I try to contribute to the forums as much as possible just for moments like these.

I drove about 30 miles this evening and when I got close to home I rolled down the window to enjoy the oven-like temperature and I heard a squeak. From 2 to about 30 miles per hour,both with my foot on the gas and coasting in neutral. No squeak when I stop and rev the engine so it isn't a belt or pulley.

Recent work underneath is a driveshaft (2 years) that is greasable and well greased, ball joints (2 weeks), and panhard bar (6 months), steering link (3 weeks) and drag link (3 weeks). Everything is greased.

I immediately suspected the driveshaft so, when I got home, I put the transmission and transfer case in neutral and yanked every direction. There was no play at the joints and the only play at all was slight movement at the transfer case. My Y pipe arrived poorly formed and had to be bent by me, so I looked to see whether the driveshaft was touching it. There is little space between them (maybe 1/4 inch) and it is hard to tell whether they touch because the previous problem rubbed the paint off of the middle cap of the driveshaft. I looked at the cat and the rubbing on it did not look fresh. I still suspect this area though. Does the driveshaft bow right when you drive? Probably not. I have another driveshaft (old) awaiting my impending 4.6 swap, but it is longer than my current due to the different driveline configuration for the hp24 versus hp22.

I have about 3 inches of lift as it now sits. I have no codes except the three amigos. I don't feel any wobble at all... rides like it is on rails.

All of the work listed above was done by me so it is possible it is all wrong though it has been doing great until just now.

I didn't think to check the brakes/ rotors until just now. There is no wobble when I stop or go. Maybe I should jack it up and spin the tires.

So I can't tell where this is coming from and have run through my tiny list of possibles and am asking for advice. My original driveshaft went bad a couple of years ago and I had a harrowing 30 mile highway drive at about 15mph IN A ONE LANE CONSTRUCTION ZONE, pissing everyone off, worrying about getting stranded, and imagining all of the possible damage... don't want to repeat that.

Thanks in advance. Please be specific; I am not afraid to try things but I am not a mechanic.

Best,

Charlie V

 

Is the squeak wheel speed or engine speed dependent? Do you hear it rolling down the road with your foot (lightly) on the brakes?

 

Wheel speed related. I haven't tried the slight braking but I will this morning

 

early u-joint failure can't be detected by jerking on the propshaft with it installed. If you had play doing that, you'd more likely hear clunking/banging when driving rather than squeaking.

When you say "well greased" does that mean every 5,000 miles and seeing new grease coming from around all 4 seals of each u-joint when you grease it?
If no, especially to the later, you probably have a dry journal.

Of course, it could be something else, though hub bearings are usually a roar or rumble sound.

Grit between rotor and pads could cause squeaking, as will vibration between the pad and piston and pads worn to the metal.

 

I jacked up the entire truck this morning and manually spun the tires, then put everything in gear and let it idle up to 15mph and heard no squeaks or resistance. It spins so freely I did not use the gas because I am slightly afraid that it will come off the jacks. Braking slowly or quick from the 15mph idle didn't produce any odd noises.

By well greased I mean greased at every oil change (by me) and wet grease visible at each joint.

The brake pads are pretty new... less than a year... and they looked fine when I replaced the ball joints a couple of weeks ago.

So at this point it seems to be something that occurs only when the tires/hubs are holding weight.

Now I'm wondering if I could be so lucky that the lugs are a little loose after the ball joint job. EDIT: they are tight, unfortunately.

 

Sounds drivetrain dry joint Charlie and my initial bet would have been dry joint in the front or rear driveshaft UJ's particularly as it's not engine speed and more wheel motive speed. The only other place I could think of maybe the CV's joint(s) squeaking due to no grease.

 

Okay. I'm maybe an idiot. When I replaced the ball joints I didn't do anything to the CV's... I didn't even take the boots off but instead left them connected to the hubs. I've never seen a CV joint. Should I have greased them?

And took it for a drive. Nothing for about a mile then it came back. Definitely not brake related as it squeaks when braking and not braking. Sounds bad. I guess it has to be the driveshaft.

 

No, certainly not an idiot. The D2 CV joints are contained within a sealed rubber boot at the outer ends of the front axle driveshafts. They are generally pre-packed with special CV joint grease that does wear/throw off and deteriorate over many years and high temperatures also advance deterioration of the grease. Unless you have need to investigate the CV joint (typically a torn rubber boot either side etc) normally you wouldn't open them up. I've posted a vid of a CV joint replacement for you.


CV Joint Replacement for Dummies... - DiscoWeb Message Boards

Sorry about the title it wasn't intended but it came up as disco forum.

1994-2004 Land Rover Discovery Upgrades - Weak Links, Strong Fixes

I hope these are useful links.

 

No offense taken. I've read the second one.

I just got a new grease gun and greased the driveshaft front to back... it took a very little grease but it is coming out of every seal so I know it is greased. Got in the truck and it is squeaking before I got out of the driveway. Like at 1mph. I am stumped.

 

Okay, well, I need to figure this out so it is time to go nuclear. I drove up and down the driveway and my wife did the same. We agreed that the sound was slightly louder on the passenger side and at or just behind the front wheels.

The only non driveshaft thing that I may need to check is the wheel spacers. They came off for the ball joint job and maybe the right one is loose.

Failing that, I have an extra driveshaft off of my parts rover. It is from a 4.6 so it will just have to let out a half inch. I will take mine off... can I drive it up and down the driveway without a front shaft!???

If the squeak is gone I'll put the parts rover driveshaft in it and order the Tom Woods multiple double cardan that I've always wanted.