Help - Gearbox noises????

[timpaton]

forgive my ignorance, this is my first 4wd vehicle - when you say put the tbox in neutral, do you mean, a place other than engaged in 4h or 4 l or 2wd, so basically put the stick somewhere between these, or is there a specific neutral position?

[ScottieJ]

Basically run it through the gears and if it is noisy at higher revs in low gears I would suspect the tbox, if its noisy only in 4th and 5th even in the lower revs then I would suspect the gearbox.

Obviously the tbox input will be spinning faster at low rpm in higher gears than it would be at the same rpm in the lower gears so you need to take that into account.

The best test really would be to drive it at 30mph in a few gears as the input will be spinning at the same speed at 30 in any gear, if its noisy in 3rd, 4th and 5th at 30 then it could be the tbox. If just 5th the gearbox would be my no1 suspect.

Either way a replacement tbox or a rebuild is not going to cost you that much, definetly not 400

Neutral in the tbox is between 4wd high and 4wd low, should say on the top of the lever if the sticker is still there.

[dan_2k_uk]

neutral is in the position marked with the N on this knob



The point is that you will remove most of the gears/bearings on the transfer box from your diagnosis apart from the input shaft ones.

You can sit still thus removing any road/wind noise and go through the gears in the gearbox with the other external influences excluded.

Dan

[timpaton]

Good evening Dan,

Firstly, thanks for the picture of the gearstick, mines gone, but using this helped me greatly to find neutral on the tbox.

OK i think we are getting somewhere now, i have carried out the test as you described, and found the following

In first there a kind of low but tired bearing sound, in second slightly louder, third significantly louder, fourth a touch louder, and in fifth, it sounds like something is loose and about to clatter off, and obviously, much louder droning and clattering than in all previous gears.

Following this, and the removal of my wires shiny car from the drive, to prevent the inevitable, i got underneath it, with it running. I hasten to add that i had chocked both front wheels with a spare pair of wheels, and got the torch out.

With it clattering and growling away (the car) in fifth, i put a long screwdriver on the case next to the input of the tbox, and could feel rumbling, could this be a bearing on the input to the tbox, as you suggested?

I then moved forward with torch and screwdriver and although the gearbox driveshaft output seal is clearly leaking, thru the oil soiling observed, i could not detect anything like as much rumbling from the output of the gearbox end, on the casing as near as i dared get to output/driveshaft.

I then turned it off, and removed the key, and gave the driveshaft between the gearbox and the tbox a good wobble, and can feel no significant play

Your thoughts?


Tim

[ScottieJ]

Sounds to me like it could well be the tbox input then, where in the country are you? I might know of a 413 tbox for sale the best option would be a rebuild though as then you know its going to last.

[timpaton]

Hi Scottie,
I have just bought one off a chap on ebay, and am off to pick it up now.
Would like to rebuild the other one, as i am intrigued as to what is wrong with it, and this way i have a spare.
Im in Reading Berks.
Tim

[dan_2k_uk]

Hi. I replied to your PM before spotting this post. I will paste my reply here as it may help others on the future and I've written it now.

It does sound like it could be the input on the transfer box then. If you want to be 100% sure then you could remove that small prop.

I think the gearbox oil level is lower than the output shaft so there shouldnt be too much oil able to escape.

I dont know how easy it is to remove that little shaft with the body on but I took mine off without the body so as long as there is access to the flange I guess it can be removed. Maybe you can get to it by removing the gator from the lever and do it from above.

It then just slides out of the gearbox.

This would be a good time to replace the leaking seal

Dan

[Darrell]

Yep, easy enough to remove the short prop. Just undo the 4 bolts on the flange and move it to one side and pull from gearbox. Mine didn't leak oil when I removed it. Screwdriver to prise the old seal out and a socket to tap the new one in. The old seal was worn, but also gone brittle.

[dan_2k_uk]

Good work Darrell. Knew you would be along with the part number!

[timpaton]

OK, update time.

I have taken the old transfer box off, and refitted the ebay tbox.

And have now discovered that it does not fit.

The centres of the driveshaft to flanges on my existing set up, i.e the driveshafts and the flanges of tbox1, are 56mm

With tbox 2 fitted i have tried to reconnect the driveshafts to the tbox flanges, and the centre on the ebay tbox are much wider apart.

I have been out there since 0800, and can't feel my feet, so i have given up.

so i guess its decision time, i can see three options
1. Source another tbox with correct 56mm centres?
2. See if i can get the flanges swapped over? I have tried to do this in my vice with a power bar, and given up. I am guessing they are held on with 300+ foot pound of pressure?
3. Find somebody who can rebuild the original tbox?

Ideas anybody?

Tim