Busted transfer case or ds? Video attached

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wiredinoc

New member
So My 15 JKUR recently started making a chugga chugga noise in the drivetrain. This has been a bitch to track down. Inspecting, I found the front DS seal finally gave way after 41k miles. I pulled it off to troubleshoot and will replace. Noise is still there. The rear DS seal is still intact, so I suspected the rear wheel bearings after feeling movement on one side. Replaced the stocks with new, pressed 10 factory axle shafts. Been meaning to upgrade those for awhile. Noise is still there. Checked for movement on the pinion in case the bearings failed. Zero movements. Opened the diff, all looks well.

So now it's down to the rear DS. The noise is only evident during deceleration around 17 mph. Put the trans into N, still there. Present on braking, and e-braking. Put the transfer case into N AND IT STOPS.

This exercise is starting to get expensive. Pulled out the gopro and made the following video.

Please share your thoughts on what this may be. I'm suspecting the DS, but I can't track the damn noise down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=183&v=oA9z8BMjIOY
 
WJCO

WJCO

Meme King
If you're willing to spend some money on a chassis ear kit, I bet you'd find it pretty quickly. If you have a friend or spouse you trust, you could always put the vehicle on jackstands and have someone drive the Jeep while you try to listen underneath. Noises like that are tricky.
 
fiend

fiend

Caught the Bug
When you say the noise stops with the transfer case in neutral, you mean while coasting?

I’m thinking it’s the rear driveshaft or maybe a bearing in the TC. I would try to swap drive shafts and see what happens. If the sound is gone, that suggests a bad rear DS. Lots of people have take offs lying around and maybe you can borrow one.

Alternatively, take out the rear DS and drive around in front wheel drive. If the sound is gone, that suggests a bad rear DS.


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W

wiredinoc

New member
Thanks for the quick reply. The noise is aparant when the driveline is in gear and coasting (loaded). Putting the trans into N, noise persists. transfer case in N and it stops.

I did run the jeep on jacks and the only noise I could find was something that sounds like a marble dropping where the CV meets the TC.

What's wierd, in the video I have 2 cam locations. It seems to be louder towards the diff. But the noise doesn't seem sysnonmous with a diff noise.

I'm stumped
 
Snboarder113

Snboarder113

Hooked
If it was a bearing I think it would be more consistent noise, it sounds like its only making the noise on one spot in the rotation, generally bearings will scream all the way around not just one spot. my bet is DS, know anyone that will let you borrow their driveshaft for an hour? haha
 
W

wiredinoc

New member
I have 5 neighbors with lifted jeeps, but that's kind of a tough ask :) Although maybe not considering Jeeps are complete pieces of engineering shit. Anyways, drained the TC fluid tonight, clear of debris. Looked in both holes with a scope and nothing wierd. It's gotta be the DS. Ordering front and rear from Tom's on Monday.

You know that saying - the 3 F's, rent it? Ready to add a J in there.

Cheers - thanks for the help.
 
A.J.

A.J.

Active Member
wiredinoc said:
I have 5 neighbors with lifted jeeps, but that's kind of a tough ask :) Although maybe not considering Jeeps are complete pieces of engineering shit. Anyways, drained the TC fluid tonight, clear of debris. Looked in both holes with a scope and nothing wierd. It's gotta be the DS. Ordering front and rear from Tom's on Monday.

You know that saying - the 3 F's, rent it? Ready to add a J in there.

Cheers - thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

Noises like that travel up the driveshaft making them hard to pinpoint. I had a similar noise recently and was convinced it was the transfer case but turned out to be a carrier bearing in the diff. Mine was on acceleration. Yours sounds more like a pinion bearing as it is on deceleration/coasting.


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dillard09

dillard09

New member
I'm with Greer (fiend) if you suspect it could be the rear driveshaft then just pull it and drive in front wheel drive to see if the sound goes away. Dont cost anything just a bit of time.
 
W

wiredinoc

New member
problem with pulling the DS is that if it is a pinion bearing, it likely won't make noise since it's not loaded.

If you look at the last half of the video, there is zero movement on the pinion during accel or decel. I also tried to wiggle it around and there is no play. Everything I've read about pinion bearing failures, there is typically movement and it's somewhat easily identified.

So tom woods sucks? I've heard the same about adams. Just comes down to the ujoint type?

Thanks again for all the help!
 
fiend

fiend

Caught the Bug
wiredinoc said:
problem with pulling the DS is that if it is a pinion bearing, it likely won't make noise since it's not loaded.

If you look at the last half of the video, there is zero movement on the pinion during accel or decel. I also tried to wiggle it around and there is no play. Everything I've read about pinion bearing failures, there is typically movement and it's somewhat easily identified.

So tom woods sucks? I've heard the same about adams. Just comes down to the ujoint type?

Thanks again for all the help!
Click to expand...

Your comments suggest it’s not the pinion bearing. Hence the suggestions for detecting a bad DS.


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