knocking in drive train/ DRive w/o axle shaft?

farmerzj · 04-03-2007, 06:12 PM

i have this really werid knocking in my 93 lardeo I6. i thought at first that it was my muffler hitting my rear control arm bolt but i fixed that. the Kncoking sound as if it is coming from the drivetrain some where. it starts to get really bad when i hit above 50, i know that its not the streeing becaseue nothing shakes and it feels fine.. it sounds like a really rough metal knock.. i just reaplced both front wheel barrings, ball joints, right side u joint and iam think that it my be the left u joint or one on the drive shaft u joints. or mabye when i replaced the wheel bareing i messed somthing up in the dif. also can i drive in 2WD with out the axle shaft. and not spine out a spider gear cause if i can that would we really cool

**ajmorell** · 04-03-2007, 06:15 PM

How can you drive without the axle shaft?

farmerzj · 04-03-2007, 06:37 PM

your kidding right.....

**ajmorell** · 04-03-2007, 06:44 PM

Nope, literally how can you drive without the axle shaft....it is connected directly to the hub which is connected to the wheel...so, how can you drive without an axle shaft. If you are referring to the drive shaft that is different, and the answer is yes, you can drive with out it.

Ds4x4 · 04-03-2007, 07:44 PM

how bout cv shafts..... could be a broken shaft and you could consider that a knocking sound

**ajmorell** · 04-03-2007, 07:45 PM

The only way I can possibly see driving without the axle shaft is if you have CVs, in which case the shaft is a seperate piece and is not connected via the ujoint.

farmerzj · 04-03-2007, 07:58 PM

okay aj morell the axle shaft is connected via U joint to the wheel barreing the axle shaft provides power to the wheel if you remove the axle shaft which goes axle shaft (connected to wheel baring) u joint, axle shaft (connected to spider gears/diffirentail) the wheel baring/wheel is still connect to the axle and can spin freely... the q i was asking is it safe to drive with out it cause i did move it about 100ft so don't even try and teel my i can't drive it with out it... also if it helps iam talking about the front end

**ArloGuthroJeep** · 04-03-2007, 07:59 PM

If you remove both axle shafts and have a 2wd mode, there is no reason you can't drive like that. Drain the diff oil if you plan on doing that though as it'll leak out into the tubes and all over the road.

Why are you doing this again? Just inspect the u-joints on the axle shafts.

If you suspect the front drive shaft you can temporarily remove that for testing.

farmerzj · 04-03-2007, 08:04 PM

i was replace a the u joint and hammering it out wasn't working so i tryed my dads press(who is a machanic) and busted the u joint houseingwho it happedned i have no idea iam just waiting for the part and wodering if i can drive it

**ajmorell** · 04-03-2007, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmerzj

okay aj morell the axle shaft is connected via U joint to the wheel barreing the axle shaft provides power to the wheel if you remove the axle shaft which goes axle shaft (connected to wheel baring) u joint, axle shaft (connected to spider gears/diffirentail) the wheel baring/wheel is still connect to the axle and can spin freely... the q i was asking is it safe to drive with out it cause i did move it about 100ft so don't even try and teel my i can't drive it with out it... also if it helps iam talking about the front end

IC....sorry I was under the assumption that without the shaft/joint assembly the hub/bearing assembly wouldn't properly function. The more I think about it now, I can see why it would be fine, I really didn't put a whole lot of thought into it. Like Arlo said drain all the fluid or you will have a mess on your hands. I'm also guessing that you should remove the front driveshaft since you wouldn't want the gears moving without a lubricant, but maybe I'm assuming something I shouldn't be again.

**ArloGuthroJeep** · 04-03-2007, 08:11 PM

Well if you had a full-time TC the front shaft would rotate and that would be bad. However if you have a 2wd option (and use it

) it won't rotate and there is no harm keeping it connected.

This is still a silly way to test the axle shafts though.

**ArloGuthroJeep** · 04-03-2007, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmerzj

i was replace a the u joint and hammering it out wasn't working so i tryed my dads press(who is a machanic) and busted the u joint houseingwho it happedned i have no idea iam just waiting for the part and wodering if i can drive it

You HAVE to remove both sides and drain the fluid...just wait until the shaft is replaced.

04-03-2007, 06:37 PM	#3
farmerzj Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: sudz, ma Posts: 25 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	your kidding right.....

04-03-2007, 07:58 PM	#7
farmerzj Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: sudz, ma Posts: 25 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	okay aj morell the axle shaft is connected via U joint to the wheel barreing the axle shaft provides power to the wheel if you remove the axle shaft which goes axle shaft (connected to wheel baring) u joint, axle shaft (connected to spider gears/diffirentail) the wheel baring/wheel is still connect to the axle and can spin freely... the q i was asking is it safe to drive with out it cause i did move it about 100ft so don't even try and teel my i can't drive it with out it... also if it helps iam talking about the front end

04-03-2007, 08:04 PM	#9
farmerzj Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: sudz, ma Posts: 25 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	i was replace a the u joint and hammering it out wasn't working so i tryed my dads press(who is a machanic) and busted the u joint houseingwho it happedned i have no idea iam just waiting for the part and wodering if i can drive it