Anybody hear of transfer case noise with the crawler gears, no twin case. I recently installed a AA 4.0 setup and have a noise that sounds like a broken spedometer cable. It happens most noticibly in 3rd, then 4th, 2nd. I get little noise in 5th and none in 1st. There is no noise in Low, only in 2 hi and 4 hi.

As a note I have changed the fluid after 200 miles and not a spec of metal. Little RTV mash, less than a gram, noise still there after change.

I have heard tell of out of round gears? BTW no vibrations from transfer of trans.

A little help from those that know or have a gear would be great. For those that have a gear, do you have noise. Is this expected?

I have the AA 4:1 gears, and haven't heard any noise from them any worse than a bit of gear whine, most noticeable in 4th and 5th gears, low range.

Since you say you don't hear the sound in Low, I'd think the problem has to be somewhere else, not in the low-range gear set.

if its in high range the crawler gears arent turning. Sounds like something got messed up during install

This a new thang? 4:1's?:smokin:

OK, I put a set of 4:1 in my truck and had no noise. A friend put his in and had a very noticable noise. He stressed over this, called AA and they said to call Marlin. Marlin didn't help, He then took it to Jack at JPeater (even though he has a Marlin). And because Jack is an AA Dealer, He convinced AA to warrenty the gears. AA then all of a sudden changed their tune from - your install must have gone wrong - to OK we are having a problem with the gears being eccentric on the shaft. (Gears were not bought from Jack either) The way to tell if this is your problem, unfortunately means you have to remove the transfercase with crawler box. Then, put it in gear and rotate the shaft by hand, if you feel it turn smoothly, and then bind a little, and then go smoothly again you have bad gears. His second set of gears had no issues, but he fought with this for at least a month. Good Luck.

As a side note, he had a little noise in first, but the noise got louder as he went up in gears - same as you.

I have a dual case, with an sm465, if those gear WERE noisey i would not ever know...

I bet all that noise has more to do with the "scissor gear" or lack there of. It just means you may have noise....the case will still last for 300,00 miles.....just a little noise. I'm surprised Marlin didn't mention that.

Off the record, may I add some insight to our old gear problems.
I remember my dad being plagued with this reoccurring problem.

Many times My Dad would do what it took to correct the gear run out on his former 4.70:1 gears.
You are correct; the problem is caused by excessive gear run out that can be felt by hand. He had gear sets that after installed wouldn’t even roll together!! He could tell how the old gear sets would sound by rotating them in a special assembled test case.
Improper machining and heat-treating procedures can cause many problems. I do not believe that AA checks any of their gears when they come from their gear cutter. My dad used to spend hours upon hours custom matching his old gear components to produce a sellable complete matched set without the risk of a come back.
I believe Marlin has addressed this problem with AA (My Dad also has had run out on some 4.0 AA gears for they were from the same gear cutter). AA happily warranted the 4.0 gear set and all was taken care of! :smokin:

Regards,
BigMike

Originally posted by ZUK
I bet all that noise has more to do with the "scissor gear" or lack there of. It just means you may have noise....the case will still last for 300,00 miles.....just a little noise. I'm surprised Marlin didn't mention that. Why would or should Marlin answer questions about someone elses gear sets, even though we know he would. I have heard of 5-6 AA gear sets with excessive run out. You get what you pay for!!!:rasta:

Ok, I have heard this out of round story before, but did not want to believe it was mine.

If I told you when it is cold outside I get the noise in the gears listed whether on or off the gas, but when really warm only when on the gas would this solidify any ideas?

I have turned the driveshafts with rear, the trucks, off the ground and trans in neutral. I do get a slight hesitation, slight, but the place where that happens seems to slightly change every other round. I thought this was a little error prone due to the inertia of the drive line and tire and my lack of smooth acceleration given my chimp like paddling of the driveline.

If this is true, and the dealer I bought them from postly informed me of a "noise" then shouldn't they be sold with ear plugs to make some sort of point if it were "normal". My problem is that I don't know if the noise they are supposed to make is equal to the noise I hear. I guess a tape of the noise would also be important. :eek: What about resell to the college puke latter on. He or she will never get it. I think a certificate of noise would also be required.

I may solve this by adding those bike spoke noise makers to my drive line. Actually I am not happy about this.

