Funny noise in 4wd

[philfree]

Hi
I have a 2000 gu dx 4.2td ute ive only recently got the car. It drives fine in 2wd i took it to the beach about 3 weeks ago and when driving through the very soft sand sounds like from the rear you will hear a sorta bang sounds similar to a rock being smashed i think when this happnes the whole rear of the car gets unseattled and it surges forward. But being in the soft sand under the tide line i want going to stop to check. i went again last weekend forgot about the noise went for about 2 hours in low range up some tracks was fine then came back though soft sand did it again like last time. ive now had sunrasias fitted and they have for a more woren tyre on one side at the back then the other i tried 4wd on gravel and it makes the noise a fair bit but only surges the car forwards.
Can any one help me im getting worried it might fail on me when i need it to get me out of trouble.
Thank you

[Bigrig]

Sounds like one for Paul, Tony and crew - hang tight mate, someone will be able to offer some suggestions.

[AB]

Hopefully someone can help you out mate. If it's happening in low would it be possible to have someone walk behind you try and identify the clunking area maybe?

[Killametre]

Never had a patrol tranfer case apart but if they use a morse chain in there (and I think they do) it can exhibit that sort of symptom if it is stretched and jumps a tooth, I have seen this in ford/mazda utes and ford explorers that have done a bit od 4WD on hard surfaces or with missmatched tyres. happens worse on turns when driveline winds up

[philfree]

Thanks that fits into what im hearing but still very open into others opinions Also it does it in high and low range.

[boots]

phil you have written worn tyre on one side than the other. how much of a difference is it ?

[philfree]

well i should add that it started when they where all pretty similar i then had the wheels changed and one back is like 30 % other back maybe 60% and it's got worse don't know if the problems getting worse of the wheels have changed things it's also got a different brand on the front and their abour 70 - 80%

[boots]

checked your tailshafts - uni joints and slip joints . how many km's on it ? service history with oil changes ? and a ute - spring leaf or coil ?

[philfree]

its done 290000 i checked unis recently and good look underneath all looked good it dosent have log books but been serviced all the time its leaf rear coil front

[Dozer]

i may have the reason for the sound for you bud. A while back i drove my "old" GQ up to double island for the day, that afternoon we went home through high tide and the first bit of soft sand i hit in H 4wd the truck had this wierd winding up sensation and the followed by a bang that scared the crap outa me. Pulled over and had a look around to find that one of the kids had been screwing with my fron left hub and it was half engaged. I locked the hub up and went for a bit more until the next bit of soft sand and then bang again with that wierd winding up kinda sensation again. Pulled over and she was half out again.

I too thought it was from the rear but ended up being my hub. Strange thing is i got home pulled it appart and no damage was to be found! i cleaned everything back up, re greased and threw it back together only to never have it happen again. Might be worth a look as it sounds exactly like what you have mentioned.

It also didnt do it in Lw4d only in high for some reason.

[my third 256]

too much grease will make the hubs jump out and also make them give a clicking noise

[BillsGU]

Hi Phil. When I have a funny noise in my 4Bee, I just tell her to shut up and hang on !!!!

[MudRunnerTD]

Hi Phil. When I have a funny noise in my 4Bee, I just tell her to shut up and hang on !!!!

Yeah my Nissan sometimes has that too! I wonder if there is a Model that came without that feature??

It even happens in my GQ? but of late it has been coming from the Toyota driver hitching a ride??

[philfree]

hmm thanks for the replys guys i guess my main concern is that it dosen't let me down when im out 4wding like driving in soft sand on the beach under the tide line.

[philfree]

Just a bit of an update ive noticed that its starting to do it in 2wd now under load and over bumps not sure their might be two issues their i had a look underneath and found the mounting bolt for one shockie is bent and loose so that might be my noise over bumps i replaced the transfer case oil today all still looks quite good and am changeing the diffs and gearbox and motor tommorrow so we will see what finds out

[patch697]

Just out of curiosity Phil Next time your out try manually locking in your front hubs rather then leave them in auto & see if you get the noise & get back to us.

[the godfather]

Well I am curious to what it is now. Doing it in 2wd as well threw me completely. I guess the next logical questions is what gear is it doing it in? Is it always in a particular gear or just random. I can't see how a shock absorber would give you a surge. I would think the issue is somewhere in the drive line or gearbox.

[philfree]

Hi it dosen't have auto locking hubs their manual only, and it does it and any of the lower gears altho i think that is because of the torque of the motor stressing this part more i plan on getting the new shocks this morning and swaped out. i think i bent the shocky when i ran over that nicley hidden block of concrete so i will change them and the oils and take it for a drive see what its like.
Thanks for the help guys much appreciated

[Yendor]

I would inspect the engine and gearbox mounts.

[philfree]

Hi yep i checked the engine mounts i put the new shocks in the rear got all the rattles out of it in the back did some more investigating found that the 2wd noise only happnes when the hubs are locked in so went for a drive in 4wd with a mate hanging off of the side of the car ( on closed yard big enough to do a figure 8 in road train) found the front wheels moveing when it makes the noise drained the front diff oil pearfect pulled the free wheeling hub off and it is seriously hard to go between free and lock had a bit of a look and the locking teeth are damaged not badly but damaged and on further comparasion with the other one is only locks in on the last 10mm rotation towards lock wheres the other is about 15 from free so i need new free wheeling hub does any one have suggestions on where to get them from thanks guys

[boots]

Glad to read you have found your problem phil . try ebay , have seen them there . or try your local wrecker . goodluck .

[philfree]

yes i hope so thanks

[philfree]

ok ive had a bit of a look found some new hubs but havent found any genuine hubs is this a big thing or will aftermarket be ok?

[Dozer]

Good to hear ya found it, thought that was it, confused the hell outa me when it happened an everyone I asked thought I was nutts lol. Just go to a wrecker if you cans find em cheap enough. With some new grease and gasket kit you wond have to think about em for a while. Takes a fair bit to damage them.

[philfree]

oh ok i havent found any at my local wreckers yet i look like going south at chrissy might look for them then

[philfree]

oh and thanks for the advise

[patch697]

How far south you going Phil?

[philfree]

um down to maryborough maybe as far as gold coast whys that