I've started noticing a sound coming from my undercarriage some time ago but I could never ID it. For a time I thought it was the transmition, front wheel bearing, or power steering pump. The other day driving on the high way it seemed to have gotten a little louder. I took the cover off my rear end and let it idle in drive and nothing, put some gas on it and when my posi kicked in thats when it happens the whining starts. I also noticed that when watching the gears that the pinion position changes (in and out) a little. I don't think that's normal. Talked to a couple of friends and one says that it's a wheel bearing, the other says that it's the pinion bearing. My questions are: 1) If it is the pinion bearing how hard is it to change, and how do you take the bearing off the pinion shaft? 2) I know that putting it back together is going to be a little hard but, if not done correctly(to exact tolerances) how long will it last and what other damage could possibly happen? I know taking it to a shop is the best thing to do but, I'm out of the job right now and I cant. So I need to be able to fix it for as little $$$ as possible. Thanks guys.
If you have a pinion bearing going bad chances are the ring and pinion is going to be affected also. I wouldn't drive it until you have it checked out. If the pinion bearing needs to be replaced a driveline shop or dealership is the only place equipt to press the bearing off and the new one on AND reset the pinion depth (VERY IMPORTANT) and the back lash on the ring gear. It either doing it right or sitting in the garage with a dead car. Frank
It might just be the clutch packs sticking together in the posi unit.You can get a lube from gm for that.When the clutch packs start sticking together they make noise... Steve
1 Remove axles, inspect the ends and hope it's a wheel bearing 2 Remove carrier & ring gear as a unit. Keep track of shims. Inspect it's bearings and hope they're the bad ones 3 remove yoke, carefully beat the pinion out with the largest hammer you own. Try not to damage the threads. 4 Inspect/replace pinion bearing. Will likely require a press. But you MAY be able to cut the old one off and hammer the new one on. You'll never hammer one off. Cut & crack or use a press. 5 Reassemble with new crush sleeve. If you don't have an impact wrench that will turn the earth, use a solid spacer. Measure the old crush sleeve and set it up the same height. 6 Verify pattern with yellow GM compound. Sound straightforward? It is. All you gotta do is sweat your balls off and work in uncomfortable positions while covered in gear lube. And you gotta be ready to redo it all based on what the gear compound says. A few R&Ps ago I finally figured out when you pay a shop to setup a gear you're paying for one shot and if it whines tough shit, they expect you to live with it. Hell, even an amateur can do that level of quality. Don't be skeered! good luck
"....I also noticed that when watching the gears that the pinion position changes (in and out) a little. I don't think that's normal....." You might check and make sure the pinion nut is tight before you tear into the rearend. Larry T
Would that noise be a loud whine? Or would it be a chatter? Because I'm getting loud whine. I read on some other forum sites and they are talking about some sort of chatter.
Drive it across the border and lemme look at it, it's what I do.....probably a loose nut or front pinion brg, not rocket science.....
I'm going to start with the easy things first before I start tearing apart my rear (it's my daily driver). So I'm going to the GM dealership tomorrow to get some diff additive in the morning. Shifty, what's the yellow GM compound, and what does it do? Larry T, I was thinking that could be it also. I just don't want to go tightening it down with my impact gun because I'm not sure if it will mess anything up.
if it was the clutch packs they would only chatteron accel and around corners. if the whine is all the time and loads from side to side ( if your driving down the road and start to swerve side to side and the noise changes) than it is either an axle bearing or the carrier bearings. if the whine is under accel take it on the highway get up to speed and then let off the gas and coast for a couple secondsand then lightly tip in to the throttle. if the noise comes back on the tip in than it is the pinion bearings, with that said if it is the pinion bearings i would replaced the carrier bearings to while it is out.
If your willing to look at it I'm willing to drive it. Would it be safe to drive it that far though? I'm kinda worried about driving it after reading some other threads.
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