Turning left - GRAUNCH!**&^^! noise.

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purplechugster
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Turning left - GRAUNCH!**&^^! noise.

Post by purplechugster »

Hmmm, dont like the sound of that :?

I took the van out this morning to sainsburys (note to self - never go to supermarket on a sunday morning again) and the van has developed a new noise.

When turning, particularly left, or going over a pothole there a hideous graunching crunchy noise from down below. I can even feel it coming through my feet.

As far as I know the van hasn't taken a knock - although my other half did drive it through the floods, so possible that something has seized or rusted up and fallen apart.

Ive had a quick look under the van and I cant see anything obviously hanging off/broken. But I dont really know what Im looking for... :roll:

Help! Suggestions please! :(
One T25 in London, another one in Sydney.
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purplechugster
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Post by purplechugster »

An update... or at least more info....

Ive just been under the van again. Cant see anything wrong with steering/suspension. BUT...

The 'box' immediately beneath the gear stick - the 'gear shift pole' (sorry for not knowing the technical stuff) that comes out from it seems very loose. It can be moved side to side.

This morning while driving I had a hell of a missed gear (not something the van normally suffers from). Do you think it could be this?

And the hideous crunching noise as it turns corners is due to the gears crunching as the poley thing swings in the breeze (well, almost)?
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purplechugster
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Post by purplechugster »

yet another update...

Just been and taken the van for a wee drive. It doesnt seem to be the turning after all - I couldnt get it to do it going round corners, but it did do it as I set off from a standstill, just the once :?

Felt and sounded like I was dragging the corpse of a tinman underneath the van.
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purplechugster
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Post by purplechugster »

C'mon 80-90..... so far you have a 100% record for good suggestions and explanations in times of trouble... don't let me down now :(
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Westy.Club.Joker
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Post by Westy.Club.Joker »

Well now, it`s one of those problems. Without seeing the thing it`s hard to say what it could be.

Daft as it may seem, look at the back end first. Get underneath and grab hold of a driveshaft, and see if you can twist/rotate it either way, if there is anything more than a slight movement then a CV joint is breaking up (there are 4 of them, 2 on each shaft) and that is your graunching/vibration when setting off and travelling.

That`s assuming that you have had each corner jacked up and checked each wheel for severe bearing play/wobble/roughness.
Keep it real.


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ringo
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Post by ringo »

Sorry you have had no replies so far....

Im not sure i can be of any help...

You say the noise happens when you turn corners or when you start suddenly - this suggest to me that it happens when the van gets lower to the ground..

First things first - are your wheels on tight (don't laugh - i posted for help before when all it was my front wheel was loose!).

Is the van lowered ? Are all the springs still in one piece ? If one is snapped its possible a wheel will touch the wheel arch and make a noise...

Does it sound like the noise is coming from a wheel arch ? Where does it sound like its coming from....

More info please...

Ringo
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purplechugster
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Post by purplechugster »

Ah now we're getting somewhere.... thanks chaps :D

CV joint is definitely a possibility - I'll try and have a look this evening.

ringo wrote: Does it sound like the noise is coming from a wheel arch ? Where does it sound like its coming from....

Bit tricky, I keep changing my mind :roll:

First time it did it, I'd have sworn it was coming from the left front wheel, but the final time it did it, it felt like it was coming from the rear and the middle or left. And the clattering thumping was coming from behind me.

it was a violent noise - it wasn't just normal van paranoia. What it sounded like was as if something had fallen off and was hitting the road. I wondered, and checked, whether the spare wheel holder had come loose and was dragging on the road, it was that violent. But it wasnt.

:shock: :(
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ringo
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Post by ringo »

I had a similar problem on my landrover when a wheel bearing had gone - ouch - that was noisy.

Ringo
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ermie571
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Post by ermie571 »

Had the drivers wheel bearing go on the Aircooled.....thought the wheel was about to fall off!!!

What a horrendous grinding noise......but it didn't feel like I was dragging anything....and was easy to diagnose where the noise was coming from with the front window open...

Good Luck

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purplechugster
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Post by purplechugster »

Aha (I think).

Just been under/around the van again. Ive got a hold of everything in contact, or even near, each wheel and given it a thorough shaking and there's no movement of anything.

Then had it up on the jack (and repeatedly falling off the jack) and checked the front wheel bearings...

....oops :oops:
Both front ones knackered. Particularly the left one.

So....
1) Can a pair of knackered wheel bearings make a noise like two skeletons wrestling in a coke can?

2) Is it safe to drive? Or are my wheels likely to self-destruct?

3) How do you replace wheel bearings? Seeing as Ive just had the van fall off the jack about thirty times, Im guessing it might be easier to get this professionally done :roll:
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trickydicky
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Post by trickydicky »

Not safe to drive, to replace them I think you need a press, two options garage the hole way or strip and take the hubs to a garage.
It's nothing a great deal of time and money can't fix
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Post by camper »

I hope you dont mind me saying this.Use axle stands when working on these vehicles screw jacks& hydraulic are not safe enough.When ever i do any work which requires the van to be lifted up i dont take chances.
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purplechugster
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Post by purplechugster »

camper wrote:I hope you dont mind me saying this.Use axle stands when working on these vehicles screw jacks& hydraulic are not safe enough.When ever i do any work which requires the van to be lifted up i dont take chances.

You dont need to convince me! :shock:
Damn thing kept rolling off the screw jack - fortunately the wheel was still on and only had an inch to fall. And I was at gibbon's arms length with all important bits retracted!
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purplechugster
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Post by purplechugster »

:roll:
So the chugster is in the garage getting its nice new bearings put in...

...except the old ones have welded themselves to the stub axle :evil:

*kerching kerching kerching* as the hours tick by.... :(
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