Please help me diagnose a noise.

I just swapped in an XJ 44 and now i have this metal on metal rubbing noise. i put the rear tires up and spun them freely. it only makes the noise for about 3 inches every revolution. It is hard to tell exactly where it is coming from but the noise is present when i did this to each tire. Also, i believe the diff is open(as i spun one tire, the opposite rotated backwards) the drums are cold as ice after a test drive although when i had them turned i was told one was slightly bent. any help or experience with this would be appreciated.

SUA SPONTE said:

when i had them turned i was told one was slightly bent. any help or experience with this would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

you answered your own question. you have a bent or out of round drum, buy some new drums and it will go away.

yeah thats what i thought too, but wouldnt that make the drum thats bent heat up from the friction?

That drum would be hot as hell if it's bent. Is it coming from both sides?

yes it is. I turn each tire a rotation and for about 3 or 4 inches every rotation i hear "contact" sounds like its in the axle, not the drums.

Ok, seems like there is a little uncertainty. Jack the jeep and put it on stands. Take the drums off. It's easy. Put wheel back on and turn. Does sound go away? Don't try putting on the brakes with the drums off...Ha! While the drums are off look at the metal backing plate. Maybe it's hitting the drum somewhere. Any shiny spots?

If there's still sound then unless the wheel is hitting the body somewhere, it's in the axle or drive train. My approach would be to pull the drive shaft, listen, then the diff cover and inspect, then pull the axles and inspect. There will be metal shavings if the axle makes noise.

Maybe someone with more experience can guess the source. I don't have a lot so I'd just disassemble until the problem is determined...

update:
i did like you said (mhead), and i have the same symptoms. Forgot to mention earlier that at speed(45mph plus) i get this whine, or humm. kinda high pitched. the hum was present on both test drives with the drums on and also with the drums off. I have never seen/replaced/ or delt with wheel bearings but i am just stabbing in the dark. at least i know its not the drums.

bump...anyone know anything about wheel bearings and what it sounds like when they are shot?

I hope you didn't drive with the drums off! I can't think of a way to stop in this condition...

Bearings in general make squeals. You are lucky that you can hear a noise when simply turning the wheel since this will make finding it easier.

There are bearings at the end of each axle in the D44, bearings or either side of the carrier inside the diff, and bearings at each end of the pinion shaft. I'm guessing that you can't clearly determine which location the noise comes from so you'll just have to try things.

Noise could be in the drive shaft so be sure you've removed it and still hear the noise.

Next most easy thing is the axle shafts to the wheels. In my D44 these are secured by bolts that hold the brake plates on. Once these bolts are removed the axles pull (or slide hammer) out. There's no clips. I think you have to drain the oil in the diff but I don't know for sure. Pull an axle then turn the yoke. Noise still there? Pull the other axle, noise still there? I hope that one or the other axle is your problem since things get more difficult if the noise is still deeper in the diff.

If the noise doesn't go with the axles, then it's time to pull the carrier. This is not trivial. You might give up at this point and go to a shop. Might as well have a locker or a limited slip tossed in when they disassemble. But if you want to struggle on, hunt this site under my name, mhead, there's a D44 thread that tells of rebuilding. There are other threads that mention D44 as well.

Basically, the carrier is in there tight. It's hard to get it out, it's hard to get it back in. If the carrier bearings or pinion bearings are shot it's hard to get them off and back on, then there's an adjustment that's hard. I had to buy a 20 ton press and build a case spreader to do the work. No problem since I rebuilt the D44 before swapping it under so I had plenty of time. And it took plenty of time.

Maybe you'll get lucky and it's just an axle bearing.

I have found that most axle bearings will give you a clunk or growl if bad during a road test. I would look at backing plate interfearance or internal differential problems. Definitely pull the drive shaft and verify that the noise is still there without it first, though.

--Shorty