Healey Friends,
While on a drive on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, my BN4, no
overdrive, began making a rear end noise that I thought at first
was a flat left side tire. I stopped and checked the tire and wheel,
not flat, nothing loose that I could see. But the sound persisted,
and I believe even got worse, but you know how noises are when
you are a few miles from home. It appeared worse when
decelerating, very noticeable when coasting, but maybe not there
when accelerating. Turning corners did not seem to be better or
worse.
Today I put the rear axle on jacks. With both wheels off the
ground, and the trans in a gear, there was a very noticeable gap of
little resistance for a few degrees when starting to rotate either
wheel, in either direction, then it was just smooth rotation. With
the trans in neutral, this gap was not felt, just smooth resistance
and rotation.
Reaching in through the removed rear seat pan openings, I could
watch the rear of the rear u-joint. If I put manual torque against
the rotation by grabbing the diff. hub, it seemed like there was
no "gap".
I know this leaves a lot to the imagination, but I'm thinking
(hopeing) that I have a u-joint problem, not differential or trans.
I don't know why it would start suddenly...I thought U-joints were
a progressive failure device.
What say you?
Regards,
Gordy
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