slop in drive train

[zblu]

Have a potential problem, when car is engaged in forward, moved forward a few feet, stopped, then reversed, a click kind of sound like a loose spoke/worn uni etc is heard from rear, same if going the other way. this also is apparent when driving with power on and then backing off on power then re applying power! Have only done about 2k miles since refurb of uni's, etc, have had backlash in diff crown and pinion checked its ok, have new axle shafts made etc. any ideas?

 

[Keoke]

Really do not know Zblu, but you might check the condition of the rear spines.Had new axel shafts made I wonder about them a bit---Fwiw---Keoke??

 

[stevebn2bj7]

Had a similar situation recently. After driving for about 2k miles the nuts that hold the rear knock on hubs suddenly all loosened. Fortunately I cought it before a wheel flew off. Tightened them and used Loctite this time. That may be something to check.

 

[John Loftus]

Something to check (start with the easy stuff!) is the routing on the emergency brake cable. Could be clicking on the drive shaft. If you can get the car up on a garage lift and run it in gear you may be able to pinpoint the source of the noise better.

Cheers,
John

 

[tahoe healey]

Yea, check the boot for loose junk (tools) first. Don't ask how I learned this and how long it took.

 

[Dave Russell]

One of the more common things is loose/worn splines on the hubs, wheels. Jack up a wheel & check free rotation of the wheel. with the parking brake on, the outer circumference of the tire should rotate no more than 1/8". New splines would show 1/16" maximum. 1/8" would show slight wear. If it is more than this, the problem will progress to stripped splines. I have known folks to put beer can shims, about .004" thick in the splines to get by for a while, but it doesn't last very long.

As steve said, obviously, loose hub nuts would cause this problem & much worse. Check the nut torque for 55 ft/lb. The nuts are supposed to be self locking, but this feature wears out with repeated removal. Many folks use Loctite on the nuts for added insurance.

Ring & pinion backlash should be no more than 1/16". There should be NO detectable backlash in the U joints.

I would suspect the hub/wheel splines first.
D

 

[zblu]

crown wheel pinion have been checked out and all ok there, sound wasnt there in the first thousand miles of running in so methinks something has/is loosened up,will check knock on adaptors tho, have thought of loose tools as source of noise, not that tho, and noise is not continous, only heard when power applied then backed off, or when moving from forward motion to reverse motion or vice versa even 6' forward then stop then into reverse and sound happens just prior to car moving

 

[bighly]

[ QUOTE ]
Something to check (start with the easy stuff!) is the routing on the emergency brake cable. Could be clicking on the drive shaft. Cheers,
John

[/ QUOTE ]

John. Absolutly. I had one hit the drive shaft right at the spicer. What an incredibly horrifing noise! Echoed through out the cockpit. Like giant playing cards in spokes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[Darwin]

This sounds very much like a problem with the U-joints. If
this is the case be sure to mark how the shaft comes out so you don't have a vibration issue when you re-install it.