CONDITION
|
POSSIBLE CAUSES
|
Noise in all driving
modes
|
Road
and tires, wheel
bearings
|
Noise changes with type
of road surface
|
Road and tires
|
Noise tone lowers with
vehicle speed
|
Tires
|
Noise louder on turns
|
Differential pinion and
side gears, axle wheel bearings
|
Noise in one or more
driving modes
|
Ring and pinion gears
|
Clunk on change of
speed or direction of power flow
|
Worn differential shaft
or thrust washers; worn U-joints
|
Wheel noise
|
Wheel loose, faulty or
bad wheel bearing
|
Vibration
|
Damaged
drive shaft,
missing drive shaft balance weight, worn or out-of-balance tires, loose
wheel lug nuts, worn U-joints, loose spring U-bolts, loose/broken
spring, damaged axle shaft bearings, loose pinion gear nut, excessive
pinion yoke run-out, bent axle shaft
|
Differential gears
scored
|
Insufficient
lubrication, improper grade of lubricant, lubricant contamination,
excessive spinning of tires
|
Loss of lubricant
|
Lubricant
level too
high, worn axle shaft seals, cracked differential housing, worn drive
pinion gear shaft seal, scored and worn yoke, axle cover not properly
sealed, plugged vent or vent tube
|
Axle overheating
|
Lubricant
level too
low, incorrect grade of lubricant, contaminated lubricant, bearing
preload too high, excessive gear wear, insufficient ring gear backlash
|
Gear teeth broken
|
Overloading,
erratic
clutch operation, wheel spinning, improper adjustment
|
Axle gear noise
|
Insufficient
lubricant,
incorrect backlash, improper tooth contact, worn/damaged gears
|
Axle noise
|
Insufficient
lubricant,
improper ring gear and drive pinion gear adjustment, unmatched ring
gear and drive pinion gear, worn teeth on ring gear or drive pinion
gear, loose drive pinion gear shaft bearings, loose differential
bearings, misaligned ring and pinion gear, loose differential bearing
cap screws, worn bearings
|
Limited slip
differential
|
The
most common problem
is a "chatter" noise when turning corners. The probable cause is
incorrect or contaminated lubricant or lack of friction modifier
additive in the lubricant, worn or damaged plates and discs, plates and
discs improperly assembled
|
