Groaning

[LCR225]

My Surf has developed a bit of a groan from the N/S/F wheel area. The easiest way of describing the noise is as if you were to drive over one of the white rumble strips on the side of some roads. Just, it's not as loud.

The noise when accelerating starts around 40mph and when slowing down you can hear it to about 20mph. On the way to work this morning I did notice that if I slow down to around 40 and hold the speed there, the front of the car vibrated quite a bit. Tyres are all good so its not those, even though the noise does sound like excessive tyre noise.

Over the last day or so it has got slightly louder.

Any ideas?

[will.b]

Noise

Wheel bearing?

[LCR225]

Wheel bearing?

Thats what I was thinking. The fronts are probably feeling left out as the rears were replaced not long ago.

How much of a PITA is it to do the fronts? Thats if it is the bearing. I will get it in the air and check soon as poss.

[LCR225]

scrub that PITA question... Search is a wonderful thing. Looks like a pain without a press...

[will.b]

Possible adjustment

As above, try looking here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1t5k...eature=related

[LCR225]

I had the car in the air over the weekend and I don't think it's bearing related. Wheel spins fine and the noise doesn't change when cornering. So I decided to try the GoPro under the car to see if that spotted anything. In the video, around the 14 - 18 secs mark, is the front prop normal? As in its not spinning in relation to the road speed and plus it starts slow (very slow) and then kind of jumps into spinning as I would expect.

http://youtu.be/mgROoswAH0c

[muddle]

cv joint?

[a_hartley304]

wheel bearing?

+1

[LCR225]

After playing around it appears the cause of the vibration was down to the front prop slip joint being dryer then normal (think the recent weather was washes what was left off).

I plan to drop the prop from the car and clean it up. But have two questions...

1. Can the prop be pulled apart allowing the internals to be cleaned (obviously marking the position for when I put it back together).

2. In the video link above, is it normal the front prop spins a speeds that aren't relative to road speed?

[davec170]

I had the car in the air over the weekend and I don't think it's bearing related. Wheel spins fine and the noise doesn't change when cornering. So I decided to try the GoPro under the car to see if that spotted anything. In the video, around the 14 - 18 secs mark, is the front prop normal? As in its not spinning in relation to the road speed and plus it starts slow (very slow) and then kind of jumps into spinning as I would expect.

http://youtu.be/mgROoswAH0c

I can't watch the video clip that you posted (limited bandwidth in the Southern Atlantic). But couldn't what you describe be the interaction of the video capture rate and the refresh rate on your playback screen? You know, like a strobing effect that causes a rotating device appear to be stationary. As the rate of angular rotation changes the displayed image may appear to slow, stop or even change direction. This effect is often used on Top Gear shoots to give an impression of a car driving by with it's wheels apparently stationary.
Anyhoo, if the front prop was REALLY doing what you say you see in the video I think you'd hear a lot more than some groaning. If the wheel bearings seem ok, check the propshaft UJ's are well greased, not worn or partially seized.

[LCR225]

OK, so after greasing the front prop last night I thought all was well. Drove it this morning and thought it felt smoother. However... Around 15 miles into my 20 odd mile drive I noticed a bad burning smell. I thought it was another car, turned out it was me. Managed to get to my destination and the burning smell appears to be coming from the engine bay, I was expecting it to be from underneath (grease on the exhaust or something like that).

I also noticed close to the end of the journey (mostly motorway and A roads) that there appears to be an aweful lot of engine breaking...

Any ideas? Hopefully it will get me home tonight!

[muddle]

OK, so after greasing the front prop last night I thought all was well. Drove it this morning and thought it felt smoother. However... Around 15 miles into my 20 odd mile drive I noticed a bad burning smell. I thought it was another car, turned out it was me. Managed to get to my destination and the burning smell appears to be coming from the engine bay, I was expecting it to be from underneath (grease on the exhaust or something like that).

I also noticed close to the end of the journey (mostly motorway and A roads) that there appears to be an aweful lot of engine breaking...

Any ideas? Hopefully it will get me home tonight!

because of the engine braking im going to guess towards something like gear box or rear diff leaking/low on oil which when gets too hot is causing the burning smell and increased resistance. may well be nothing to do with this but worth checking

[davec170]

Binding brakes maybe?

[LCR225]

After removing, cleaning and greasing both props (front was a loaded with too much grease, mud and old grease and was hydro locking), all moving nicely now. However after putting them back on the truck (I marked them on the flanges and also the slip joints so that's not an issue) the vibration has improved but not much. Tonight I removed the front prop and took it for a drive and the vibration has gone... Mostly. Still at the same speed (around 65-70) if you hold the throttle in a certain position you can feel some vibration/judder through the transmission. If you accelerate the judder is worse and then reduces to a level you can drive at. Same if you back of, it vibrates a lot and then goes ok.

I did notice that the flange from the transfer case moves in and out very slightly. I was wondering how tight this should be... Possible the prop slip joint issue vibrated the flange loose?

Checked the gearbox oil and it's used a bit but not much. I last replaced it last year around this sort of time.

Now stuck for ideas. Prop out, issues is better but still there slightly. Any ideas on where to look?

[Surfs:up]

Engine Mounts

Have you checked the condition of your engine and gearbox mounts? It's a long shot but if they're deteriorated or loose they could vibrate at a resonant frequency and be fine at others.