hideous noises in 4wd.. (long post)

[Doug]

About 3 weeks ago i was screwing around in 4lo trying to climb a rock and my truck starting making a popping noise. I dunno what it is, I felt it through the floor board. I was playing around in some mud and i had my truck in 4lo/hi and it did it again. I cannot figure out what it is. At first I thought it was the transfer case slipping but now im not so sure. When it happened Id hear the popping but i wouldnt loose any power my truck would still go. When the chain started slipping in my old truck the truck wouldnt move and it would just sit there. I was coming out of a parking lot in the rain today and the auto 4wd kicked in and it happened again. I can disable the auto 4wd and no matter what i do in 2wd i cannot get it to pop which leads me to think it might be something in the front axle. Has any one heard of anything slipping or popping in the front axle? Sometimes when im slowing down going down hill i can hear something loose, im not sure what it is but i think it might be the front driveshaft. I havent checked the fluid levels yet which i probably should do... any ideas?

 

[Vozar]

when i turn the wheel to far it also makes a popping noise. Sounds horrendous. I try to watch turning to far to the right or left.

 

[Blaine122300]

all this is, is your U joints popping. the angle gets too great, and the U joint has to "Jump" over itself. This will only happen when in 4wd and turning sharply one way or the other. I wouldn't worry about it.
The slight grinding noise you hear if that is what it is, is just your front differential. The gears in the front I have noticed are a little louder than the rears. They don't get used as much, so they are a little less broke in. If you want, you can always get the fluid changed in the front diff, and maybe it will help, but no guarantees.

Andy

 

[Doug]

Yeah my noises definantly arent related to the 4wd binding there is definantly something wrong. From the lack of reply's im guessing this problem hasnt really come on. Im also guessing there isnt much info out there on swapping an automatic t-case to a manual. I guess once i get this done ill do a write up on what i had to do.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The U-joint binding in my truck is LOUD. Especially in low. I thought at first something was very broke, but now I just deal with it. I use 4wd and it makes the sound. If something is wrong I gues the 4wd will quit working. Until then

 

[Vozar]

is there any way u can stop your u joints from jumping over yourself

 

[Vozar]

oops I meant thereselves

 

[Doug]

nope there isnt anyway to stop them from binding. im suprised the binding is real loud. are you in 4lo on pavement when it happens? Pavement + 4lo + turning = BAAAAAD

 

[Digger196]

When i wheel i have it on 4low and i hear poping sound all the time even i'm not turning. like if i'm putting into reverse and wate a few sec to let it engage and then back up it'll pop when i stop w/o the wheel turned. seems to happen everytime i stop. whats up w/ mine. is that normal. hope it is.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I never use low on hard surfaces My clunk mostly when the wheels are turned, though I believe it has hapened going straight. The 4wd itself seems to work flawlessly. The wheels themselves don't skip like a stretched t-case chain, so I think it's just noisey.

 

[Doug]

I was out in PA over the weekend and i picked up a manual t-case, and a front ifs axle with 4.10s and some 4dr leaf springs. I beleive i also figured out what that noise is. I was looking at a ford service DVD and it sounds like either the ring or pinion gear is chipped and its causing it to wear. I wont know till i get this axle out and pop the cover off. It would be kinda nice if there isnt a rush for me to get my manual t-case in. I still need to get a few more parts for it.

 

[SnowDog89]

4x4 clunk

Recently I've been experiencing a front driver side clunk in the xfer case or hubs when driving in 4H or 4L on my '94 Navajo. This happens even when driving in super slick conditions moving straight ahead or turning. I first noticed it when pulling a steep deep snow covered hill in 4L. Now it is doing it every time I drive in 4WD. I decided not to drive in 4WD until I get this figured out. The clunk can be felt under the driver side floor board easily. Any ideas?

I'm fairly new to this board and am not sure if my email is shown. If you want to email me it is: ghostriderx1@yaho.com

Thanks!

 

[TPLYNCH]

Do you still have the auto hubs?? if so, i'd start there since there the weakest link in that system and generally cheapest/simplest fix.

 

[wj-jeep-guy]

to me it sounds very much like a slipping/popping chain in the transfer case. the front gears grinding isnt normal, there could be some chipped teeth! u-joints juimping over themselves? wtf is that? the only thing i know of a u-joint doing is breaking, not "jumping over themselves", no matter what the angle of the whole vehicle, and ESPECIALLY not coming out of a parking lot.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Yeah my truck does the same thing. Has for a long time. I though it was the chain, and it would eventually let go, jump off, or rub a whole in the case. I don't think it's the chain anymore I am leaning towards it being a problem with the Torque On Demand clutch.

 

[Mbrooks420]

u-joints juimping over themselves? wtf is that? the only thing i know of a u-joint doing is breaking, not "jumping over themselves", no matter what the angle of the whole vehicle, and ESPECIALLY not coming out of a parking lot.

Yeah they do "jump themselves" Which is really just binding, and it can happen anytime the wheels are turned sharp.

 

[SnowDog89]

Thanks for the information so far. When/if I get it figured out I'll post the findings on here. Maybe it can help someone out in the future.

 

[tkauf]

Sounds more like a bad auto locking hub.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The 96's don't have hubs. The axle shaft always spins.

 

[OneShotBandit]

I have the same "problem" & was told by three different mechanics and the people here that it was "normal!" So I don't use 4wd hi/lo on hard surfaces (leave it in 4 Auto). Btw the last mechanic (a friend that drives a Expedition) talked to Ford Tech(?) and was told that there will be an acceptable amount of noise from the front end when using 4wd, especially turning!? I don't worry about as I've put 10,000 miles w/zero problems!

Virg