The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Transmission noisy

I have a 1946 three speed transmission. It sounds like you threw a handful of rocks in it. It’s especially noisy when you let off the accelerator. This is true in all gears. I’ve just recently got things to where I could get on the road for working out the bugs. It sat for a few years with GL-5 in it and I’m afraid the brass bushings and such may be corroded. Any thoughts?

Before you jump to conclusions about the transmission, drop the torque tube ball back and take a good look at the universal joint. A loose, badly worn U joint can get incredibly noisy, and a noisy rear end pinion bearing can transmit its noise up the driveshaft and sound like a transmission problem, also.
Jerry

Even the noise from a rear end can travel up to a gear box and then thru the floor board. So, though you think it is the tranny, don't be surprised if you find another source..

Hey Hotrod, how do you diagnose a noisy drive train? I have 1952 Chevy with 113k miles. I am the second owner for the pazt 25 years. the truck has been well cared for and garage kept all of it's life. Although no grinding, smooth shifting, no jumping out of gear and no vibrations, the drive train is developing noises, especially in high gear under a strain. The noise is a whining sound and indicative of a worn bearing. Perhaps as with others, it has/had gl5 gear oil. So how do I process where the noise is coming from? Thanks.

Diagnosing noises in a torque tube axle is a little tricky, since nothing is really accessible without some disassembly. On a conventional open driveline, you can inspect things like universal joints and the pinion flange of the rear end by simply putting the vehicle on a lift and moving and shaking things. About the only thing you can do to check for looseness in an enclosed drivetrain is to put the vehicle in gear with the engine stopped and try to roll it back and forth, looking for slack somewhere. Dropping the rear end cover plate lets you look at the gears and inspect the lube oil for metallic particles, etc., and you can use a magnetic base dial indicator to check for excess slack between the ring and pinion gears.

Now, for noise interpretations- - - -this gets to be a tricky subject, as there's a lot of overlap between parts that can cause similar noises. A steady whine or rumble that doesn't seem to change with throttle load or when coasting in neutral can be rear wheel bearings, or the carrier bearings on each side of the differential case where the ring gear mounts. Noises that increase or decrease with throttle opening are usually related to loose or worn pinion bearings. Worn gears can also create noises that change pitch or seem to go away entirely when the throttle is moved from "pull" to "float" to "coast". I've been listening to rear axle noises since the late 1950's, and I still get fooled on occasion. A torque tube rear end has only one universal joint, and it's contained in a ball-shaped housing at the rear of the transmission case. It also has a roller bearing or a bushing and a seal in the torque tube right behind the u joint. Wear or damage there can also mimic rear axle troubles. I'd begin a diagnosis by inspecting the gears, bearings, and lubricant by dropping the rear cover plate. One sneaky trick to get a good look at the condition of the lube is to put a little of it into a clean white Styrofoam coffee cup, and shine a bright flashlight at the bottom of the cup. Metallic wear debris makes the lube in the cup look shiny. That's not a good sign! Good luck!
Jerry

Thank you sir. not what i wanted to hear but it was what i was expecting to hear. unfortunately, i am experiencing what a lot of folks may be experiencing; age, physical limitations and availability of someone i trust to work on it. as stated, i have owned the truck for 25 years and prior to that the truck was parked in an enclosed barn under cover for the better part of 16 years. to my knowledge the motor or drive train has not been apart. i want to believe it is the enclosed u joint but based only on my thought it may be the most simple repair. the whine seems to be getting worse with the least noise is at 30-35 mph and above 45 mph. coasting with clutch disengaged produces no noise whatsoever. i have read about the okie bearing, know its location but very little else. perhaps you could school me on its purpose. again, Thanks.

The "Okie" bearing is actually a slang name for a replacement part made in Oklahoma that is intended to repair the front bearing just behind the U joint. The driveshaft on a torque tube axle is a long tubular part with a splined solid shaft at the front that engages the U joint. The support bushing rides on the solid shaft and also has a seal to prevent lube from the transmission from migrating back and overfilling the rear end. Depending on the year of the vehicle, some of them can simply be driven in from the front, and the original bearing is just pushed back on the driveshaft where it stays along for the ride. Some years have a couple of dowel pins driven in from the outside of the torque tube that have to be drilled out first. To do a proper replacement, the front bearing must be driven out from the rear with a long piece of pipe, or removed with a special puller after dismantling the rear end. Either way, it's a pretty good-sized job!

I'm not far from Tuscumbia- - - -I live near the Alabama state line and I-65 on the Tennessee side. I rode my Harley through there a little over a week ago on a weekend road trip. If you'd like to take a road trip sometime, I'll be glad to try to help diagnose the noise you're hearing.
Jerry

In it's sincerest form; to have my truck driven and diagnosed by Jerry aka Hotrod Lincoln would be a distinct pleasure. Even more so meeting you. Sounds like I would be imposing on your good nature but will gladly accept your offer. Perhaps our youngest son, who lives near, if not working would be available to ride with you as he also rides Harleys. As for me, i more of a Cushman style. We live in the country about 8 miles south of the Music Hall of Fame, retired and available. Pete 256-436-8150

One of the toys I need to drag out of storage and get back into running shape is made by Cushman- - - -called a "Trackster". It's basically a toy tank that rides on wide rubber tracks and uses two hydrostatic drive units similar to the ones used for zero-turn lawn mowers. A joystick is used for forward/reverse and steering. Originally, Tracksters used a 2 cylinder 2-cycle engine made by OMC, the outboard motor poeple, but mine has been upgraded to a Wisconsin-Robin 4 stroke 2 cylinder. It's a fun toy!

http://www.cushmantrackster.com/home.html

Jerry

Cool toy , drag it out have some fun.

Wow, never knew of the trackster. As a boy of 11 or so I had the step-thru style scooters. We were somewhat poor and by the time I got them they were worn out. I delivered milk house to house off the milk truck on weekends to pay for them. In 2005 or so I restored an old TVA truckster, soon realized I had more in than it was worth so traded it in on a new kubota tractor; good move.

When I was on the maintenance crew of the world's largest winery back in the late 1970's, Gallo in Livingston California, I was in charge of vehicle repair, including three Cushman Trucksters- - - - -two 3-wheelers and a 4-wheeler. Those poor things got terribly abused, used by a 30-something man 3 shift operation covering a production facility and storage tank farm that occupied over 100 acres. We had one spare engine that got swapped out when needed, and the take-out engine got turned in for rebuilding. They were horizontally opposed 2-cylinder air cooled types, sort of resembling half a Volkswagen. I had to come up with all sorts of innovative ways to keep the guys from turning up the governors for a little more speed! Safety wire, and even Loctite on the governor adjustments didn't last long!
Jerry