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Topic: Rear Diff? Noise

in Forum: C3 Driveline Components


Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/7/09 7:13pm Message 1 of 19
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Dutchess County, NY - USA
Joined: 8/27/2007
Posts: 2484
Vette(s): White '79 Corvette. It's a driver.

   My son and I went for a nice ride today in the Vette.  The weather was perfect for some tops off driving in a C3! (High 70's - Low humidity.)

   We put around 50 country road miles on it. Nothing out of the ordinary ie...no large potholes or sudden stops.
 
   When we got home I backed it in to the driveway and for the first time I heard a scraping sound coming from the rear end. "Scrape, scrape scrape" as I rolled backwards. There was no feeling of resistance, just the noise. I rolled it forward and did not hear the noise at all. Rolled it backwards and there it was again. No delay going in to gear or anything like that.
 
   I won't have a chance to put it on a lift for a week. Any suggestions where I start looking?
 
   P.S.   My Vette is a '79 L-48 with a TH-350 trans.



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Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/7/09 7:45pm Message 2 of 19
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Could be the parking brake, or a spindle bearing.
Can you have someone listen to it from outside, on both sides, to determine if the noise can be narrowed down to a particular area?



Joel Adams
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Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/7/09 8:28pm Message 3 of 19
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Dutchess County, NY - USA
Joined: 8/27/2007
Posts: 2484
Vette(s): White '79 Corvette. It's a driver.
Hey Joel,
The scraping noise seemed to come from the right rear.
Tomorrow I'll borrow a neighbor to give it another listen.
The Parking Brake doesn't sound too awful bad but a Spindle Bearing just plain sounds like an expensive fix.
I'll weigh in again tomorrow after some more listening.
Kevin 



Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/8/09 7:56am Message 4 of 19
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Try applying the emergency brake lightly as you roll backwards, and see if the scrape noise changes. That might help pin-point the source. Seems like if it does change it, then the brakes would be the first place to investigate.
Another possibility would be the ujoints in the halfshafts. They can make scraping noises when they get dry.



Every day I learn I know less than I thought I did.
Every time something is made idiot proof. The world produces a better idiot!

Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/8/09 8:11am Message 5 of 19
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Bloomfield Hills, MI - USA
Joined: 6/29/2008
Posts: 199
Vette(s): 1975 Corvette coupe, 4 speed manual, 383 ci 9.5:1,Edelbrock dual plane Air Gap intake, Alum Heads,Comp Cam, roller Rockers, PS,PB,Tilt
I had a scraping noise on my 75 last year. it was the yoke clip in the differential had fallen off, so the yoke moved in and out of the differential and that caused the U joints on the half shafts to come in contact with other parts. Had to do a toatl differential rebuild.


Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/8/09 11:01am Message 6 of 19
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Woodland, WA - USA
Joined: 10/14/2003
Posts: 1171
Vette(s): 1977 T-Top,350,Auto Black Ruby Pearl,Steeroids R&P conversion
I beleive you can check the yokes, with the car jacked up grab the bottom and top of the rear tire and rock top to bottom if there is movement in and out the yokes are worn. Thats how mine was discovered.


Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/8/09 1:39pm Message 7 of 19
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Dutchess County, NY - USA
Joined: 8/27/2007
Posts: 2484
Vette(s): White '79 Corvette. It's a driver.
Me and a friend gave it another listen today.
He noticed a small clicking noise from the right rear when I first let off the brake while it was in reverse. It only made this noise when in reverse and rolling backwards but not in neutral rolling backwards. It's just one "Clickl" sound while releasing the brake followed by the "scrape, scrape, scrape" sounds after it begins to roll backwards.
I got under the car and twisted both half shafts. The passenger side half shaft has a bit more play than does the driver's side.
I'm thinkin' it's one of the U-Joints on the half shaft but I'll try rraider1"s suggestion to check the yokes too.
The E-Brake made no difference but thanks for the suggestion.
Wish me luck on this.
Kevin
 



Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/8/09 2:50pm Message 8 of 19
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Sebago Lake, ME - USA
Joined: 2/15/2007
Posts: 964
Vette(s): 1978 Silver Anniversary L82 4spd (M21) Red Leather. Pace Car is in the hands of a new caretaker.
The side yokes on my '78 were worn pretty bad with just 50k on her. One side was worn right down to the "C" clip. Much more and it would come off. I read poor metal quality those years. Only opened it cause the cover and seals leaked. Nasty looking oil with them metal grindings mixing in. Don't remember any noise in reverse. But the wife says I don't hear much anyway.


Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/8/09 6:44pm Message 9 of 19
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Dutchess County, NY - USA
Joined: 8/27/2007
Posts: 2484
Vette(s): White '79 Corvette. It's a driver.
And I'd have a pretty nice Vette if I was deaf, dumb and blind! LOL
Ah well! I'm lookin' forward to getting it in to the shop for an inspection by a good mechanic.
We'll see.
Kevin



Rear Diff? Noise

Posted: 8/18/09 2:04pm Message 10 of 19
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PERRYSBURG, OH - USA
Joined: 4/23/2004
Posts: 317
Vette(s): 1975 T-Tops,Lite Custom work,Many engine mod. 700R4 trans. body is shaved,17" wheels bf goodrich g-force tires,heavy sway bars front&rear rack&pinion steering,550 slolom springs with gas shocks.
Can anyone tell me just how much play there shood be in the rear yokes. I just came from Bell Tire and the guy there said this my be some of my vibration.


in Forum: C3 Driveline Components


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