Ratcheting Noise and Clunk: Autohubs?

[Tony H]

Now for the passenger side, same as the drivers side but to remove the axle you will need to remove the 3rd member and pull the c-clip to be able to remove the axle. I know a dana 44 is that way, with a c-clip on the passenger side only, but to make sure on the dana 35 pull the spindle first and see if the axle will come out because if I'm wrong I would hate to put you through all that. .

PASSENGER SIDE

If you are Just doing OUTER 'U' joints, you can separate the axle at the Rubber boot. not at the differential. Mark the axle on both sides of the Rubber Boot so you put it back together in the same orientation, cut the wire band and the axle halves will come apart.

 

[lifted93xplorer]

It could be possible that the t-case is making the noise and sending it up the driveline making it sound like it's coming from the front drivers side also. Will it make the noise without a load? If so you need to jack up all 4 wheels and crawl under with a stethescope, or even a long extension and pinpoint the source of the noise. Also thank you Tony H, I concur, that would make it much simpler. The boot is right where the axle goes through the beam.

 

[swooper]

What you are describing sounds so much like bad Auto hubs. The fact that you switched it out for another and it ghetting the same noise is odd. Are you sure the 'new' auto hub was in working order?

That ratchetting then clunk is so typical of an Auto hub not fully engaging or fully disengaging. You would have been happier with the toughness and reliability if you bought the manual hubs. They are less expensive too.

Yeah, I did a fair amount of research on this forum and I thought the symptoms sounded like it might be the auto hubs. The ratcheting noise is much less frequent now and not as loud after replacing the auto hubs...I've only heard it 3 times since I put the new ones on, but I don't drive the truck a lot since I have another vehicle. The hubs were brand new, but I can't be positive that they're working right. The clunk is only when turning and not when engaging the 4x4. The clunk is also not as loud now, so it might actually be two separate issues.

I'm not sure if the truck will make the noise while on a lift and it would be hard to recreate since its so sporadic. I'd love to get under there while its making the noise and look around.

 

[Tony H]

Take th eHubs off the front, throw a Plastic bag over the hub area to keep dirt out of the Bearings then take it for a run, turning the wheel tight in both directions to try to get the clunk. If no clunk then it problem falls back on the Hubs.

 

[swooper]

Take th eHubs off the front, throw a Plastic bag over the hub area to keep dirt out of the Bearings then take it for a run, turning the wheel tight in both directions to try to get the clunk. If no clunk then it problem falls back on the Hubs.

The problem is that I can't replicate the clunk with the hubs on. Its only happened a few times and I haven't noticed a pattern yet.

 

[Tony H]

Sorry, I thought it was more consistant.

 

[swooper]

Ok. Finally made the clicking noise when I wasn't wearing my dress clothes for work. With the truck NOT in 4x4, I had my dad drive forward while I looked underneath. The passenger side axle was spinning, but the drivers side wasn't rotating. I didn't notice if the front driveshaft was spinning, but I don't recall seeing anything moving other than the passenger side axle.

Had my dad drive the truck and rode shot gun. The noise appears to come from the drivers side even when in the passenger seat.

Could this be a bad hub...even though its new or is this something else?

 

[Tony H]

Sounds like the Pass. Hub is not working correctly.

For some reason it is not fully disengaged.

The driveshaft rotating wont really tell us anything. If the Transfer case was locked in for some reason, the Shaft would turn. If one of the hubs was locking itself in, the hub would turn the axle that would turn the driveshaft.
I do not know why brand new Hubs are failing ( they were new, not used, right?). But as you probably read all throughout this forum. These Auto Hubs stink.

 

[Bill O'Rights]

Wow! Same problem here, on my '94. It is intermittent with no rhyme or reason to it. It could just be my imagination, but it does seem to occur after a succession of turns, such as in a parking lot. Just a loud "ratcheting" sound. If I engage, and then disengage, the 4X4, then it goes away. It only happens maybe once every 3-4 weeks. I was also thinking that it may be the auto hubs.

 

[swooper]

Wow! Same problem here, on my '94. It is intermittent with no rhyme or reason to it. It could just be my imagination, but it does seem to occur after a succession of turns, such as in a parking lot. Just a loud "ratcheting" sound. If I engage, and then disengage, the 4X4, then it goes away. It only happens maybe once every 3-4 weeks. I was also thinking that it may be the auto hubs.

The noise seems to appear most when I reverse out of a parking space, but has also just occurred as I was driving down the road.

When the truck was making the noise, I had my dad drive it forward and looked underneath and confirmed that the passenger side axle was spinning and the drivers side was not. Checked the front driveshaft and it was spinning too.

Put the truck on 4x4 and the front driveshaft continued to spin. Put the truck back into 4x2 and the front driveshaft stopped spinning and neither axle was spinning either. Truck did not make the ratcheting noise after doing that.

Any reason why the front driveshaft would spin when the truck is in 4x2 and why is only one axle spinning?

 

[Tony H]

The noise seems to appear most when I reverse out of a parking space, but has also just occurred as I was driving down the road.

When the truck was making the noise, I had my dad drive it forward and looked underneath and confirmed that the passenger side axle was spinning and the drivers side was not. Checked the front driveshaft and it was spinning too.

Put the truck on 4x4 and the front driveshaft continued to spin. Put the truck back into 4x2 and the front driveshaft stopped spinning and neither axle was spinning either. Truck did not make the ratcheting noise after doing that.

Any reason why the front driveshaft would spin when the truck is in 4x2 and why is only one axle spinning?

I reread this entire post. I'm still betting on the new passenger Hub being bad.

 

[swooper]

Finally figure this out a few months ago. It was the U-Joints. One side was frozen solid. Noise is gone now.