P38A Front axle noise / rotational grind

The P38 has developed a hum/grind that feels like it is coming front the front axle.

On the straight there is no noise or grind, when i say grind its not that noticable.. yet. i feel it and hear it, its a low tone, not high pitched and only occurs when the wheel is turned, even slightly.

My first thoughts were wheel bearing, however it happens if the wheel is turned a few degrees left or right. there doesnt seem to be a bias. i did get underneath and also give the wheels a firm shake to see if there is any bearing movement, whithout much anticipation as being as heavy as these are.

i slid myself under the front end earlier and the front diff at the propshaft seal shows a fair amount of seepage. Would a worn diff give such a noise. i notice it in the over run also, i.e. when i back off the trottle and the road is driving the drivetrain. would propshaft UJ give such symptoms >

in my MOT a few weeks ago i got an advisory on the ball joints, not a failure, just an advisory. any thoughts ? i'm considering as the ball joints need doing to overhaul the fornt axle. The wife is using it as the baby carrier at the moment !

It could be diff as noise is on overrun as well, might be worth checking the condition of the oil.

Thanks Brian

Mine started off as this until it started to whine, a youtube video said it was front diff but it actually turned out to be u/j's in front propshaft, caps had worn through on one side

Oddly enough I've just written up the symptoms when my UJ failed. See my Hardy-Spicer post.

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/hardy-spicers-ujs.333956/

Doesn't sound quite the same.

If oil is seeping from the diff, is there any oil left in there? They do tend to be noisy with no oil, more so when the wheels are turned left or right as the diff has to cope with the rotational differences.

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keithcanfixit said:

Mine started off as this until it started to whine, a youtube video said it was front diff but it actually turned out to be u/j's in front propshaft, caps had worn through on one side

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that would be chuffing handy if it is i have new UJs to go in

Datatek said:

If oil is seeping from the diff, is there any oil left in there? They do tend to be noisy with no oil, more so when the wheels are turned left or right as the diff has to cope with the rotational differences.

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i'd be inclined to say probably not.

thanks for the input keith i wondered if it was the diff as it was consisent with both left and right steering movements

i'm in a hotel at the moment, as I'm Catterick Garrison for work as i'm leaving doing a handover and start new job next week. planning on pulling the diff cover this week and having a looky look.

seeing as my ball joints need doing, i'm toying with the idea of an axle swap. there's one the bay at the moment for £130 from 80k miler.

Grrrrrr said:

Oddly enough I've just written up the symptoms when my UJ failed. See my Hardy-Spicer post.

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/hardy-spicers-ujs.333956/

Doesn't sound quite the same.

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thank you for the write up i'll use it

Noise increased by turning right or left on mine, more right than left from memory so did think diff was suspect or cv's but prop it was, itslike driving a totally different vehicle now thank God

Just to follow up.

I changed the diff oil a couple of weeks ago it came out quite clear which is good.

Finally had a period where it's not raining and not at work and jacked it up to have a look through the drive train.

At 140k the propshaft joints have no play, the viscous coupling test shows a good result CV joint rubbers unspoilt and unperished and the driver side wheel bearing gives about 1mm of play. the nearside none. diagnosis would dictate that the wheel bearing noise is in fact a wheel bearing!

And of course it makes sense to do both front bearings as with the same mileage the nearside will not be far behind.

Seeing as the hub will need to come off for the wheel bearing it makes sense to do the ball joints at the same time.

I'm thinking of bearing replacement rather than the whole hub. a few years back a replacement hub was close to 300.

Edit to add: island do a hub with a Timken bearing for 175.!

So do shop4autoparts.

Buy the complete hub5 adam i did my bearing fitted new timken bearing but i had access to a 30 tonne press and it was still a ball acke and i had to grind a bit off the hub to get it in the press.

Just do the one for now nothing to say the other will let go any time soon. Then again you do like to over cover all options lol

yeah thats what i decided to do. i cant get hold of my guy with the ball joint press so will leave that until another occasion. i'm wondering though, the ball joints were flagged for movement on the same wheel. i'm wondering the the ball joints are good but it was the bearing movement they caught

ukadamwest said:

yeah thats what i decided to do. i cant get hold of my guy with the ball joint press so will leave that until another occasion. i'm wondering though, the ball joints were flagged for movement on the same wheel. i'm wondering the the ball joints are good but it was the bearing movement they caught

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Another case of NVQ mechanics doing MOT's i suppose.

wammers said:

Another case of NVQ mechanics doing MOT's i suppose.

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Mm, No Value Qualification

tomcat59alan said:

Mm, No Value Qualification

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Or, Not Very Qualified. When i did MOT's you had to have served a five year apprenticeship and been out of it two years to even be considered. Looks like standards have dropped.

wammers said:

Or, Not Very Qualified. When i did MOT's you had to have served a five year apprenticeship and been out of it two years to even be considered. Looks like standards have dropped.

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I had to educate a young lad who was moting the E type, he wanted to advise on play in the front wheel bearings. I explained they were taper bearings and were meant to have a little play otherwise they would seize, I dont think he believed me because he went and asked his dad who said he should listen and learn.

tomcat59alan said:

I had to educate a young lad who was moting the E type, he wanted to advise on play in the front wheel bearings. I explained they were taper bearings and were meant to have a little play otherwise they would seize, I dont think he believed me because he went and asked his dad who said he should listen and learn.

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Yep five thou to push the pads back.