94 Limited Rear axle traction-lok vibration

[jack3]

Help - Help !!! I've got a 94 Limited 2Wd with traction lok and I'm trying to find a vibration in the drive train.. Vibrates slightly at 35 - 40 and much harder from 63 - 75. I've had the tires balanced. checked for round, and load tested = all ok. Relaced the u-joints. even tho they look & felt good. But were orig. with 120,000.

I read somewhere once that the clutch packs break loose at 50# torque, But I've searched through all my books and can't find it.

Odd sympton : with both rear wheels off the ground - tranny in park... if I turn one of the wheels ( fair amount of grunt ) I hear a fairly loud clicking sound from what must be the clutch package. If I put the tranny in N and turn the wheels or the drive shaft there is no noise..

I drained the fluid - = Good color & smelled like hypoid, the clutch pack and all internals were black ( like the friction modifier usually makes them). I sprayed B-12 and cleaned what I could then put in new oil and 4oz of friction modifier, - - Same - Same vibration and noise. I only notice the noise when the wheels are up tranny in 'P' and I rotate one or the other of the rear wheels by hand.

I'm over 60 and I've been wrenching as a hobby since a kid,but this one's got me
Retired Old Fart.

 

[MrShorty]

Odd sympton : with both rear wheels off the ground - tranny in park... if I turn one of the wheels ( fair amount of grunt ) I hear a fairly loud clicking sound from what must be the clutch package. If I put the tranny in N and turn the wheels or the drive shaft there is no noise..

I'm not sure that clicking sound is normal. At least I've never got a clicking sound from mine when I've done essentially the same thing (I usually do it with one wheel in the air and the tranny in neutral). Going to have to think a bit....

 

[Creager]

i believe the clicking you are experincing is clutch clatter.

to make sure its only worn clutch packs... does the Posi slip 100%??

(once they start to make noise, they will always make noise. flushing/adding new friction modifier will not help)

 

[Rhett]

Help - Help !!! I've got a 94 Limited 2Wd with traction lok and I'm trying to find a vibration in the drive train.. Vibrates slightly at 35 - 40 and much harder from 63 - 75. I've had the tires balanced. checked for round, and load tested = all ok. Relaced the u-joints. even tho they look & felt good. But were orig. with 120,000.

Are you SURE that the vibration is from your driveline? It sounds to me like it could be the very common shake these trucks get with worn out radius arm bushings...

When's the last time the radius arm bushings were changed?

 

[CDW6212R]

You're traction lock is worn out, I'm 99% sure of that. A new LS will make a noise also when you force the clutches to slide. You shouldn't be able to turn one wheel hardly at all.

I don't know what your vibration is, but you looking at the diff already eliminates it as the cause. You should have been able to inspect the bearings, and gears.

The clutch rebuild kit is about $50, and any decent mechanic can do it. Pull the axles, the center diff. cross shaft, and the inner spring. Be careful with loosening and tightening the tiny 8mm cross shaft bolt. It's a grade eight bolt, but you absolutely don't want to break it, and it can break.

Rotate the spider gears around to get them out. Pull and replace the clutch frictions/steels. Reinstall the spider gears, etc. Good luck,

 

[Hank]

Just want to join in this thread as I have the same vibration issue, however my track-lok is in good shape and my u-joints are new. If I track it down first, I'll post back.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Gentlemen,,,, read this!; http://www.explorer4x4.com/faq.htm#vibration

The only way I have fixed my vibration was to install the James Duff Suspension lift.

The one thing I did prior to the SL that helped the most was replacing the tranny mount. I also shoved a couple pieces of polyurathane bushing material inside the mount to stiffen it up. I would recommend trying the tranny mount early in your efforts since it will only cost you about $50.

Here is another thread about the subject;
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...ad.php?t=131072

 

[Hank]

Gentlemen,,,, read this!; http://www.explorer4x4.com/faq.htm#vibration

The only way I have fixed my vibration was to install the James Duff Suspension lift.

The one thing I did prior to the SL that helped the most was replacing the tranny mount. I also shoved a couple pieces of polyurathane bushing material inside the mount to stiffen it up. I would recommend trying the tranny mount early in your efforts since it will only cost you about $50.

Here is another thread about the subject;
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...ad.php?t=131072

Thanks but been there, done that already... My last resort is a local suspension shop with an on-car balance setup. Only 80.00 but the guy is always on vacation...

 

[Rhett]

Hank you mention that your u-joints are new and your traction-lok is ok, but you're still getting vibration. I would check the radius arm bushings...
and then if that didn't fix it I would look at the wheels being out-of-round or tires badly out of balance. I'm sure you already checked those things, but I saw no mention of the RAB's...

 

[Hank]

Yes, sorry forgot to mention. I was the guy who used to sell Daystar on the board. If it is a bushing on my Ex it has been replaced with poly.

The wheels may be suspect, I don't like them anyway. American Racing Black Steel wheels. Want to replace with something a bit stronger. I'll know more about roundness when I do the on-car balance. So far none of the tire stores have mentioned this, even after asking..

 

[Creager]

Just curious, what old are your engine mounts? i think you already said the tranny mount was good.

 

[Hank]

Sorry for the delay, I'm not geting the notifications anymore. I probably blacklisted Rick in error.

Mounts seem good, think I may be on to something. I've ordered some rear 2 degree axle shims as I read a number of other Ford posts about drive-line vibrations showing up right after a lift and being resolved with the shims. Too much of an angle on the U-joints.