Apologies for this being a bit long winded, however I really would appreciate any thoughts to rid me of unwanted noises coming from the front axle.
I have a noise coming from the front axle which I can only describe as a low pitched light grinding / binding / dub-dub sort of noise which is consistent with rotation of the road wheels. The noise is barely audible at any speed when driving in a straight line or in a RH bend, however is most clearly audible during a moderate LH bend (with A/C and stereo switched off), typically noticeable when going around a roundabout at approx 20-30 km/h (ie/ anticlockwise). It’s been making the noise for the last month or so now and has very slowly become increasingly audible over the last 1,000 kms. It’s a 2001 vehicle with 161,000kms on the clock.
I’ve done a thorough search of this forum but not come up with anything else that clearly resembles the cause of my symptoms. Judging by the search results it seems that CV joints on p38’s do not fail with regular occurrence, and neither worn wheel bearings nor front differentials produce the same sort of noise when they require attention – typically more of a constant grinding / whirring noise. I had new bearings in the front diff approx 15,000kms ago which cured a whining noise. Even though this new noise is most pronounced on a LH bend, I just can’t decide whether it’s coming from either the LHF or RHF, however I’m more inclined to think LHF which goes against common sense which tells me that the noise would more likely to be coming from the RHF wheel which is under load in a LH bend.
In an attempt to track down the source of this dub-dub noise I’ve done the following:
Lifted front axle up on stands, rotated front wheels by hand in dead ahead position, turned to LH and RH, but can’t really hear or feel anything. Push / pulled the front wheels at top / bottom but no sign of any play or slop in either of the wheel bearings.
Visual inspection of CV joint boots – no splits or signs of leakage.
Visual inspection of brake discs (rotors) and pads – all in good condition with plenty of friction material on pads and no evidence of any cracks or warped discs. Braking the car does not affect the noise in any way.
Removed the front propshaft and driven around but the noise is still there, therefore only eliminated worn U/J’s as the cause.
Passenger sitting with head in passenger footwell, ear to loadspace floor and whilst sitting in rear seats, which has only confirmed the noise is coming from the front of the vehicle.
Driving in a big open car park at varying speeds and degrees of turn both LH and RH circles the dub-dub noise is most pronounced at about 1/3 lock on overrun in a LH bend at approx 20-30 km/h. At full LH lock I can’t hear it at all. No noise in reverse.
There are signs of light rubbing from the tyre on the RHF inner wheel arch plastic liner, but have since eliminated this as the cause of noise.
Swapped the wheels from front to rear - no change in noise.
With a mate standing still, driven circles around him – no unusual noises can be heard from outside the vehicle.
Changed the front differential oil (yesterday) which was only previously changed <10,000 kms ago. Old oil was reasonably clean with moderate build up of very fine metallic particles on the magnetic drain plug, but nothing unusual. No change in noise.
Also noticed that diff oil has been seeping out of the connection between breather tube and where it connects to the top of the front axle – it’s only started leaking very recently, possibly coincides with the dub-dub noise which started a month ago – any ideas what would cause this? blockage in breather pipe? pressurisation in axle, but why?
I’ve also had a few local independent Land Rover workshops listen to it and have been told it could be either a RH wheel bearing, a LH CV joint, or even a bad viscous coupling in the transfer gearbox (which just doesn’t make sense to me)
Thinking it might be a bad CV joint, I’ve already bought a new one but just can’t decide which side to replace, if at all.
Being of Scottish ancestry I’m loathe to spend cash unnecessarily and therefore want to avoid replacing expensive parts on a trial and error basis, so would appreciate any further pointers how I can ‘hit the nail on the head’ to rid me of this noise once and for all.
I have a noise coming from the front axle which I can only describe as a low pitched light grinding / binding / dub-dub sort of noise which is consistent with rotation of the road wheels. The noise is barely audible at any speed when driving in a straight line or in a RH bend, however is most clearly audible during a moderate LH bend (with A/C and stereo switched off), typically noticeable when going around a roundabout at approx 20-30 km/h (ie/ anticlockwise). It’s been making the noise for the last month or so now and has very slowly become increasingly audible over the last 1,000 kms. It’s a 2001 vehicle with 161,000kms on the clock.
I’ve done a thorough search of this forum but not come up with anything else that clearly resembles the cause of my symptoms. Judging by the search results it seems that CV joints on p38’s do not fail with regular occurrence, and neither worn wheel bearings nor front differentials produce the same sort of noise when they require attention – typically more of a constant grinding / whirring noise. I had new bearings in the front diff approx 15,000kms ago which cured a whining noise. Even though this new noise is most pronounced on a LH bend, I just can’t decide whether it’s coming from either the LHF or RHF, however I’m more inclined to think LHF which goes against common sense which tells me that the noise would more likely to be coming from the RHF wheel which is under load in a LH bend.
In an attempt to track down the source of this dub-dub noise I’ve done the following:
Lifted front axle up on stands, rotated front wheels by hand in dead ahead position, turned to LH and RH, but can’t really hear or feel anything. Push / pulled the front wheels at top / bottom but no sign of any play or slop in either of the wheel bearings.
Visual inspection of CV joint boots – no splits or signs of leakage.
Visual inspection of brake discs (rotors) and pads – all in good condition with plenty of friction material on pads and no evidence of any cracks or warped discs. Braking the car does not affect the noise in any way.
Removed the front propshaft and driven around but the noise is still there, therefore only eliminated worn U/J’s as the cause.
Passenger sitting with head in passenger footwell, ear to loadspace floor and whilst sitting in rear seats, which has only confirmed the noise is coming from the front of the vehicle.
Driving in a big open car park at varying speeds and degrees of turn both LH and RH circles the dub-dub noise is most pronounced at about 1/3 lock on overrun in a LH bend at approx 20-30 km/h. At full LH lock I can’t hear it at all. No noise in reverse.
There are signs of light rubbing from the tyre on the RHF inner wheel arch plastic liner, but have since eliminated this as the cause of noise.
Swapped the wheels from front to rear - no change in noise.
With a mate standing still, driven circles around him – no unusual noises can be heard from outside the vehicle.
Changed the front differential oil (yesterday) which was only previously changed <10,000 kms ago. Old oil was reasonably clean with moderate build up of very fine metallic particles on the magnetic drain plug, but nothing unusual. No change in noise.
Also noticed that diff oil has been seeping out of the connection between breather tube and where it connects to the top of the front axle – it’s only started leaking very recently, possibly coincides with the dub-dub noise which started a month ago – any ideas what would cause this? blockage in breather pipe? pressurisation in axle, but why?
I’ve also had a few local independent Land Rover workshops listen to it and have been told it could be either a RH wheel bearing, a LH CV joint, or even a bad viscous coupling in the transfer gearbox (which just doesn’t make sense to me)
Thinking it might be a bad CV joint, I’ve already bought a new one but just can’t decide which side to replace, if at all.
Being of Scottish ancestry I’m loathe to spend cash unnecessarily and therefore want to avoid replacing expensive parts on a trial and error basis, so would appreciate any further pointers how I can ‘hit the nail on the head’ to rid me of this noise once and for all.
