Clarky130

New Member
After getting well into the thick of it at Salisbury this weekend, I now have some strange new noises from underneath that weren't there before... :(

Mostly a quite noticeable, low rumbling noise and vibration that is really only prevalent under load, ie hard acceleration or going uphill. Wasn't there before I went wallowing in mud...

I have pressure washed the underside as best I can... The rumbling wasn't immediately apparent after getting back onto normal roads, it's only just started, so I don't think it is down to acute damage of any sort. I've also noticed it seems to be worse when taking a corner... Which is making me think 'diff'? It's difficult to pin down to front or rear... Maybe coming from the middle?

I know I have a leaky oil seal on the rear offside hub, but not sure if going swimming would have affected that at all? I also know that there was a 'seep' from somewhere on the transfer box - but no visible fluid drips or loss worth noting.

I know - difficult to diagnose without hearing or seeing, but was wondering if anyone else has off-roaded their P38 and had similar issues?
 
try cleaning behind your brake shields and inside your calipers - without the pressure washer. Check your rims to, caked up mud in the wrong place can throw everything off balance and equally you may have thrown a weight on the wheel off roading? Seals on transferbox were good before you went swimming?
 
Mud wheels are off and road wheels back on, so not a balance problem. Cleaned the huns off with the hose as well, so no issues there.

I'm hoping it's a UJ but have a sneaky suspicion it might be a diff! What sort of noises can I expect from a failing transfer box, vs a failing diff?
 
You could try draining the oil from the diffs and checking the colour and for presence of bits.

The breather I was talking about on saturday that's missing a section on mine was the front diff breather. Still not worked out what's happened to the top part of it.

I assume you've checked your UJs already?
 
Not gotten underneath it yet.. It's gotten all cold all of a sudden! (yeah, poof, I know!). Just wanted to sound others out for the likely things to check. I'll check the UJs first, then drain the diffs, see what's what.
 
jack one front wheel up and check ,viscous coupling ,you can check cv while wheels up ,wheel bearing wont necessarily show up by hand ,as said check oils ,transfer box faults are a lot rarer than diff or prop ujs ,you should check axle oil condition anyhow after going through stuff like sat
 
I would check water has not got in to rear hub bearing it wont last long if it has if seal has gone bad your also get diff oil contamination to the wheel bearing hopefully it's just a rumbling uj .it needs to have free play to check for play gl
 
Ok, after a little more driving... Rumble is only present within a certain road speed range. Definitely gets worse when taking right-hand bends. Definitely gets better when taking left hand bends. Most prevalent under hard acceleration and going uphill. When coasting, or accelerating gently, in a straight line, it's hardly there at all.
 
normally those symptoms would lead you to check lh wheel bearing

What's the best way to check James? Ordinarily, from previous experience with normal cars, I'd rock the wheel at 12 and 6, then spin and check for noise... Presumably to spin I'd need tranny in neutral, h/b off and front wheels chocked on one of these things?
 
modern type wheel bearings dont allways show symptoms by older type test ,but worth trying ,removing pads helps to hear differerence ,i have a infra red gun checks temp of hub
 
This may sound daft but I had the same thing I bet if its a V8 the exhaust pipes are knocking on the chassis cross rail or the centre mufler on the trailing arm link at the chassis.
if it is the cross rail try replacing your engine mounts if its the mufler undo the joint
prior to it, force over the mufler by wedging a block between the mufler and the chassis
and re tighten the joint.And if its a DSE well im fooked!
 

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