Diff noise

[RobertoX]

Hey, this is a little OT but my diff/rear axle makes this sort of ticking noise between about 90 and 140kmph (goes away after 140)... it incerases with road speed and doesn't change when I change gear.

I have new axle bearings but the diff bearings are oldish (centre was pulled out of an ra40), it doesn't sound like normal worn bearing noise though.


Any ideas on what it could be?

Cheers
Rob

[EldarO]

My diff whines the tiniest bit, but its so quiet that at 100km/h the whistle from my mirrors drowns it out completely.

my cars done around 158,000k now, so i suppose its getting on in years too...

Eldar.O.

[ViPeR_NiPPleX]

my diff whines most notiably at 80kph in 5th... cant wait to rebuilt it.

[TurboRA28]

I got a F series truetrac and it also does it.. I always thought just poor ring & pinion gear.. Sounds like might need adjusting.

But this is sounding like very few diff shops can adjust correctly? As seems a lot of people here with new centres and incorrect preload.

[71TA22]

I must admit I can hear a bit of a wine from my diff too especially when cruising on smooth tarmac. Whine goes away on acceleration and deceleration.

I guess that having done 280,000km its wear thats contributing. However at this advanced age you would have thought it would complain more on the rough stuff.

[JustCallMeOrlando]

Well this morning I was driving along and it was pissing me off, so I came to work and went looking. This dudes symptoms seem exactly the same as mine to a T, so methinks there could be something to the pinion pre-load being wrong. Gives me hope at least: http://bernardembden.com/xjs/diff/index.htm

[TurboRA28]

Interesting read.. Mine has got around 10x worse/louder since my last track day also.

I was reading a good article on rebuilding toyota diffs, and seems there are 2 adjustments, the positioning of the pinion in relation to the ring gear (I am guessing this is the preload?), and also a backlash adjustment.

When a diff whines, is it always the pinion/ring gear preload, or can it be the backlash adjustment?

[ViPeR_NiPPleX]

are you experiencing backlash aswell as whining? I've been having a good few reads over the tsrm and i'm gonna take a stab at fully rebuilding my diff. The thing is over 20years old, i think it deserves it.

Would be nice however if it were as simple as adjusting pinion bearing preload I'd give it a shot provided you are careful.

[TurboRA28]

Good read the link below.. Not the one I was thinking of cant find that but have it bookmarked on my home PC which i'll post up tonight..

http://members.cox.net/cglabe1/Diff/diff.html

[TurboRA28]

Ahh here it is.. this explains the process to set pinion and backlash etc.

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/gear_setup/

With mine i feel like there is an excessive amount of backlash for a recently rebuilt diff..

[sv_i]

Ive got a Hiace shortened diff in my 1300. Has a 4.5 centre in it (no idea what its out of)

first centre in it was a 4.375, and it made a whining shound all the time. the pitch of the sound changed under acceleration or deceleration etc.

put the 4.5 centre in, same thing, but it sounds like the tailshaft is moving backwards and forwards a little bit as there is a "clunk" noise occasionally and its not the box or anything else.

driving me nuts...

[ViPeR_NiPPleX]

sounds like backlash, mine does the same, just getting frustrating now!

[JustCallMeOrlando]

My diff has SFA backlash. This I know and I remember him being quite anal about making sure it didn't when he set it up. The pinion pre-load seems the likely problem...well, gears aside.

[ViPeR_NiPPleX]

would certainly suck if ur gear set is worn out thats something i'm hoping i wont find

[love ke70]

depending on how many k's the car has done it probably has. i mean we're not talking spring chickens here are we.
my 82 ke70 thats done 415000 has about a 12th of a turn before everything pulls in tight, prob more
id say this is a key reason for whiney diffs, that or a nic on a tooth etc if it isnt being caused by the afore mentioned pinion pre-load