Transmission Noise Still There

[Steadi]

Hi All

Sorry to waste a thread on this but a lot of my posts are in reply to other threads and I really want to pull this together.

As you probobly know I've been going spare trying to cure an annoying front transmission noise on my 1997 SSRG Gen3. Its a rumbling 'starship enterprise warp drive' noise that sounds as if its somewhere under the drivers feet between 20 and 40 mph (loudest at 35mph).

The vehicle has had a suspension lift in Japan and is up 3 inches at the rear and just 1 inch at the front. Must admit I diddnt really notice as it has chunky tyres and was sold to me as having the original variable rear suspension. The front driveshafts are of course slightly out of their normal running angles but well within their range.

I've lived with the noise for four months now and kind of got delayed / wound up by the dealer who wasnt originally able to look at it for me as he had closed his forcourt and seems to be trading without premisis. The dealer's mechanic finally had a basic look but could not pinpoint the problem and suggested I go to Toyota.

The Guildford Toyota dealer i was recommended were completely arsey about the urf and wouldnt even have a look.

My local Gemca Toyota dealer was far better wanted to do a 35 MPH rolling test with the car suspended on a chassis lift but this would have cost £95 for the hour it would take. They were pretty certain it was the front wheel bearing but were talking about a further 2 to 3 hours to change the bearing at £95 per hour which was out of the question.

They recommended a garage in wandsworth who did the rolling test for free, I also had a listen underneath and the noise had completely disappeared. We assumed that this was due to no load on the wheel bearings hence no noise and decided to change the bearing but at my risk.

£250 later I picked up the surf and the sodding noise is still there. the only consolation is as its my buisiness vehicle I'll get the VAT and some of the repair money back through my accounts but Im still pretty p****d off with the car. At least I'm no longer worried that the noise might lead to a collapsed bearing on the motorway.

One small point, I got charged £18 and £44 for oil seals I wasnt expecting, if anyone out there knows the GEN3 rolling gear could you let me know if they were really needed?

There has been a lot of confusion about the drive shaft alignment washers, even toyota parts department thaught they had them but apparantly the GEN3 has a different design. Maybe we should have separate GEN3 and GEN4 sections on the forum.

Anyway I'm completely screwed now, took a risk with the repair and my luck ran out.

Both toyota and the new garage feel that a drive shaft cant make my rumbley howling noise so it must be something to do with the diff, trouble is the Diff is in the middle yet the noise sounds so much louder from the driver's side. The diff has been checked and the oil levels are OK and there is no excessive play on my drive shafts.

Anybody out there got any idea where to go from here or maybe a secondhand GEN 3 front diff before I get tempted to push this truck over beachy head.

Best Regards

mike

[jet1749]

Why dont you go over your problem again. Has the noise always been there or has it crept up on you? Noise definately from the drivers side? Tried changing drivers side tyre for the spare? No hub bushes on this model, what has it got instead? Not yet tried to remove the hub drive flanges yet to isolate the noise, sure its not worth a go it will cost zip? No excessive movement in the drive shafts up/down, front/back, in/out, at diff end and wheel end? Any excessive lift at the front diff/prop shaft drive coupling, any sign of oil leak there? Generally diff noise comes on as a low pitched howl that rises in pitch as speed increases, note and pitch will depend on whether you are under drive or overrun. The noise is caused by the pinion bearing wearing out, this allows the pinion gear/crown wheel mesh setting to change. I dont have any answers, but if you check it all out methodically you will get there. Best not to dive in with a snap diagnosis especially as you have already had a wheel bearing done (surely once the wheel bearings were removed and cleaned, an inspection would have told the mechanic they were ok. saved you ££'s) At least that is one item to forget about.

regards
John

[Steadi]

Noise

Thanks John

Some interesting extra items to check, heres your list with answers!

Has the noise always been there or has it crept up on you?
Always been there


Noise definately from the drivers side?
Yup

Tried changing drivers side tyre for the spare?
Swapped left to right noise stayed on drivers side.

