New noise in 4wd....

[Patrol'n]

Yep, that is still the most likely option from cost and simplicity perspective, with a mostly factory setup hopefully I can keep the torque relatively (for an RB30 anyway), low in the rev range, I do love the thought of the big torquey turbo diesel though! At the moment my engine runs exceptionally well, smooth, no oil or coolant usage, no smoke etc, (touch wood), so at the moment I am loathe to do anything to the motor, and from a budget perspective, it's better right now to keep it as is too!


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[dom14]

Yep, that is still the most likely option from cost and simplicity perspective, with a mostly factory setup hopefully I can keep the torque relatively (for an RB30 anyway), low in the rev range, I do love the thought of the big torquey turbo diesel though! At the moment my engine runs exceptionally well, smooth, no oil or coolant usage, no smoke etc, (touch wood), so at the moment I am loathe to do anything to the motor, and from a budget perspective, it's better right now to keep it as is too!

Same here. Mine's still old school NA carby RB30. I'm happy with the reliability and the simplicity of the heavy unit, i can't let it go.
Had quite a few cars over the years, ironically the Patrol which happened to be a rugged 4WD & not about reliability is the most reliable and dependable unit I've had. It's like finding my true love. (touch wood?.......Hmmm.. may be not. )
You gotta make your true love into a wife when you find her, right?!

I was considering an EFI first then turbo conversion, until I've got bitten by the turbo diesel bug.

[Patrol'n]

Alright, so an update on the actual reason for this thread, got the tail shaft back, it needed 5 balancing weights to true it up. The unis were actually fine in the end, a regrease and no problems.

I think that when I noticed it was the first time I've had this truck in 4high at speed when not on a horribly corrugated road, so it's probably been that way since I bought it. Probably just an age thing, sometimes I don't feel as balanced as 20 years ago either, lol.

In any event, it's time for a test run to make sure, but hopefully will be happy days :-)

[Patrol'n]

Same here. Mine's still old school NA carby RB30. I'm happy with the reliability and the simplicity of the heavy unit, i can't let it go.
Had quite a few cars over the years, ironically the Patrol which happened to be a rugged 4WD & not about reliability is the most reliable and dependable unit I've had. It's like finding my true love. (touch wood?.......Hmmm.. may be not. )
You gotta make your true love into a wife when you find her, right?!

I was considering an EFI first then turbo conversion, until I've got bitten by the turbo diesel bug.

So you're not thinking to turbo your RB anymore?

[Patrol'n]

Ok, so now I am getting really really mad, took the truck for a drive in 4 high, hubs unlocked.

Noise is there in all its f#*@$ng glory... I don't know what it is but I know it isn't right...

I am so mad, I hate getting something fixed and not fixing the actual problem I was concerned with in the first place, oh man, I think I am going to drink myself to sleep tonight to avoid doing something stupid.

Fighting the urge to put it on gumtree.... $@%^#%~!

Got a trip coming up and been trying to sort this crap out, I do not want the threat of a trackside failure that could have been prevented in the back of my mind, but there it is 😡😡😡😡

[the evil twin]

Okaaay, thats a bit weird, so just to confirm a few things...

How fast are you going when you can first notice it and when it gets really obvious?

Are you 100% sure it is a new and abnormal noise?

How often prior to noticing the noise had you driven at those speeds with the transfer in 4H or forgotten to lock the hubs?

Petty's are different to Diesels as well... because they run quieter any weird noises are more noticeable

The front drive train isn't exactly silent at high speed IE if you forget to unlock your hubs and hit the bitumen in 2H you will def know about it above 60 to 80 KPH
In my TB42 it was totally obvious by about 70 ish

[the evil twin]

Hubs - can't be hubs, that noise should go away when locked not start and will sound freaking horrible if they are stuffed
Wheel Bearings, Brakes - can't be wheel bearings etc or it would do it all the time
CV's - can't be CV's if the are bad enough to rumble they should nearly leap out of the truck when you turn
Axles - 99% can't be
Bent Diff Housing - possible I spose but a real longshot
Front Diff, Carrier, Pinion etc - possible, I don't know enough about them
Unis - eliminated
Front drive Shaft - eliminated
Transfer case - 99% can't be and you would feel that in your arse rather than from the front

[Patrol'n]

Okaaay, thats a bit weird, so just to confirm a few things...

How fast are you going when you can first notice it and when it gets really obvious?

Are you 100% sure it is a new and abnormal noise?

How often prior to noticing the noise had you driven at those speeds with the transfer in 4H or forgotten to lock the hubs?

Petty's are different to Diesels as well... because they run quieter any weird noises are more noticeable

The front drive train isn't exactly silent at high speed IE if you forget to unlock your hubs and hit the bitumen in 2H you will def know about it above 60 to 80 KPH
In my TB42 it was totally obvious by about 70 ish

I can hear it very mildly at low speed, even turning at low speed there is just a hint of it occasionally, definitely starts getting noticeable by 40, and by 60 I don't feel like it's doing anything good mechanically.

I am fairly sure it's a new noise, it definitely doesn't sound like anything I've heard before, can't place what it is.

I have driven it plenty of times in 4 high at speed, but usually always on sand or corrugations, so maybe I didn't hear it, but it still sounds different.

I once drove back from a run at the powerlines track and did a bit of highway speed with hubs locked in 2wd, took me a minute to work out what the noise was, but that was definitely different to this.

It happens with or without the hubs locked when the lever is in 4 high, but it didn't make the noise with the driveshaft removed and the lever in 4 high so couldn't be transfer case could it?

[Patrol'n]

In addition, there is no longer any vibration to be felt when driving in 2wd or 4 high, so I'm guessing that the vibration and noise were 2 separate issues, the vibration must have been the very out of balance front shaft, the noise must be something else, although I can't figure out what.

Gotta love this sort of thing...

[the evil twin]

In addition, there is no longer any vibration to be felt when driving in 2wd or 4 high, so I'm guessing that the vibration and noise were 2 separate issues, the vibration must have been the very out of balance front shaft, the noise must be something else, although I can't figure out what.

Gotta love this sort of thing...

OK, so progress is being made at least...

I am going to call it as the front diff pinion bearings
There is a reasonable chance that as the shaft was that far out of balance it has promoted wear in the bearings
Shouldn't be the thrust bearings but that is a chance as well spose

Any of you lurkers watching this thread know more than E.T. about front diffs (that wouldn't be hard) ?