Clicking sound on drive train

[xterraminator]

Just to give you a bit of info running a 4.6 in the back and 4.56 in the front. Everything was going well. On Friday night decided to put it into 4 hi for the first time since I did the SAS. The fastest I ever went in 4 hi was about 20km. After that I noticed(within 5 min) a clicking sound that appears to be coming from the transfer case. When in 4Lo it makes the sound but I have to be going a little bit faster to hear it. 4wd in lo and hi works but the sound I hate. I can make it disappear by releasing the gas pedal and coasting or put it into 2 Hi. I am also finding when putting it from 4hi/4lo to 2Hi i takes awhile for it to disengage out. The last time it took 20 min to finally go into 2HI while it was physically shifted into 2Hi the whole time. I am thinking something is wrong with the transfer case?? How hard is it to remove the transfer case?

 

[Silver dude]

Could have a stretched chain in there. But, you generally notice that as it skips teeth while wheeling hard. Being that you're SAS'd it's not really terrible removing the T case as you don't have to fumble with the torsion bars. I'd check the driveshafts first make sure the bolts are tight and U joints are proper. Regarding your stiff shifting Be sure you're shifting the transfer case while its not under a bind. Chances are your front axle is a slightly different ratio then your rear (SAS) so it will bind even in a straight line. I'd maybe a back up 10ft on a level surface and see if its easier to shift.

If you are convinced the transfer case is toast. Opt for the transfer case from a mid year Hardbody or Pathfinder I got mine out of a 94 Pathfinder the chain is much wider then the Xterra/Frontier boxes. Its almost a bolt on, the 4wd dash indicator will no longer work and you'll need to make new shifter linkage. Worth it in the end and pathfinder boxes are generally lower priced.

 

[xterraminator]

Hi Silver dude, Thanks for the reply. All good points. I might consider putting in the 94 pathy TC some day. When I shift the transfer case I do make sure its not under load. When I go from 4h to 2HI and stop, put it into Neutral then shift into 2Hi. Usually it disengages right away but now it takes time. Because the 4wd portion works the chain must be good because it I not skipping. I will look in the service manual and maybe see what they say. If I had the time I would pull the pan off and see if there is any metal parts.

 

[Silver dude]

Yeah the plugs are magnetic could likely see if chunks are stuck to it. The trans and transfer don't share the same oil there is a seal between to keep them isolated from each other.

 

[xterraminator]

Replaced the TC oil and no metal chucks. Actually the oil was fairly clean. Also replaced the front dif oil and put on a new SOLID cover. I will see how it performs on Saturday to see if the clicking is still there.

 

[xterraminator]

Clicking still around. When in 4 Low the sound gets louder to a point then stays at that level. When coasting the sound almost goes away. When I apply more speed then the sound gets louder, but 4wd works great and does not fail. Might have to pull it out this winter.

 

[metzican]

hmm, does it get faster or slower ever?

 

[xterraminator]

Clicking still around. When in 4 Low the sound gets louder to a point then stays at that level. When coasting the sound almost goes away. When I apply more speed then the sound gets louder, but 4wd works great and does not fail. Might have to pull it out this winter.

Not sure what you mean. If you take the clicking sound away its as if everything was ok. No change in performance. I am actually going to pull the TC out in the next couple of months.

 

[akuria]

Not sure what you mean. If you take the clicking sound away its as if everything was ok. No change in performance. I am actually going to pull the TC out in the next couple of months.

He means does the clicking sound intervals between each click get faster as you speed up and get slower when you slow down. I would also check your locking hubs. They may be shot and can sometimes make a clicking sound when engaged and can have problems disengaging too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[xterraminator]

Yes it does. I don't have locking hubs. It's a sas ' d truck with a Dana axle in the front.

 

[Prime]

Sounds like something in the transfer case to me. Maybe time for crawler gears and new bearings?

 

[UofA_Xterra]

Mine did the same when I did the SAS. It turned out that the Cardan u-joints on the front driveshaft I bought were shot and the Cardan joint was basically shifting around and clicking. Rebuilt the driveshaft and the sound totally went away. Maybe something to look into before you pull the TC. As someone else said pulling the TC really isn't that hard after you have done the SAS, just remember the top TC to transmission bolts are accessed through an access panel inside the cab.

 

[xterraminator]

I was thinking it was a drive shaft but I could check that. The front drive shaft is basically new. Can't think it would be that. When I am in 2Hi the drive shaft still turns, no clicking so I am thinking it is not that. Its only when I am in 4wd hi or lo.

 

[xterraminator]

where is this access location inside?

 

[Muadeeb]

I was thinking it was a drive shaft but I could check that. The front drive shaft is basically new. Can't think it would be that. When I am in 2Hi the drive shaft still turns, no clicking so I am thinking it is not that. Its only when I am in 4wd hi or lo.

I'm assuming your hubs are 100% full time locked since your SAS'd... It may take the loading of the transfer case for the clicking to appear, as the shaft is basically free wheeling when driven by the front diff and disengaged in the T-Case.

 

[Prime]

I'm assuming your hubs are 100% full time locked since your SAS'd... It may take the loading of the transfer case for the clicking to appear, as the shaft is basically free wheeling when driven by the front diff and disengaged in the T-Case.

If I'm not mistaken, his front is a D30? Which doesn't have hubs like we do, or the D44. You're right that the load on the driveshaft could make it click. Get all 4 tires off the ground and put it in gear.

 

[Muadeeb]

May have gotten some of the terms wrong, but yeah. I meant that the wheels are turning the shaft in 2wd like the Gen 2 does.

 

[xterraminator]

Also forgot to mention that it will not come out of 4wd. Have to stop, neutral, shift to 2 hi then drive backwards a few feet then the dash indicator goes out.

 

[xterraminator]

I think it's the TC really.