SAFARI

REAR AXLE

TROUBLE SHOOTING - AXLE ASSEMBLY

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 car 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

Metallic noise on change of speed or

Worn differential shaft or thrust washers; worn U-joints

direction of power flow

Wheel noise

Wheel loose; faulty or bad wheel bearing

Vibration

Damaged drive shaft, missing drive shaft balance weight,

worn or out-of-balance wheels, loose wheel nuts, worn

U-joints, loose spring U-bolts, loose/broken spring,

damaged axle shaft bearings, loose pinion gear nu’,,

excessive pinion yoke run out, bent axle shaft.

Differential gears scored

Insufficient lubrication, improper grade of lubricant,

lubricant contamination, excessive spinning of wheels.

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 operating, 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 'chatter' noise

The probable cause is incorrect or contaminated lubricant

while cornering

or lack of friction modifier additive in the lubricant.

Worn or damaged plates and discs; plates and discs

improperly assembled.