Need some diagnostic assistance

[OT-OF-Here]

I have an 04.5 CTD. I've had a problem for a few months with the front end. If I pull up to a stop and then turn left or if I can roll through a 4-way and turn left at a slow speed then there is a sound that closely mimics that of driving on a cobblestone street,.. not quite that rough but close. If you are going straight or turning right then there is NO such sound and you also feel a tightness and slight vibration in the steering on those left turns.

What I did was I had the front U-joints on both front wheels replaced and both hubs w/bearings were replaced,.... I still have the problem!!!! As a matter of fact it is NOW worse! Now you can be driving on an "S" - like road and up to 40mph then I'm getting the sound. This is starting to get scary. If it is the hub that is bad (the new one) then if that hub would lock I'd be on my head.

It seems to me that since I just had two things done (the hubs/bearings & the U-joints that if the symptoms changed,.. then one of those two MUST be the problem. Right? My local shop is thinking it is in the spider gears. The dealer doesn't know but is resistant to put in another hub.

I looked at a pic of the hub setup on our trucks. Disgusting!!! You have two large bearings facing one another with what looks like little to NO space between them. The cage on the bearings is plastic!! Plastic! Duh! What do you suppose happens to plastic if it gets hot? These hubs come assembled so the mechanic doesn't set the preload which I suspect is the original problem. I don't get it that they'd build such cr.p!!

The only solution other than shelling out for more of their cr.p is a set of dynatrack hubs. I'd love to have them but it's probably close to $2k for the set installed.

Anyone encounter such a problem or have any suggestions would be really appreciated.

Tks

 

[greengoat]

Pat,
Take the diff cover off and check the ring and pinion mesh on the left axle. I don't think it is an outboard problem...how is the rest of the front suspension... When my ball joints wore out on the left side last time there was so much slop at low speed on the left turns that it felt like it was in 4wd. ...is the 4wd workin ok...how is it when in 4wd on loose stuff....4wd launches are hard on the drive line....what about the front shaft itself......it is on the left side and if the ujoints and centering ball are shot it will bind up...when you go left there is more resistance on the drive shaft which is spinning on those turns... and it can get rough....If you have a good driveline shop....they could probably shake it out in a couple drives....let me know....Kerry

 

[OT-OF-Here]

Kerry,

Tks for cking this out for me. The front end is rock solid. This truck has been locked in maybe 4 or 5 times in it's life!! Everything is tight as.....

My local guy is connected with the Big Foot people and they're are going to ck it out for me.

I didn't ck the front shaft U-joints. Didn't think of that one.

One thing I did ck and was a surprise is that I thought with the body roll of loading the weight to the right on a left turn that maybe the body insulators might be loose,.. ran into that years ago. 5 or 6 wer loose!!! I didn't ck it but they must be in the 100lb range for tq and I would go almost a full turn on all but one,.. IMO that's too loose. I told this to sootman and he said it helped him out on one he was looking at and they were loose too!!! Something to be checked for sure.

It's going to be interesting to see what this actually is.

Tks,
Pat

 

[OT-OF-Here]

Front shaft

Check the front driveshaft.

We will,.. tks. It was replaced at 7k miles due to the dreaded 2k rpm vibration, but it ended up NOT being the problem. In my truck that vibration was caused by the transfercase, fyi. Tks for your input.

 

[OT-OF-Here]

hmmm!

More specific check the Cartigan joint on the front driveshaft.

Haven't heard of that one. Is it the same as the U-joint? Is it the front one or the rear one if it is? They are suppose to be cking the U-joints.

 

[OT-OF-Here]

Just looked it up on Google

More specific check the Cartigan joint on the front driveshaft.

Actually it is the cardan joint. And yes I'll have them ck it out. Tks

 

[OT-OF-Here]

Close enough!

Cardan, I was close.

You sure were. Close enough I was able to find it and see exactly what it is. Tks.

 

[OT-OF-Here]

It was the Hubs!!

I suspected the new hubs from DCX were bad,.. and they were!! We put on the Dynatrack and even when locked in then NO more cobblestone affect and just smooth. It will probably take awhile for payback for the cost of the Dynatrack but everyone says I'll see 4mph at least difference. I'd swear that you can feel the truck rolling more freely,.. but I'll let the mpgs speak for the truth of the matter. Anyway,.. problem solved. Tks for the input from those who gave it.