[Stuey]

Hey guys,

I need a little advise on a strange noise I have coming from my CV joints. I’ve got a 97 2ltr SWB Vitara and I’ve had a Calmini 3” suspension lift done. The sound I’m referring to has only appeared since the vehicle was lifted. Obviously the sound is only present when 4wd is engaged but it would seem the sound is intermittent and appears when the vehicle is generally on either an incline or decline, more often when the vehicle is not under load ie clutch in and rolling. But as I say the sound is a little random and I can’t pinpoint it to one exact driving condition. The sound itself sounds metallic and almost ball bearing like (like you find in CV’s) as if the ball bearings are running around all loose in the bearing cage.

For the record I’ve had the CV’s replaced with brand new ones and my very reliable mechanic told me that the ones he pulled out had shown minimal wear (he only changed them because I asked him to in an attempt to rectify the problem). Results with the new CV’s in were promising to start but a short time into the next 4wd outing the sound appeared again. For all I know it may not even be the CV joints at all but it seems the most likely cause.

Any ideas? Other things I could check? And just to clarify the diffs have been dropped as required by the suspension kit ie 3” lift, 2” diff drop.

Many Thanks.

Regards,
Stuart.

[atari4x4]

G'day Stuey,

I've been running the calmini kit for quite a few years now & my CV's/driveshafts sit almost horizontal when on flat ground & I haven't had a drama with CV's...... YET!

How did you modified the front diff brackets to suit the wider chassis of the SV420 (j20a SWB vitara)

Cheers
atari4x4

[Stuey]

Mine are not quite horizontal but I wouldn't consider them to be on an extreme angle either.

All fitting was done by a company called 4wd USA. Not a bad job.......but not the best I've seen either. And definately pricey.

To my knowledge the cross member was modified to allow the diff to sit correctly (as in low enough). For this they chopped a bit out and welded a half moon shape in it to go around the diff.

Each side needed a spacer of some sort. I've just ducked outside to grab pics of those for you. Not the clearest, probably cause I'm upside down burning the crap out of my back on the hot driveway.

[Stuey]

One more pic

[atari4x4]

good old Fraud Wheel Drive U$A, i'm supprised they are still around....

yeah cool, thats very similar to what I did, on that last pic I'd look at getting a full sized spacer made up to fill the gap on the passenger side diff bracket chassis mount, rather than just having the crush tube there.

your CV's look like they are fine angle wise, did they fill you diff back up with oil?? park it on a steep hill with the front up hill & fill it up as the diff now sits lower than before & it's hard to get enough oil in them front & rear.

other than the oil, i'm out of ideas.

[Stuey]

I'll look into that. Parking up on car ramps should be enough to get a good angle yeah?

Thanks for giving it thought anyhow. Just one of those annoying things that I want fixed, simply because I know it shouldnt be doing it in the first place. I've got another question for you as well but I'll pm it to you so this stays on topic.

[atari4x4]

yeah wheel ramps should do it, just try & get the proper amount in there!

[royce]

I would think that the lift wouldnt affect the inner CV's, perhaps its the unis? given they have run at one angle forever, the different angle could of affected them (I have seen a few sierras go clicky after alift there)

[atari4x4]

On that first photo, there is a spacer between the diff drop bracket & the diff. from that angle it looks like the top bolt doesn't go thru the spacer?

I'd be taking it back to Eddy & ask him to redo the spacer so it picks up all the bolt holes & maybe even get him to weld it to the diff bracket, while you are there see if you can get a spacer to go in the left side chassis mount!!!

[Stuey]

Good idea. Another one to systematically cross off the list in the quest to fault find. I'll look into that too. Next time I'm out using 4wd I'll see if I cant take some audio of the noise as well. Sometimes hearing it can make all the difference. Might be a while before that happens though.

Uni joints generally make a clicking noise more than anything when they are being troublesome though correct? The sound I'm getting is more a scraping metallic sound of various intensity. But as I say, only present in 4wd which I can only assume ties it in with the front drive train somewhere. And like I say, its amplified on slopes??? Very strange sound, but quite loud regardless.

[Stuey]

Three bolts pick up the three holes, BUT only two of them utilise the spacer. Why, I don't know. Probably because it was the easy option rather than the correct one. Should of at least been a crush tube in behind the top bolt.

[atari4x4]

relpying to ya pm now steuy.

is it the rear uni on the rear tailshaft hitting on the standard muffler when flexing the rear suspension??

the front diffs are made of coke cans & need all the help they can get to stay in 1 peice, since you paid for the install get eddy to build another spacer & WELD it on there!

[Stuey]

Definately front end, low level sound. Muffler/exhaust has plenty of clearance. And its not a short burst of sound when it happens. It will start and you may drive forward over say 20-50 meters of terrain then is will slowly vanish. Then out of the blue there it is again. Like a noisy fan belt when you start a car. Its there, then as the belt warms it quietens and goes away. Same with this sound. Its there for a while, goes away, cross over a different bit of terrain on a certain angle or whatever, noise comes back again.

Agree with you on the front diff issue. Not the most robust things invented. But to be honest, I'd rather do it myself. I wasn't a huge fan of the workmanship done by 4wd USA. Put it this way, when I got my car home, a complete nut, bolt and washer was missing from the rear suspension and a few other bolts had worked their way loose after only a 40 km drive. I wondered why the arse end felt awefully loose on the way home. Like I said, for whats involved, I'd rather have a go myself. Hardly a tough project.

[felix]

I have the Calmini kit in my 89 vitara and I have had no dramas with the CVs. The angle looks fine in the pics.

Is the diff touching the cross member at all?

[Stuey]

felix wrote:

I have the Calmini kit in my 89 vitara and I have had no dramas with the CVs. The angle looks fine in the pics.

Is the diff touching the cross member at all?

Nah mate. Clearance has been made on the crossmember to accommodate the diff. But thanks for the suggestion.