No hub bushes on this model, what has it got instead?
Dont know, dopey toyota parts department were to supply bushes so we all got caught out, blind leading blind.

Not yet tried to remove the hub drive flanges yet to isolate the noise,
Might try but I now know fault is not associated with wheel anyway

movement in the drive shafts up/down, front/back, in/out, at diff end and wheel end?
3 engineers have waggled this and found no excessive movement.

Any excessive lift at the front diff/prop shaft drive coupling, any sign of oil leak there?
Not tried that one!

Generally diff noise comes on as a low pitched howl that rises in pitch as speed increases, note and pitch will depend on whether you are under drive or overrun.
Thankfully doesnt sound like my noise, it sounds just like wheel bearings but with a hollow diffy sound to it. Does not alter if coasting or under drive or 4x4.

Best not to dive in with a snap diagnosis especially as you have already had a wheel bearing done surely once the wheel bearings were removed and cleaned, an inspection would have told the mechanic they were ok.
Yup... and I forgot to ask for the original one to store, derr!







Basically had both Toyota and another garage diagnose duff bearings and took the risk to change it. Also am using the truck for moving gear to work and could not risk a bearing failure so even though the money was wasted... it was well spent!

Having the truck looked at by Tony and Linda next Tuesday hopefully the problem will be resolved as the Toyota dealer doesnt seem to be familiar with this running gear.



many thanks for your post

Mike

[jet1749]

Let us all know what the problem was when you sort it
regards
John

[Steadi]

A little closer

Hi

Just come back from Baisingstoke where Tony spent a long afternoon getting up close and personal with my Gen 3!

There are lots of changes on the Gen3 as well as some pretty frustrating soft bolts in the running gear. Work was slow but we got a lot done.

The Diff/propshaft coupling seems fine although there was a bit of upward movement in the inner driveshaft CV's. Tony started by removing the Driver's side drive shaft and capping the oil seal on the Diff so we could drive around. (The driveshaft splines run directly in the solid Gen3 hubs so there is no easy means of disconnecting the drive shafts). The noise was still there which was pretty worrying as the sound still appears to be on the drivers side.

We then dropped out the Passenger side drive shaft fully expecting the noise to disappear as there was no longer any drive to the diff, thankfully, and surprisingly the noise was still there!

We are now down to either the Passenger side wheel bearing or some wierd tyre noise problem. Tony offered to change all the tyres over with a set of his own but his gen2 tyres dont fit the larger gen3 hubs.

I did try over and underinflating the tyres on the way home, there was no change in my transmission noise although the only way of conclusively proving the tyres would be to borrow a set of wheels if anyone has a spare set in thier garage in the Kingston upon Thames area?

So there it is... It now looks like I have a rumbling passenger side bearing as well and we have a theory that the vibration is travelling through the steering gear so it appears to be on the driver side as it travels up the steering column.

Many thanks again to Tony for his hard work today, I know he is a little disappointed that we diddnt fully diagnose the fault, but I'm more than happy knowing the diff is ok!

Mike

[Rob]

I have a full set of perfectly balanced 3rd gen wheels/tyres in the shed if you want to borrow them. I'm just not that close unless you can think of a plan?

[Linda]

I have a full set of perfectly balanced 3rd gen wheels/tyres in the shed if you want to borrow them. I'm just not that close unless you can think of a plan?

bring them here next time you're down and then Steadi can have the passengers side bearing done and try the tyres???

[Steadi]

Good Plan

Thanks Linda, sounds a great plan.

Would Toyota be able to supply the bearing sale or return, that way we can have both bearing parts and tyres standing by. If tyres dont change the noise we can swap the bearing over in one hit.

If so please contact me by direct email once Tony and all the bits are ready. Perhaps find an afternoon where you already are buisy in the workshop so I dont cost you a day off! (I'm Only working Fridays and saturdays at the moment)

Many thanks again for your help

Mike

[Wolfracer]

Did you sort it?