1.9 - Output shaft about to fail or not?

jonco

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Returned home yesterday after ~30mile trip suddenly there was a screeching sound from backend driver's side then it stopped. Drove around block a few times to test intermittent screeching. Thought it was a brake drum problem.

Car up on stands and driver's side rear drum off after a few problems - overnight WD40 soak required then it popped off.

Inspected shoes and retaining pins - all OK. :confused::confused: Whilst rotating drum by hand could hear a grating sound from diff end of output shaft. Boxed it back up and reversed out of garage - no problem. On driving forward severe screeching from driver's side again,

Back end back up on stands - engine started - ASC switched off - drive selected - rear wheels rotating - revved up gradually through speed range until 80mph equivalent reached - no problems - even more :confused:.

Jack placed under suspension arm and angle altered to normal run position - repeated speed checks no problem - still :confused:.

Back to normal - road tested - no problems. Tried not to cheer as something must have been wrong and may still be lurking.

Anybody else had similar? Opinions/advice please.
 

jonco

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I'm guessing wheel bearing or differential failure.
The grating sound on hand turn was definitely diff end not bearing end. I did think s**t it's the diff - I wonder if Andy's got one :whistle:. I've had the listening stick on the diff and there are no unusual sounds - I've done regular fluid changes on the diff and it has looked good. May drop fluid next and see what it looks like. Problem is it hasn't made a sound under `test conditions' only when driven.
 

D R Oldfield

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I had a Mercedes that did that it was a bearing that had collapsed in the diff with no weight on the back end it would work fine but as soon as the rear wheels on the ground the diff would grind and howl and occasionally lock up I found one bearing had collapsed and it was spinning in the retaining housing , thought you could drive it in reverse
 

jonco

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I had a Mercedes that did that it was a bearing that had collapsed in the diff with no weight on the back end it would work fine but as soon as the rear wheels on the ground the diff would grind and howl and occasionally lock up I found one bearing had collapsed and it was spinning in the retaining housing , thought you could drive it in reverse
Thanks I'll do some checks on that - after crawling round under it yesterday I needed a rest today - too many birthdays for me and the car ;). Car has only done 82k so should have plenty of life left in it.
 

jonco

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Still :confused:. Got ready for further checks today but no noises when moving out of garage so I took car for short run around local lanes - no problems - then gave it bit of a thrashing but still nothing amiss so gave up and did something else.
 

t-tony

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Is it possible that the car picked up a lump of road grit or tar between the end of the inner C/V joint and the diff. Colin. Seeing as the roads have been melting lately.

Tony.
 

jonco

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Is it possible that the car picked up a lump of road grit or tar between the end of the inner C/V joint and the diff. Colin. Seeing as the roads have been melting lately.

Tony.
Thanks that's possible Tony - Had looked/hoped for a foreign body in there, but never saw anything there, not an easy view when it was on stands.
Another thought was that when I ran it at high speed on the stands it broke something up. Will keep testing it on local roads until confident enough to go further - won't be going far today - heavy rain.
 

Ianmc

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You could well have collected some debris. A drive in heavy rain should wash the underside, might just help.:)
 
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