Differential Assembly: Testing and Inspection
DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - REAR DIFFERENTIAL
GEAR NOISE
Axle gear noise can be caused by insufficient lubricant, incorrect backlash, incorrect pinion depth, tooth contact, worn/damaged gears, or the carrier housing not having the proper offset and squareness.
Gear noise usually happens at a specific speed range. The noise can also occur during a specific type of driving condition. These conditions are acceleration, deceleration, coast, or constant load.
When road testing, first warm-up the axle fluid by driving the vehicle at least 5 miles and then accelerate the vehicle to the speed range where the noise is the greatest. Shift out-of-gear and coast through the peak-noise range. If the noise stops or changes greatly:
- Check for insufficient lubricant.
- Incorrect ring gear backlash.
- Gear damage.
Differential side gears and pinions can be checked by turning the vehicle. They usually do not cause noise during straight-ahead driving when the gears are unloaded. The side gears are loaded during vehicle turns. A worn pinion shaft can also cause a snapping or a knocking noise.
BEARING NOISE
The halfshafts, differential bearings, and pinion bearings can all produce noise when worn or damaged. Bearing noise can be either a whining or a growling sound.
Pinion bearings have a constant-pitch noise. This noise changes only with vehicle speed. Pinion bearing noise will be higher pitched because it rotates at a faster rate. Drive the vehicle and load the differential. If bearing noise occurs, the rear pinion bearing is the source of the noise. If the bearing noise is heard during a coast, the front pinion bearing is the source.
Worn or damaged differential bearings usually produce a low pitch noise. Differential bearing noise is similar to pinion bearing noise. The pitch of differential bearing noise is also constant and varies only with vehicle speed.
Rear wheel hub bearings produce noise and vibration when worn or damaged. The noise generally changes when the bearings are loaded. Road test the vehicle. Turn the vehicle sharply to the left and to the right. This will load the bearings and change the noise level. Where bearing damage is slight, the noise is usually not noticeable at speeds above 30 mph.
LOW SPEED KNOCK
Low speed knock is generally caused by worn universal joints. A worn pinion shaft bore will also cause a low speed knock.
VIBRATION
Vibration at the rear of the vehicle is usually caused by a:
- Damaged propeller shaft.
- Missing propeller shaft balance weight(s).
- Worn or out-of-balance wheels.
- Loose wheel studs.
- Worn U-joint(s).
- Damaged rear wheel hub bearings.
- Loose pinion gear nut.
- Excessive pinion yoke run out.
- Damaged halfshafts.
Check for loose or damaged front-end components or engine/transmission mounts. These components can contribute to what appears to be a rear end vibration. Do not overlook engine accessories, brackets and drive belts.
All driveline components should be examined before starting any repair.
DRIVELINE SNAP
A snap or clunk noise when the vehicle is shifted into gear (or the clutch engaged), can be caused by:
- High engine idle speed.
- Transmission shift operation.
- Loose engine/transmission.
- Worn U-joints.
- Loose pinion gear nut and yoke.
- Excessive ring gear backlash.
- Excessive side gear to case clearance.
- Damaged halfshafts.
The source of a snap or a clunk noise can be determined with the assistance of a helper. Raise and support the vehicle on a hoist with the wheels free to rotate. Instruct the helper to shift the transmission into gear. Listen for the noise, a mechanics stethoscope is helpful in isolating the source of a noise.
