Gordy,
My experience with U joints are that they will make noise when starting with
a clunk, and cause vibration when going bad while driving. They are
normally progressive, but I've had some that had sudden failures. Did you
try to push the U joint up and down? Most of the play in U joints are from
the internal bearings worn out which will cause them to wobble up and down
or sidewise, not always noticeable if you just try to rotate the joint. You
didn't mention any vibration or clunk and had little play so I would doubt
it is a U joint problem.
It sounds more like a wheel bearing going bad to me, particularly if it
comes from one side only. I would expect vibration and other problems if it
were a trans or diff problem. Did you try to run the car on stands with the
wheels on? The extra weight may be enough to replicate part of the load of
the car to get a little noise from the side causing the noise.
I'd also check both wheels for leaks from the axles, both outside and inside
the brake drums. Another good indication of a bearing lub problem.
Pete
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-healeys@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-healeys@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of ggilliam@usol.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 6:47 PM
To: healeys@autox.team.net
Subject: Rear Axle Noise??
Healey Friends,
While on a drive on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, my BN4, no
overdrive, began making a rear end noise that I thought at first
was a flat left side tire. I stopped and checked the tire and wheel,
not flat, nothing loose that I could see. But the sound persisted,
and I believe even got worse, but you know how noises are when
you are a few miles from home. It appeared worse when
decelerating, very noticeable when coasting, but maybe not there
when accelerating. Turning corners did not seem to be better or
worse.
Today I put the rear axle on jacks. With both wheels off the
ground, and the trans in a gear, there was a very noticeable gap of
little resistance for a few degrees when starting to rotate either
wheel, in either direction, then it was just smooth rotation. With
the trans in neutral, this gap was not felt, just smooth resistance
and rotation.
Reaching in through the removed rear seat pan openings, I could
watch the rear of the rear u-joint. If I put manual torque against
the rotation by grabbing the diff. hub, it seemed like there was
no "gap".
I know this leaves a lot to the imagination, but I'm thinking
(hopeing) that I have a u-joint problem, not differential or trans.
I don't know why it would start suddenly...I thought U-joints were
a progressive failure device.
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