When is the sound?, constant, more on acceleration, de-acceleration, cornering, etc

The sound level goes down when I brake.
The sound follows the speed of the roadwheels, not the driveshaft..

Thanks guys, RR, Robert, Mike everyone,
Glad to learn about the possibilities, I hadn't thought about a wheel bearing.

THE SOUNDS:

I recall the sound is there in both accel and decel. It's pretty loud when I'm just cruising along, constant throttle, on the highway.

Like I said above, the frequency tracks the wheel speed, not the driveshaft speed - it doesn't vary with gear shifts.

I recall very clearly that I could make the sound go way down when braking - not trailing throttle, but actually braking.

I do think the sound changes in cornering - making right turns, but not left turns. I'll double check this. I have to go get it out of storage today, so I'll pay close attention when I drive the 10 mile trip.

I'll start checking the suggestions you offer and read the FSM, I'll post back here when I can.
Thanks again, cheers,
- Art

Sounds like the wheel bearings , stop driving it till you get it figured out , the bearings may already be damaged though.

Do yourself a favor and put the stock style tapered bearings back in it , it's a little more work , and money , but worth it in the long run.

Sounds like the wheel bearings , stop driving it till you get it figured out , the bearings may already be damaged though.

Do yourself a favor and put the stock style tapered bearings back in it , it's a little more work , and money , but worth it in the long run.

If it's the wheel bearings, I'd be more inclined to go with Green Bearings, from Dr Diff, eliminate all the factory tapered/adjuster crap, yes crap...the only time I see an issue with Green Bearings, it's an installation error on the installers behalf

mike

Thanks guys,
I surfed around YouTube to get a feel for what's involved at the axles and bearing(s).

The diff case is 742.

Before I read your suggestion NOT to drive the car, I went and drove the Satellite home and observed the following during the drive;
- The exhaust is too loud to hear much from the rear until I'm going 65mph, and the "RRR" sound is clear.
- The sound changes a little in corners, but doesn't go away.
- The sounds vanishes almost completely when braking.
- At low speeds the sound can be heard just a bit, and it seems to go away taking right turns, but not left turns. Hard to tell for sure though.
- The temperature of the wheel hub on the driver's side is warmer than the passenger side. I'll check brake shoe advance mechanism on the passenger side.

I loosened the lug nuts but kept the tires on, and jacked the rear up off the ground. The lugs are tight enough that the rim isn't loose:
- There is some "play" in the rear wheels, it is about equal on both sides and I detail it as follows:
- I grab the tire tread top and bottom and did Push/Pull get about 1/8" of play.
- With the same grip on the tire treads, I tilted it up, Tilt it down, Tilt it towards the front, and towards the rear. Each side had some play in most directions - enough to make a tiny "clunk" sound when wrestling the tire with my hands.
- Rotationally I get 1" of play before the driveshaft or opposite wheel moves.

The play is enough that if this was my front, I'd be tightening the wheel bearing end-play nut.
I WILL CHECK the level of oil in the case, somehow it "sounds dry" in there. Can't explain why, it just seems harsh, not dampened.

After that, I'll take the wheels off and get a look at the play of the shaft at the bearing plate area. So that might reveal something.

If nothing shows up clear, I'll run the engine in D and listen for the problem.

So far haven't messed with the driveshaft U-joint.

I'll come back here in a few.
- Art

if you need to for whatever reason be sure to wrap the splines in past the seal with some brown grocery sack paper BEFORE you pull the splines out past the seal. Holler if needed

I'm not clear on this Robert. Are you suggesting pushing paper through the seal before sliding the splined portion of the axle out?

Yes , but if the seals are original it doesn't matter because they should be replaced.

I consider this whole thing about the axle splines cutting the seal lip to be an urban myth....oft repeated.

It's the axle bearings , an 1/8" is .125 , axle endplay is about .012 MAX ...

Hitting the brakes is centering the bearing, the fact that you can move it in all directions tell me it's too loose.

A7 is the number for the bearing Kit , you need 2 , there is also 2 seals , one in the axle tube , the other in the axle retaining plate.

If you go with Greens buy them from Dr. Diff , and buy 2 sets so you have them on hand when you have to replace them again ...

Did you have the axles out to redo the backing plates during the resto ?

"RRRRRRRRRRR"

Talk like a Pirate day?


*Sorry, just had to

Thanks for chiming in on my rear wheel bearings. I'm intending to go with the OEM tapered bearings.

skicker - I looked at that option, thanks, that is a pretty good idea. I've got the time and I like my machine shop, so I'm good with the bearings.