4Ran,

As your t/case warms up, the gear oil will thin. We advise 80/90w GL5 or Synthetic gear oil.

If your 4.0:1 gear set is indeed out of round, then it would get worse as the oil heats up because the oil becomes thinner and the preload of the gears would increase creating even more backlash. This would surly amplify any gear noise.

Other things could be are you running a short bed? How's your pinion and drive line angles? Sometimes a vibration does not occur even though drive line angle problems are present. Do you have any cracks in your frame? body? motor mounts? loose u-bolts? center pin bolts? shackle mounts? bellhousing bolts, t/case to body interference, etc.

Hope you can get it resolved soon!
BigMike

Originally posted by NE-RokToy
if its in high range the crawler gears arent turning. Sounds like something got messed up during install

The low range gears are always turning no matter what gear or range (2wd/4wd). :trooper:

Regards,
BigMike

i think that when you got after market gears (any ) they don't have the backlash plate. the thing that goes on the rear part of the counter shaft(lower gear) and that may cause a little niose like the early t-case???


Cliff

Hey Cliffy boy

you are refering to the run quite gear sets from 1984.5 - 1995.

but he said that his gears would get tight and then free again as he turned them. The run quites would maintain a constant feel of backlash throught out its revolution.

Hey 4Ran, I hope its something silly and over looked! always happens to me that way :emb4:

Regards,
BigMike

I have/had the run quiet series, 1985 4 Runner, 5 spd, and yes it did have the skill saw looking blade attached to the shaft, the counter balance I assume.

Did the early years have a noise in 2hi 4 hi that could sound like a broken speedometer cable, a dull rotational sound.

Big Mike, sounds like you are ruling out the gears as you thought the oil when hot would cause more noise. I would think the oppisite that it would be finer and allow the gears to mesh better. I am running the 80/90 GL5.

BTW I appreciate everyones input.

On a rule out basis.

Can't be the trans, doesn't make noise in 3rd in 4low, or other gears 2nd, 4th.

Can't be anything not related to warming and getting (quieter), I therefore rule out loose parts, motor mounts, etc. Probably something with fluid and significant temp change. The motor can also be ruled out (Not in 4low and also sound comes from das boot area.)

Question does a "warm" driveline change characteristics? I would think not.

Any other, and serious, rule outs.

Originally posted by 4Ran
I would think the oppisite that it would be finer and allow the gears to mesh better.

It will mesh better because the oil is thinner hence more space is available to the teeth to move and the oil film is ligher weight and eaiser to spin through. However, since the teeth have more room to move (ie. not as tight of backlash) now if you go from coast to drive and then back to coast, when the teeth rebound and pull back against on another, there is less protection from the thinner oil to effectively 'deaden' gear clatter or noise. Thicker oil will 'pad' gear sounds but it is not good. It will also overheat sooner, not be able to get into small spaces around needle roller bearings, flow slower, require more energy to push, etc.
Imaging running water in there. Apart from the lubrication and heat factors, I would imagine it would be very loud and very noisy! But the point I was making was that when your engine warms up and your drivetrain warms up, the oils thin out and if your goose is loose or worn out (or possibly in this case, out of round gear shafts), then it will clatter.

Regards,
BigMike

Originally posted by BigMike
The low range gears are always turning no matter what gear or range (2wd/4wd).

Yup. Often times, though, if they're disengaged (high range) from the output, there's less noise from them, maybe 'cause they're just freespinning, and not under load?

you guys are overlooking the obvious.......................your stereo is not loud enuff. :flipoff2:

just run em until some thing breaks then you will know what part is bad,

Originally posted by camo
you guys are overlooking the obvious.......................your stereo is not loud enuff. :flipoff2:

just run em until some thing breaks then you will know what part is bad,
Do i hear an AMEN!!

Originally posted by crash

Do i hear an AMEN!! AHEM!!!!! I had to take the boot off my twin stick because something did not feel right, the sticks were very loose, and the four Allen bolts had come un-done. Well I did not put the boot back on and all kinds of strange noises come from the t-case and tranny. It still moves in all the gears and all the t-case positions so I just finished the trip with the stereo cranked up a bit more, unless my wife was driving, makes here nervous. Do not know why, just some soothing “Dead” licks!!!!!!! :D :smokin: :D