?4WD Wheel noises

[madcampbell]

Hi Just been off roading for the first time ever...what a laugh..any way I went down some taccks in 4WD High which was fine then tried climbing a short steep slope. I selected 4WD and Low and drove up in first. It went up with no problem. I changed back too High and from then on whenever I turned a corner the front steering made nasty creacking noises on each turn. So I packed it in and drove back in 2WD. Any clues on the noise from the steering (sounded like a spring being over wound).. Thanks

[Gamedawn]

What vehicle are you driving and what sort of surface were you on? It could be something as simple as mud and stones packed into all the nooks and crannies around the front suspension. For every hour off road you have to spend at least as long cleaning up afterwards all part of the fun !

[Tallyman]

Sounds like the surface you were driving over was too hard to allow one of the front wheels to slip. The Surf (unless you've got a 3rd Gen - 96 on) doesn't have a centre diff, so both front and back wheels try to rotate at the same rate, thereby causing a problem unless one of the front wheels can slide (e.g as it would on ice / snow / mud etc).

If you try to run on tarmac or hard dry ground the transmission will "wind-up" and make those nasty graunching noises which can ruin your driveshafts / gearbox etc. So you did right to run in 2WD. Make sure you grease all the driveshaft nipples ASAP.

[TonyN]

Any slack in the front CV's makes a noise in 4WD, not to much to worry about, you will always get noises fithe ground is hard and one wheel can't slip easily. but check your steering stops for grease, you may have washed the oil off, or knocked the caps off.

[madcampbell]

Thanks

I am driving a 1990 2.4D SSR Ltd... The ground was hard and I will check the grease. ?should I have just left it in 2WD to go up the slope and waited to see if it would not go up then for more grip move to 4WD if slipping ?

[TonyN]

I am driving a 1990 2.4D SSR Ltd... The ground was hard and I will check the grease. ?should I have just left it in 2WD to go up the slope and waited to see if it would not go up then for more grip move to 4WD if slipping ?

Should be OK, as long as its not tarmac or concrete, it'll work OK, I usually drive around in 2wd untill it looks slippery, when toss it in 4wd, you can but it 4wd High while on the move (up to 50mph).

You will get noises in 4wd, there are a lot of CV's, UJ's and shafts all turning under pressure, but they are pretty strong generally, try to avoid giving it large amounts of throttle on hard steering locks in 4wd, the CV joints are at their weakest in that position, and can break. If you have waer in the CV's, full lock will show it up with popping noises as you turn, its not to terminal even if it does, if it does it in 2WD they are getting bad.

No need to be too anal, you have to try hard to break anything usually.

[JimL]

Check the boots on the CVs, the inner CVs arent as complex but are as important. The outer ones make the clicking noise I think. Punctured or split boots is bad and the cause of the clicking.

[madcampbell]

Thanks

Thanks for the info
Could only just afford the truck so am taking it easy till I know how to use it
Thanks for the help

[Gizmo]

Hi Just been off roading for the first time ever...what a laugh..any way I went down some taccks in 4WD High which was fine then tried climbing a short steep slope. I selected 4WD and Low and drove up in first. It went up with no problem. I changed back too High and from then on whenever I turned a corner the front steering made nasty creacking noises on each turn. So I packed it in and drove back in 2WD. Any clues on the noise from the steering (sounded like a spring being over wound).. Thanks

Could be the steering stops..I recently had this due to off-road and regreased...dont have the noise now