I read through the FSM and wanted to ask in plain words; how hard is it for a rookie like me to do the final adjusting of a tapered bearing setup? I appears pretty simple, step by step, install the one side first, then turn the adjuster down to the right tolerance on the other side, set the "notch" on the adjuster and all done.

I don't have a feeler gauge that will allow me to measure the final end play (0.012), but I've never used one on my front bearings either which I've adjusted a couple times without any drama or failure. My hunch is I can adjust the rears the same way - by feel.

How badly can I [censored] it up by doing this all by feel?

I'm searching Youtube for tutorials, no matches so far. Found a few that cover the bearing replacement, but not the final adjust.

Thanks,
- Art

PS - as an experiment I tried loosening the adjuster ring but I haven't been able to budge it with a blunt punch and hammer.

OK - thanks a bunch all of you - super helpful pictures,

That "lock" is completely missing from my passenger side flange. All the flange bolts are off and they had nothing but lockwashers under them. No lock with the tip that grabs the adjuster ring.

As for the adjuster ring - I've hammered on it pretty hard but not damaged or deformed it. I'll use PB Blaster in the morning, some blow torch heat and try again, thanks.

Someone must have been into these bearings before me, there are no gaskets behind the "flange plate", just silicon sealant gooped in there...

.... and I am starting to think the adjuster ring was never tightened properly and/or it backed off because the lock is missing.. which can give me loose bearings and all the symptoms I've experienced.

I'll get my hands on one of those locks from a salvage yard, try getting it apart and update again.
Thanks guys,
- Art

You took the nuts off right ?

sorry ...

Next up I'm going to wrap a heavy chain around the axle flange and get a heavier slide hammer.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone used JB weld on the $&$#^* outer bearing race on the Pass side.

I'm trying to upload pics to show ya, I'll keep trying.
- Art

Art, the bolt and nut spreading idea will not work since you are pressing at the area where you also want to be removed (the axle flange).
Seeing what you have there now in the pic do you have access to two of the screw type jacks used on the newer cars?
I'd put one each behind the backing plate front and rear against the leaf spring and press it out that way.
If you have on old wheel laying around maybe bolt it to the axle and press on the back of the old wheel from the leaf springs.
Check your P/M...

Mid-morning update -

I backed the adjuster ring off, and the closure plate is nice and loose.
I realized I could get a better look if I adjusted the ring ALL the way off.. so far off that the 'closure plate' is completely loose and rests out-of-the-way on the axle flange..

All I see behind it is... rust.. and a few pieces of the old white foam gasket...
The back of the closure plate is also rusty.

I found my old steel rim and am trying to rig something up with scissor jacks.
- Art

Mid-morning update -

I backed the adjuster ring off, and the closure plate is nice and loose.
I realized I could get a better look if I adjusted the ring ALL the way off.. so far off that the 'closure plate' is completely loose and rests out-of-the-way on the axle flange..

All I see behind it is... rust.. and a few pieces of the old white foam gasket...
The back of the closure plate is also rusty.

I found my old steel rim and am trying to rig something up with scissor jacks.
- Art

Art, it is Murphys Law & it WILL pass & we're behind you all the way (shouting encouragement & hollering at you to pull harder)

I'm thinking I could swap my 742 into whatever 8-3/4 I get. Any thoughts?

... its gonna be enlightening to find out what was binding things up inside

The point your at I would think the housing end is probably damaged possibly beyond being able to be reused. Cut the end off the axle and save the backing plate and hardware then cut the housing so the axle will come out to get the pig out. Another 65 housing and a pair of axles...assemble and you should be good to go...

If it was me I would cut your housing right behind the backing plate where the tube ends to get the axle out and maybe someone else could then use it for a narrowed rear...

Art if you are going to get another housing just sawzall the axle tube around the axle and it will come out of the center section.
Or you could cut the axle end off say 3/4 inch behind the flange and have a new end welded to your current housing , that will save the housing and save the axle .

I haven't seen pictures ... haven't checked this thread at home but your expanding bolts comment scare me , where was the adjuster plate during this ??? hopefully against the back of the axle flange?

Time for a cutting torch and burn the bearing out ... but you need to get the oil out of the center ...

I think it's time for John to take a ride out there!

Are you offering to drive Steve

You might be better off just starting with another housing?
It wouldn't be a bad idea to get it with the axles...

Art the steel shim goes between the backing plate and the axle flange and the foam gasket goes between the backing plate and the bearing retainer with stock bearings.

SUCCESS! The whole darn job got finished up today. might just need to install some oil pan baffles to prevent starvation when cornering.