Car diagnosis time!

[chucK]

I have a 4WD truck, standard transmission.

 

This morning it started making a rhytmic clacking/thunking noise. AFAICT sounds like from the vicinity of the right-front wheel.

 

Does not make the noise when stopped and gunning the engine.

 

When rolling and noise going, noise does not stop when I put it in neutral and coast.

 

Tapping the brakes DOES seem to interrupt it, sometime for a while.

 

I parked, put it in 4wd, drove for a few yards, then took it out again. It didn't make noise for a while, then it did. Then it stopped again and would make the noise anymore, so I didn't take it in to the shop ("It was making a noise, I swear it!").

 

Any ideas? Wheel bearing? Brake issue?

 

Would you drive it to Alpental? To Vantage?

[fenderfour]

Wheel bearing

[underworld]

does it have a solid front axle?

 

auto locking hubs?

 

ideas:

cv-joint, u-joint, hub-locking mechanism

 

 

[jon]

Could also be a transmission bearing.

[rob]

I'd look at the wheel bearing. If it is the wheel bearing, you'll want to get that fixed soon.

[Bug]

CVC joint.

Easy to replace yourself.

Easier than the bearing anyway.

[chucK]

'preciate it fellas

[minx]

sounds like my CV joint problems

[Hugh Conway]

sounds like your car has herpes - I reccomend sacrificing a roach to the bobcat gods

[chucK]

Would any of these problems (except for the herpes) be consistent with the fact that when I tapped on the brake the sound went away?

[Couloir]

Yes. And I would also suggest that it's the CV. I've had several replaced over the years on different cars/pick-ups.

[fenderfour]

bad CV joints are normally quiet when going straight. The noise usually occurs when turning and get louder when going reverse. The noise produced is usually a clicking sound.

Edited March 11, 2008 by fenderfour

[Bug]

Park.

Turn hard and start moving.

If it does not make the sound, do it the other way.

If it still does not make the sound, it probably is not the CV joint.

[chucK]

I brought it in. They couldn't reproduce the sound, but the boot was trashed on the CV joint (Middle Fork Road?). Funny thing is that it was the left joint, not the right one (where I thought I heard the sound). Could be because the parked cars (off which the sound echoes) are on the right???

 

Anyway. Hopefully that was the problem. Although what they did fix would've probably been a problem eventually anyway. I'll try your guys' diagnostics on it tonight.

 

Thanks again!