[Mubby]

Well after wheeling today i started hearing a grinding/rubbing noise coming from my front left hand wheel in my LJ81. It only happens when i let of the accelorator... Mostly in 4th gear...?

If anybody can help diagnose this problem that would be awesoM! thanks

(Origionaly thought it was wheelbearings but i went and did the old side to side and top to top trick and there is no play..

[Microwire]

Yeah mine does the same thing, i'm in the process of replacing my bearings, i hope that fixes it. It sounds like a WWI plane coming in for the attack.

I've heard others say it could be the transfer case bearing.

[alien]

jack up the front wheel from the diff and wrap a long recovery strap around the tyre a few times then give it a real solid pull to spin up the front wheel, then see if you can hear it and better locate it???

check the hubs too.

[Mubby]

ahh okay.. so i will try replacing the wheel bearings.. hopefully that fixes it. okay i will try that tomorrow alien thats a good method!

[Microwire]

alien wrote:

jack up the front wheel from the diff and wrap a long recovery strap around the tyre a few times then give it a real solid pull to spin up the front wheel

That's brilliant, I had never thought of that.

[303zuke]

Mubby wrote:

ahh okay.. so i will try replacing the wheel bearings.. hopefully that fixes it. okay i will try that tomorrow alien thats a good method!

Do you still have the original LJ front hubs, or have you switched to Sierra with discs? A major weak point with the LJ hub is the splined shaft into the brake drum.

After 30-odd years of accelerating/braking, there is a chance there is radial play in the spline. The best way to avoid it is to ensure the hub nut is kept real tight, but once it appears there is little you can do to eliminate it. You can try a smear of Wurth gasket goo on the spline to tighten it up, but you're just delaying the inevitable. The only surefire fix is complete replacement with a new brake drum and new CV (not 2nd hand!)

Or eliminate the weak spot altogether and fit Sierra hubs with disc brakes.

[skyman]

Check the spline to your front drive shaft and check to make sure a hub is not sticking.

We had the same noise on a rig here that we could not isolate. Got under the rig and tried to turn the front drive shaft, but no go it was locked tight(weird cause hubs were unlocked).

So I fiddled with the3 hubs a few times, and all the sudden it spun free. Took it for a test drive,and the noise was gone.

So it was a comb of two problems.

#1 One of the hubs was sticking keeping one axle shaft engaged.
#2 The splines on the front shaft were worn and loose causing a nasty nasty noise (sounded like a really bad front output in the t-case).

Anyways problem solved for now, but we need a new d-shaft and the ubs need to get some maintenance/cleaning

Hope it helps