Transfer Case Gone Bad By Nothing?

[ExplorerDMB]

Well, when I lifted my Explorer back in aug of '04 I was 4wd, but my front driveshaft was hitting the crossmember and the angel on it was too much for the shaft (caused a little vibration noise). Anyway, I didn't leave it in long - possibly a week. I have been 2wd ever since because I haven't had time to mess with it. Anyway, I got around to designing a newer driveshaft and well a buddy of mine tried something out - it was basically just an adapater on the t-case to accept a u-joint and then a single u-joint at the t-case and a single u-joint at the differential. It has a slip joint in the middle -- but now I have a loud ticking/knlunking type noise coming from under the driverside seat and you can feel it in the floor board. I don't like the single u-joint design at the t-case, I want to go with a double-cardan. Anyway, can a t-case go bad after just sitting really? Cause I had the driveshaft out for awhile and the t-case still shifts into hi and lo beautifully. Oh, and when your driving and you hit the 4x4HI it doesn't change the tone at all. I do not like the sound at all and only drove with it in for about 5 mins. I'm taking it out tomorrow morning once I get my right tools. Anyway, anyone ever run into this before? If it is in the t-case I will have to wait til someone is selling a used one or I will just be 2wd. I am not putting more money into this thing when I'm trying to get rid of it soon. Thanks for any responses!

-Drew

 

[Buckshot]

somethings hitting or badly off balance. The dshaft WILL rotate all the time, (the tcase is not engaged to the front dshaft in a 2000, but the hubs/front axles/diff are) so switching to 4x4 wouldn't do anything different to the spinning front dshaft except give it drive power instead of rotating just from the wheels turning =same sound in and out of 4x4. All that tells you is that the problem is the dshaft, but you knew that already....

single joints at both ends with high angles=lots of oscillation effect - maybe still hitting cross member but less frequently with more force because it oscillates into it with no double cardan or CV style?

 

[ExplorerDMB]

thanks for the post Buckshot. I guess I will find out whats going on tomorrow. thanks again.

-Drew

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Buckshot - you were right. I put the stock shaft in and the noise was gone, besides a few random hits on the crossmember from the angle. I think what I'm going to do is just buy the Superlift shaft. Save me some headache I guess.

-Drew

 

[ExplorerDMB]

The problem was the slip joint. It had too much play in it. I am replacing the splines and the female end. Basically a brand new driveshaft now. Still should of gone with the superlift one but oh well -- an expierence! Only advantage I see over this type d-shaft over the superlift is less u-joints which means less things to replace.

-Drew

 

[Buckshot]

Glad you found it. I like my new single cardan style for off road once I have my solid axle in - singles handle more extreme angles better - doubles are smoother on road for most angles, but prone to grenading under extreme angles I think. Good luck on the new shaft fix.

 

[IZwack]

... singles handle more extreme angles better - doubles are smoother on road for most angles, but prone to grenading under extreme angles I think. Good luck on the new shaft fix.

i think its the other way around, double cardans usually handle high angles better.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-shaft/index2.html


.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

I put the new shaft in and it seemed better, but i think I still heard something. It's hard to hear something in the pouring down rain, so I think tomorrow will be clear to get a definant answer, but I sure as hell hope it's the d-shaft. Anyway, here are some pictures:

 

[ExplorerDMB]

more:

You can see where the old one was hitting on my crossmember! I marked it

 

[boominXplorer]

where did you get that adapter for the TC?

 

[ExplorerDMB]

off of here...I believe i got it from TAXX! why the question?

-Drew

 

[boominXplorer]

off of here...I believe i got it from TAXX! why the question?

-Drew

Im figuring out if I want to swap in a 4405 or 4406. I got a GREAT deal on a front superlift kit from a guy with a ranger who is going solid here local. He is selling me the whole front 4wd suspention (hubs, cv's diffy, ect) and the lift for 800$. I dont want AWD so I need either a 4405 (v6 explorer) or 4406 (f150). I would need the adapter on a 4405 but the 4006 uses u-joint at both ends. Thing is I dont want a smaller gas tank (req for the 4406) but then I have to find the AA adapter for the 4405 = $$$. So Im between a rock and a hard place. Basically exploring my options.


Also Im still trying to get robbs truck but due to ass hole storage places in hampton roads and getting stock in a place 3 months after the lease is out unexpectantly is really boggling my mind.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

He is selling me the whole front 4wd suspention (hubs, cv's diffy, ect) and the lift for 800$.

Man, and to think, I didn't pay that for my NEW lift. ouch

But about the t -cases...sounds like you have some researching to do. you can PM TAXX and see what he says about the adapter. Let me know if you need any help or any pictures of my t-case for reference.

-Drew

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Update:

Well, the new driveshaft makes a grinding type noise (a loud bad bearing feel that you can rub in your hand) and well, another tech at work thinks it's the angle that the driveshaft has out of the t-case. I will be putting in the other driveshaft tmorrow to see if it makes the same noise at the same speed, but the one that is currently in (the new one) is making the noise at 40mph and up. He thinks it's binding.

-Drew

 

[IZwack]

I think that tech is on the right track but I think the angle change needs to happen at the differential.

Cauz the way I see it, ur basically using a single cardian where a CV type used to be - and the angles for those two are not the same (though they could potentially be the same).

If i can remember correctly, the double cardan, or CV, joint requires the differential to point ~2 degrees below the imaginary line from the differential to the transfer case (for lubrication issues). Where as the single cardan requires the differential and the transfer case to be parallel with each other.

I think the original shaking you were getting with the CV driveshaft (as you mentioned in the first post of this thread) was due to this missalignment. I think you just needed to rotate the back of the differential up slightlly .. cauz you probably had more than ~2 degrees of angle below the imaginary line.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

So basicaly your saying a double cardan is what I need correct? I think this is why superlifts driveshaft is a double cardan - becase they probably ran into the same problem.

-Drew

 

[Buckshot]

I have a single cardan with the superlift - no problems AT ALL. But, I do have an Atlas instead of the stock t-case.....

 

[IZwack]

So basicaly your saying a double cardan is what I need correct?

you can make either driveshaft work as long as you get the angle correct. If I were you, I'd start taking measurements and see at what angle your driveshaft points... cauz you can keep comparing kits and what not, but at the end, a driveshaft is a driveshaft and it needs to operate under certain conditions. If you take the measurements and find that the angles within the acceptable values, then the problem is probably not angle related.

 

[IZwack]

Here's a read on driveshaft angles and the difference between CV/double cardan and single cardan.

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/driveline/

I think the artcle states 0 degrees at the differential end for teh CV/double cardan ... some people however say 1-2 degrees below in order to have the lower joint lubricating.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

I tell you what might be a problem, my transfercase flang (looking from the driverside of it) looks like this /

Not exactly that degree, but something similar, like it goes UP. I don't really see how that could of happened, or be the problem - but i was just thinking of it.

-Drew