You front shafts could be going bad. When your in 2wd the tires are pushing the rotation of the shafts in 4wd the engine is pushing on the shafts so the force on the shafts changes. Possibly why the sound is only there in 2wd. Also a possibility it sounds like the front diff binding issue was fixed but the wear it put on the gears was not fixed. Once the gears are worn they need to be replaced or they will continue to get worse even if the initial cause was fixed. They might have worn enough at this point to start causing other issues.

 

[afpj]

Hey thanks for your reply. It's been twenty five thousand miles since the front diff rebuild. I decided to change fluid and it was dark...couldn't really see through it. The drain plug had the dark fine stuff, and some small bright flecks mixed in. I gotta feeling I got ripped off on that so called rebuild. Knew something was up when the guy put in the axle seals backwards the first time causing the ends to leak.

 

[drakon543]

If it was rebuilt correctly with proper backlash it should have relatively been quiet as a mouse after the work. They could have set an improper backlash or overtightened something. Kinda like my buddy cherokee decided he was going to fix his own rear end. Overtightened the input shaft and it whined for months before he blew his trans (unrelated issues).

 

[afpj]

As I try to track down noise, I discovered when I raised driver side front wheel, and rotate wheel/ axle as if going forward, slight ticking noise coming g from inner CV area. I can't pinpoint CV or front diff. The axle/ joint feel solid, doesn't seem to wiggle. No ticking when rotating going reverse direction. Is that ticking normal? I haven't tried passenger side...just too tired. It sucks putting in 8 hrs before noon

 

[afpj]

Well, it's been 500 miles since I last changed the front diff fluid just to see what it look like. First picture of drain plug with some fine dark filings, second picture of it cleaned, third picture of the oil that came out. With 500 miles, should I have essentially no debris on the magnet or would this B on the slightly normal side I hope?

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