Rear Axle: Twin Traction Ping or Clang

[Mcwicki51]

Hello,

I just picked up my cruiser after having the Flight-o-matic rebuilt. The front input shaft was thrashed and the front drum was a goner. The ring on the torque converter and it needed to be rebuilt. It runs and drives much better now. There was a clang or ping from the rear that I heard before having the transmission worked on. I thought that it was going to be the transmission. It happens at low speed when the car shifts into 3rd when cruising through town. It doesn't happen with harder acceleration on the open road. It is definitely coming from the rear. The transmission shop heard it but did not think it was a problem, but wanted me to keep an ear to the issue. They thought that it could be the rear diff or the driveshaft. Anyone experience this sound or issue with their Twin Traction Dana 44 rear axle? or Driveshaft? I know that the axle seals and the pinon seal have a slow leak but the oil level is fine.

It is about $450 to have the rear axle overhauled and about $90 to have the driveline serviced and balanced.

Thanks,
Steve

[JoeHall]

My first guess is u'joints; second guess is rear axle nuts not tight enough. I highly doubt the rear end needs anything other than insuring it stays topped up with gear oil.

Particulars for the TT: be sure to run only matched tires and wheels on each side, and use posi-track special lube additive. BOTH are very important. Otherwise, you will get popping, cracking, creaking sounds from the rear end, that will eventually damage the clutches.

[Mcwicki51]

My first guess is u'joints; second guess is rear axle nuts not tight enough. I highly doubt the rear end needs anything other than insuring it stays topped up with gear oil.

Particulars for the TT: be sure to run only matched tires and wheels on each side, and use posi-track special lube additive. BOTH are very important. Otherwise, you will get popping, cracking, creaking sounds from the rear end, that will eventually damage the clutches.

Thank you!

Steve

[StudeRich]

Yes a loose Axle Nut or even Low 90 Wt. GL-5 Axle Lube will cause that along with a loose "U" Joint, too bad you are not able to do at least the smaller jobs, as I see they are quite expensive.

I would be MUCH more concerned about the fact that the Input Shaft, Stater Support, Clutch Drum and Torque Converter were all badly worn, a sure sign of a Mis-aligned Converter Housing to the centerline of the Engine Crankshaft, often caused by an Engine swap without a Converter housing "Dial In".

[Mcwicki51]

Yes a loose Axle Nut or even Low 90 Wt. GL-5 Axle Lube will cause that along with a loose "U" Joint, too bad you are not able to do at least the smaller jobs, as I see they are quite expensive.

I would be MUCH more concerned about the fact that the Input Shaft, Stater Support, Clutch Drum and Torque Converter were all badly worn, a sure sign of a Mis-aligned Converter Housing to the centerline of the Engine Crankshaft, often caused by an Engine swap without a Converter housing "Dial In".

Everything appears to be original to the car. I was curious about what would chew up the input shaft and drum. I will ask them if they "dialed in" the bellhousing.

If you guys don't think that it is anything related to the internals of the twin traction and related to only the u-joint, oil levels and seals, then I can certainly do that work. The price of the driveline balancing is for a shop to replace all the u-joints and spin it up to make sure that it is optimally balanced. They made a huge difference in the drive quality of my old ford pick up.

Thanks for the input.

Steve

[altair]

I have heard some limited slip differentials snap and pop when turning. Some have springs and clutches and some have springs and cogs that pop and snap.

[JoeHall]

I have heard some limited slip differentials snap and pop when turning. Some have springs and clutches and some have springs and cogs that pop and snap.

Snapping and popping ON TURNS usually indicates nobody added the special posi-trak additive, last time the oil was changed. If it does it going straight down the road, it usually indicates mismatched tires/wheels. Any difference in diameter will force the clutches to slip, and eventually ruin them. But when ruined, they do not explode, or anything catastrophic; they just stop popping, and posi-trak stops working.

[karterfred88]

Mine clangs all the time when engaging from neutral to D or R. Traced it to worn pinion input bearing (could move the yoke around) and accumulated wear on the side gear-to-differential case. Check how far the driveshaft rotates, till a wheel starts to move-lots of accumulated backlash. Live with it, lower idle speed, or rebuild the entire rear differential and ring and pinion. Thought (wishfully) it was the rear u-joint, being put in a bind due to weak rear springs letting the nose angle change too much, but not the case. Hey, it's only 50 years old.

[dynolou2]

Can you make the noise come or go by doing off on off the gas? it could be play in the rear differential. With the car in the air, rock the yoke left to right to feel how tight the clearance is between the ring and pinion. Too much clearance can make a clang. Lou Cote

[GrumpyOne]

When I installed a NOS TT on the ol' '64 Champ, (the 3.73 gears were swapped for 3.07), it would clink/klick. I switched to Red Line fluid and the noise went away and the TT functioned perfectly...