Front drive shaft bronze bushes

[diysurgeon]

I have had a rumbling sound coming from the front passenger side. I replaced the wheel bearings but the sound is still there. It is most noticeable when turning left. Stripped it down again and this time notice a bit of play on the shaft and what appears to be a bronze bush. Could this be causing the rumble? I should also say I have replaced the cv joint on this side thinking that was causing the problem. I never noticed the play on the shaft inside this bush.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

[Albannach]

Bronze bushes tend to be squeaky rattly type noises, rather than a rumble. Have you swapped the wheels from front to back, see if that solves the problem.

There's a clip and washer missing from the shaft in that picture, I trust you've removed them?

[diysurgeon]

Thanks for your reply. Yes I have removed clip and washer. I havent tried swapping the wheels. There seems to be a lot of play on the shaft about a 1 or 2 mm is that normal?

[diysurgeon]

Now thinking about this, the rumbling/rubbing sound can't be due to this bronze bearing as the front drive shaft only rotates when in 4 wheel drive. As I am getting this noise when in 2 wheel drive it must be something else. I am right in this assumption?

[Albannach]

The driveshaft does rotate, it's just not driven when in 2wd. I'd still be inclined to look elsewhere, rumbling doesn't tend to be those bushes.

Do you have knobbly tyres and/or a suspension lift?

[diysurgeon]

I have normal road tyres. I have now swapped both the front wheels round and the noise is still there. You can some times hear it on the straight but it is loudest when going slowly round a left hand bend.

[Koi]

The driveshaft does rotate, it's just not driven when in 2wd. I'd still be inclined to look elsewhere, rumbling doesn't tend to be those bushes.

Do you have knobbly tyres and/or a suspension lift?

Mine started off as a rumble then ended up sounding like a dull (but really loud) hammer drill noise when they got worn.

[Albannach]

Mine started off as a rumble then ended up sounding like a dull (but really loud) hammer drill noise when they got worn.

Aha, I stand corrected. I always thought the bronze bushes were 'rattly'

[diysurgeon]

Thanks for the replies. Before I order new bushes can anyone confirm that there should not be any movement of the shaft inside the bush I.e if I hold the end of the shaft I can move it up and down a mm or so.

Also is there any difference between the bushes from millers and roughtrax as miners are about £8 cheaper?

Thanks

Mike

[NiftyNev]

Before I order new bushes can anyone confirm that there should not be any movement of the shaft inside the bush I.e if I hold the end of the shaft I can move it up and down a mm or

The shaft will move a bit because it is not a neat fit in the outer bush. The hub cover with the splines is what locates it in the correct position.

Nev.

[diysurgeon]

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks Nev.

In that case the rumbling sound is not likely to becoming from the bushes. The investigation continues.

[Koi]

cant remember for sure but don't think that when I fitted my new bushes there was that much play in them?

[diysurgeon]

I took the surf to a friends garage. He drove round in it and thought the noise was coming from the front but more to the middle. He put it on the ramp and looked underneath. He thought the noise sounded like worn UJ joints on the prop shaft.

So I get home, remove the prop shaft to the rear wheels. Noise still there. Prior to this I removed the front drive shafts, noise still there. While the rear end is jacked up, I spin the the rear passenger side wheel. Guess what, a rumbling sound! It looks like a rear wheel bearing. I did the drivers side last summer.

Have spent three days replacing parts that didn't need replacing and taking parts off that didn't need removing. I was ready to scrap the motor I was getting so fed up with it.

It is strange as four people have listen to the noise and we all thought it was coming from the front end, particularly when going round a slow left hand bend.