Hurley's Gold

Universal Joints

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  • Bozz10mm

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    Oct 5, 2013
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    Well, it sounds like one of the U joints on my 95 Sonoma is bad. I hear a ticking/clicking noise at low speed that changes with the wheel speed. Probably time with 175k on the vehicle. I have an appointment to take it in this morning to Christian Bros. I thought it might be a simple repair, but looking at it on Gooble, it seems a bit more involved. Apparently the drive shaft is a two piece drive shaft with a support bearing in the middle. U joints are sealed with some sort of nylon sealant that has to be melted out before it can be removed. Will probably need the support bearing replaced too.

    I just spent $2400 on the rear drive axles, wheel bearings and rear brake job in January. This thing is getting expensive to maintain. I figure this is a $400 repair. So, usually I double what I think it's gonna cost and come close to what it actually ends up. It will probably total out to $800 to $1000, LOL.

    After action review to follow.
    DK Firearms
     
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    BeatTheTunaUp

    Fux with the best, Die like the rest
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    Oct 17, 2012
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    Christian Bros are notorious for being expensive. I'm a service manager and quote stuff all day. $2400 seem excessive for the work you had done, but I don't know the details. Check out a Goodyear or Firestone or even a good local shop.
     

    cycleguy2300

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    Mar 19, 2010
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    Well, it sounds like one of the U joints on my 95 Sonoma is bad. I hear a ticking/clicking noise at low speed that changes with the wheel speed. Probably time with 175k on the vehicle. I have an appointment to take it in this morning to Christian Bros. I thought it might be a simple repair, but looking at it on Gooble, it seems a bit more involved. Apparently the drive shaft is a two piece drive shaft with a support bearing in the middle. U joints are sealed with some sort of nylon sealant that has to be melted out before it can be removed. Will probably need the support bearing replaced too.

    I just spent $2400 on the rear drive axles, wheel bearings and rear brake job in January. This thing is getting expensive to maintain. I figure this is a $400 repair. So, usually I double what I think it's gonna cost and come close to what it actually ends up. It will probably total out to $800 to $1000, LOL.

    After action review to follow.
    I'd just buy a complete drive-shaft and be done.

    I can't vouch for this one's quality, but you should be able to get one and swap it out in a few minutes.



    Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk
     

    Bozz10mm

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    I'd just buy a complete drive-shaft and be done.

    I can't vouch for this one's quality, but you should be able to get one and swap it out in a few minutes.



    Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk
    That one won't work on my 2WD. The thought to replace the entire drive shaft had crossed my mind. I was looking at this one


    But not even sure that would fit. On the way to the shop this morning, it started making a loud growling noise around 55 mph. The longer I drove the worse it got. It may not even be u joints. Had the technician take a ride with me so he could hear what's going on. It's on the rack now. He suggested it might be the propeller shaft. The noise is definitely coming from the back end. What are the possibilities? Rear wheel bearings, differential, axle shafts, drive shaft, or U joints. I can't think of anything else back there.

    The noise starts after 2 or 3 miles of driving and continues to grow in intensity. I don't know. Seems to get louder when I let off the gas and then dimishes as I slow.
     

    BeatTheTunaUp

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    Oct 17, 2012
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    ears can be deceiving. Grab the front coil spring and rotate the wheels. See if you feel any "gravel". You'll know it if you feel it.
     

    Bozz10mm

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    ears can be deceiving. Grab the front coil spring and rotate the wheels. See if you feel any "gravel". You'll know it if you feel it.
    All the wheel bearings were supposedly replaced in January, front and rear.
    20210505_092252.jpg
     

    Bozz10mm

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    Well, looks like I'll be selling the Sonoma. The guy says the rear diff had metal shavings in it. All the guts need replacing. Cost? Er, $3700. Perhaps I need a second opinion. I told him to fugetaboutit. No way I'm spending that kind of money on a $2k vehicle. I'm surprised they didn't see that when they replaced the drive axles in January. I've only put about 125 miles on it since then.

    Something stinks to high heaven. I can't help but feel they are being dishonest about something here. I'll be finding a new repair shop for sure.
     

    Axxe55

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    Dec 15, 2019
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    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    Could be the rear end is making the noise you are describing. The metal shaving in the gear oil, sounds like possibly bad wear pattern with ring and pinion gears, and you had the rear axle shafts replaced about 125 miles ago?

    Normally, ring and pinion gear clearances are not disturbed during axle, or axle seal replacement procedures. But if they were, and were not set properly with the correct clearances, and preload, it could cause premature wear of the gears, and cause noise, and metal shavings to appear in the gear oil.

    Get it checked at another shop.
     

    Bozz10mm

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    Could be the rear end is making the noise you are describing. The metal shaving in the gear oil, sounds like possibly bad wear pattern with ring and pinion gears, and you had the rear axle shafts replaced about 125 miles ago?

    Normally, ring and pinion gear clearances are not disturbed during axle, or axle seal replacement procedures. But if they were, and were not set properly with the correct clearances, and preload, it could cause premature wear of the gears, and cause noise, and metal shavings to appear in the gear oil.

    Get it checked at another shop.
    This is one thing I don't understand. Why didn't they say anything about metal shavings in the differential when they had it apart to replace the axle shafts back in January? It is basically making the same noise it was in January, only to a lesser degree. Now I'm wondering if they actually did replace all the stuff they said they did back in January.

    This morning he started rattling off a bunch of stuff that needed replacing. Stuff they replaced in January, 125 miles ago. Axle shafts, rear brake drum, bearings. Like I said, something stinks.
     

    Bozz10mm

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    The original estimate he gave me was $4700!. But when I called him on the parts that they had just replaced, knocked off $1000. AArggh. I wonder how long it will run with a bad differential. Enough to get it back home I hope.
     

    Axxe55

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    This is one thing I don't understand. Why didn't they say anything about metal shavings in the differential when they had it apart to replace the axle shafts back in January? It is basically making the same noise it was in January, only to a lesser degree. Now I'm wondering if they actually did replace all the stuff they said they did back in January.

    This morning he started rattling off a bunch of stuff that needed replacing. Stuff they replaced in January, 125 mile ago. Axle shafts, rear brake drum, bearings. Like I said, something stinks.

    Just a guess on my part. They had just gotten to you for $2400, and possibly knew that pretty soon down the road, they would be able to get more money out of you for additional repairs. Possibly, the lessened noise is the newer and thicker gear oil that was replaced when the axles were removed and replaced.

    An old used car dealer's trick was to use a really, really thick gear oil to cover up a rear-end making noise and on it's last leg!
     

    Axxe55

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    First of all. that sounds like rebuild the rear-end, and if they did replace all the parts you specified back in January, those parts do not need to be replaced. There is nothing wrong with them.

    And $3700 to rebuild the rear-end, much less $4700 is way excessive.
     

    Bozz10mm

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    Just pisses me off. I'm thinking now that It didn't need any of the stuff they did to it January, it was a bad differential all along.
     

    Bozz10mm

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    First of all. that sounds like rebuild the rear-end, and if they did replace all the parts you specified back in January, those parts do not need to be replaced. There is nothing wrong with them.

    And $3700 to rebuild the rear-end, much less $4700 is way excessive.
    Agree with that. I might take it to one of the independents in town for a second opinion. I'm probably still gonna end paying a couple hundred bucks for the tear down labor.
     
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