I have a 99 DII and it just started making this strange tick noise every once and a while. It sounds like I am running over a pine cone but clearly isn't that. It seems to happen most when I am slowing down to a light or speeding up slowly and it doesn't seem to correlate with any gear changes (at least not as far as I can tell). It also doesnt seem to be coming from the motor but rather more near the middle of the car. Please let me know if you have any advice it is much appreciated

 

What mileage? Put it in your sig.

I would say check your bushings.

 

Have you had your front drive shaft rebuilt with the up-graded u-joints?

 

It has 118,000 mi.
I do not know if the front drive shaft has been rebuilt with the upgraded U-joints.
Just bought it 3 weeks ago. Much had been rebuilt by land rover. I have probably $8k in receipts from the guy I bought it from so I will look through those to see.

 

If Land Rover did the work, they did not put in greasable U-joints in the Double Cardan section of the drive shaft. GET IT REBUILT IMMEDIATELY. Do a search here for front drive shaft rebuild and you will find all the info you need to do it yourself or have a shop do it. Replace the centering ball too. If you don't do it you risk taking out your tranny to the tune of big bucks.

 

Crawl under and count how many grease fittings are on the front drive shaft, should be 3 plus a plug.

 

I crawled up underneath and took a look at the front drive shaft. I didnt see the 3 grease fittings and a plug. But then again, I may not be completely clear what I am looking for.

I have been reading up on the u joint rebuild but do you all think that this is what is causing the strange tick sound it is making?

 

Speeding up and slowing down changes the angle of the truck, thus the driveshaft. A click or tick is the tell tale sign of a u-joint failing. If it fails, you will need to put a new tranny in after your broken shaft slaps the one you have out of the truck.

At first, I thought it may be a bushing somewhere, but that would cause a single pop in either direction

 

Myself and both of my buddies all own land rover disco's. ranging from 1997 to 1999. And ALL 3 have this tick you are talking about. Sometimes it happens when it goes in and out of drive and reverse as well, and it also happens when slowing down or speeding up, like you said. I've had it taken to a guy who knows land rovers and he just said it was because the gears and **** get loose and have some play in them after time, but they will be fine and won't hurt the vehicle any. It is usually more noticable when changing from reverse to drive, but I can hear it every so often when speeding up and slowing down.

Anybody else have this problem, it seems to be pretty common.

We also had a look and when you put it in gear the front drive shaft has a lot of play in it. is this normal?? it didnt sound like the noise was coming from the drive shaft though, more like the front diff.

Cheers

 

That sir, is not a tick it is a clunk.

It is caused by slack in the driveline. some play is ok. I have about 1/4" radial travel on my flange. replace all of your gearing and it will go away, or you can just not slam it into drive and go for another 100K. relatively normal