Ryan Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Many moons ago (well it feels like it) I posted about rear dislocation cones on my Discovery. As mentioned on that post, I have been experiencing a clunking coming from the rear end. It only happens on pulling away in a forward-type motion. It has been suggested by some learned friends that it could be that the transfer box input gear is worn and therefore a bit slack (I still haven't managed to get under the vehicle to check this yet). However, I was thinking out loud the other day (and getting strange looks ) - could it be the A-frame ball joint? My reasoning is thus: before fitting the dislocation cones, I had removed the anti-roll bars. This obviously made the axle articulate more than it used to, hence the need for the cones. Could it be that now the axle is articulating more, the ball joint has now gone past a point it had never gone before and therefore become worn? Is this easily checkable? More importantly, if it does turn out to be the ball joint, is it easily replaceable? Edited to add: today it was also clunking as I went over a speed bump (slowly I might add). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintman Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Use a lever between the mounting point on the axle & the ball joint carrier. Should be little or no movement. Usually when they clunk there's lots. Carrier needs to be removed from the vehicle & you would be well advised (having done one on my RRC which came out with a LOT of hammering & pulled the new one in with threaded rod & nuts) to nip it down to the local garage/engineering works & get them to press the old one out & the new one in. They are VERY VERY tight & need to be lined up for the retaining bolts. You cannot 'just twist it a bit' if the bolt holes don't line up. If you do a search I think you will find posts on this subject! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted November 30, 2007 Author Share Posted November 30, 2007 Use a lever between the mounting point on the axle & the ball joint carrier. Should be little or no movement. Usually when they clunk there's lots.Carrier needs to be removed from the vehicle & you would be well advised (having done one on my RRC which came out with a LOT of hammering & pulled the new one in with threaded rod & nuts) to nip it down to the local garage/engineering works & get them to press the old one out & the new one in. They are VERY VERY tight & need to be lined up for the retaining bolts. You cannot 'just twist it a bit' if the bolt holes don't line up. If you do a search I think you will find posts on this subject! Do you mean just the bit at the apex of the a-frame with the two long bolts, or the whole a-frame? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 Roight then...I've checked the a-frame joint by sticking my breaker bar between the axle and the a-frame and giving it a wiggle. No discernable movement. There was a very small amount of movement in the bushes at the other end of the a-frame. Likewise, the same amount at the axle end of the lower link. The only joint I haven't been able to check was the chassis mount of the lower link. Should there be some 'give' in the rubber as described? Whilst under there, I gave the rear propshaft a good twist and shake. I was getting about 10 mm of circular movement on the flange at the diff end. Also checked the rubber coupling - the only movement was for and aft, about 5 mm - is this normal? Is there anything else I can check before I start replacing bushes one at a time to track down the clunk? Does anyone think I should remove the dislocation cones and see if that makes a difference? (Please don't say yes, they were a right b****er to get in ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moose Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 Is there anything else I can check before I start replacing bushes one at a time to track down the clunk? Does anyone think I should remove the dislocation cones and see if that makes a difference? (Please don't say yes, they were a right b****er to get in ) I don't think that dislocation cones will be making the noise cos the spring will be fully located in normal driving. have you checked the diff? as when they are on there last legs they can make a clunk as you take up drive forward/backward.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 I don't think that dislocation cones will be making the noise cos the spring will be fully located in normal driving.have you checked the diff? as when they are on there last legs they can make a clunk as you take up drive forward/backward.. It is only clunking (at the moment) when I go forwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintman Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 To do the A frame joint you only need to remove the bit it sits in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Tried this? Crack noise from back of car... I have a similar noise...still getting round to investigating the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 Tried this? Crack noise from back of car...I have a similar noise...still getting round to investigating the above. WTF? A pinion-what? Am I going to have to take everything apart to get to that - whatever it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Depends what you're doing, if you're just tightening/loctiting the pinion flange to the shaft then you can do it in-situ, all you need is an effin' big breaker bar and (IIRC) a 32mm socket. A new pinion oil seal would probably be a worthwhile investment while you've got it apart. If you need a hand I'm happy to help - I have a breaker bar and the relevant socket, not to mention a good supply of colourful language Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 Depends what you're doing, if you're just tightening/loctiting the pinion flange to the shaft then you can do it in-situ, all you need is an effin' big breaker bar and (IIRC) a 32mm socket. A new pinion oil seal would probably be a worthwhile investment while you've got it apart.If you need a hand I'm happy to help - I have a breaker bar and the relevant socket, not to mention a good supply of colourful language Nice, but (mechanical numpty here ) what is a pinion shaft and/or flange. Mr Haynes doesn't mention it - is that because it comes under the "we don't have enough spanners to rate this" category? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Attryde Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 This shameles plug of my thread in the tech archive might help. Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 This shameles plug of my thread in the tech archive might help.Pete. So, is the pinion shaft the thingy you had to use your home-made puller for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 I have a collection of pullers (and hammers) too if you need Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 I have a collection of pullers (and hammers) too if you need JU, you know you are a gentleman and a scholar, despite what everyone else says Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Attryde Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 In the first picture of the thread, the bit with three holes(although if you don't have a rotoflex coupling it will have four smaller holes) in is the diff pinion flange and is the bit that needs removing to put loctite on to the splines of the diff pinion shaft before you reassemble it. Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 In the first picture of the thread, the bit with three holes(although if you don't have a rotoflex coupling it will have four smaller holes) in is the diff pinion flange and is the bit that needs removing to put loctite on to the splines of the diff pinion shaft before you reassemble it.Pete. Ah! Enlightenment. Thanks Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul64 Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 I had a similar noise with my 110. I had it investigated and the half shafts were changed. However, the clunking noise was still there. It turned out to be the handbrake. I stopped using the handbrake for a couple of days, just leaving it in gear when parked and the noise went away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 I had a similar noise with my 110. I had it investigated and the half shafts were changed. However, the clunking noise was still there. It turned out to be the handbrake. I stopped using the handbrake for a couple of days, just leaving it in gear when parked and the noise went away. Never thought of that...I'll give that a go as that's an easy thing to check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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