UJ's Propshafts Vibrations

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Al2O3

Al2O3

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Despite the oil burning issues, my rebuilt engine is much smoother and quieter than before.
This has drawn my attention to minor vibrations on acceleration, because I can hear and feel them now! :eek:
It's not too bad, but as the revs go up there's vibration and it sort of puts you off wanting to get a few more mph out of that gear. Plus, it would be nice to have other areas of the Landy quietened down a bit to compliment the engine.
I've always greased the UJ's and props every 6k as part of the service. In 12 years of owning the Landy and 100k miles covered, I've never changed a UJ :eek: I presume they'll get a bit of leverage applied for the MOT and they've never developed any knocks.
So, I'm wondering how transformational, in terms of vibration removal, is it when you change the UJ's? I'm talking not wrecked ones, but they must be worn. I could also look to see if there are marks where balance weights have fallen off the props.
When I take it out of gear and coast it's smooth and vibration free. Are the UJ's and props the right things to be looking at?
 
Al2O3 said:
Despite the oil burning issues, my rebuilt engine is much smoother and quieter than before.
This has drawn my attention to minor vibrations on acceleration, because I can hear and feel them now! :eek:
It's not too bad, but as the revs go up there's vibration and it sort of puts you off wanting to get a few more mph out of that gear. Plus, it would be nice to have other areas of the Landy quietened down a bit to compliment the engine.
I've always greased the UJ's and props every 6k as part of the service. In 12 years of owning the Landy and 100k miles covered, I've never changed a UJ :eek: I presume they'll get a bit of leverage applied for the MOT and they've never developed any knocks.
So, I'm wondering how transformational, in terms of vibration removal, is it when you change the UJ's? I'm talking not wrecked ones, but they must be worn. I could also look to see if there are marks where balance weights have fallen off the props.
When I take it out of gear and coast it's smooth and vibration free. Are the UJ's and props the right things to be looking at?
Click to expand...
When you are coasting the props are still rotating at the same rate so I don't think a lost balance weight would cause any difference between power on and power off. A worn UJ could conceivably cause some vibration if it were worn unevenly and transmitting a lot of torque but I would still be surprised. Are you sure its not just engine vibrations you are feeling? If you coast with it in gear with the clutch pedal down then all the gearboxes are still rotating at the same speed.
 
If theres no play and the props spin freely then the u/js arent the cause of your noise/vibrations, the prop itself of course could be bent (doubtful) or the slider section could be worn out, quite likely but worn slider sections tend to make most noise/vibes on the overrun.

Whenever I read of people with knackered u/js I always think ****, a grease gun would be a lot cheaper but people cant see it!

Not unusual to see trucks ate work with a million kms on the clock on original sealed prop u/js.
Conversely just changed my 122k D3 rear prop and the u/j was proper knackered but had no signs of problems when fitted to the car.

New cheapo britpart props arent dear at all, Ive got them on my 90 and the series both with no issues.
 
Kwakerman said:
When you are coasting the props are still rotating at the same rate so I don't think a lost balance weight would cause any difference between power on and power off. A worn UJ could conceivably cause some vibration if it were worn unevenly and transmitting a lot of torque but I would still be surprised. Are you sure its not just engine vibrations you are feeling? If you coast with it in gear with the clutch pedal down then all the gearboxes are still rotating at the same speed.
Click to expand...

lynall said:
If theres no play and the props spin freely then the u/js arent the cause of your noise/vibrations, the prop itself of course could be bent (doubtful) or the slider section could be worn out, quite likely but worn slider sections tend to make most noise/vibes on the overrun.

Whenever I read of people with knackered u/js I always think ****, a grease gun would be a lot cheaper but people cant see it!

Not unusual to see trucks ate work with a million kms on the clock on original sealed prop u/js.
Conversely just changed my 122k D3 rear prop and the u/j was proper knackered but had no signs of problems when fitted to the car.

New cheapo britpart props arent dear at all, Ive got them on my 90 and the series both with no issues.
Click to expand...

Thanks gents.
The coasting was at 60mph out of gear. So, learning from what you've said, props probably ok. Vibrations are on acceleration when it's obviously under load.
Could be the engine when it's under load I suppose. Hmmm.........it's not bad vibration, just something that is drawing my attention.
 
See if you can bar the engine or gearbox of the rubber mounts
Problem with defenders as they are noisy to start with pinning down noises can be difficult.
 
lynall said:
See if you can bar the engine or gearbox of the rubber mounts
Problem with defenders as they are noisy to start with pinning down noises can be difficult.
Click to expand...
Sorry, lynall, do you mean rule them out?
After reading your and kwakerman's posts earlier I did start wondering about the engine and box mounts. I replaced them just over a year ago. They are Britpart ones. When first fitting them one of the studs sheared off with little torque on it and I took it back for a replacement. The rubber might be too hard?
 
Don't underestimate the amount of vibration that can come from worn UJ's.....I am about to change the front one on our remaining 110 (delivered today - fit in a day or so) when you put your foot in the accelerator the engine torque is transfered to the props, as a diesel generates quite a shunt on the drive train on each bang of the cylinders, you get a lot of juddering through the props and worn UJ's , when you lift off - as the engine torque demand is reduced, the props are free to rotate and move around a bit without constantly being banged about by the engine torque.....hence the vibration goes.

Heavy acceleration can feel like the thing is going go bang and she shakes and shudders in cases of extreme wear.....

Get her on the flat, handbrake off, place chucks an inch from the front of a tyre and an inch behind same tyre (for safety incase she begins to roll) and climb under - grab the prop and rotate, push and pull and also put lateral load into the UJ's and see how much movement there is, even a small/tiny amount is cause for replacement.
 
Saint.V8 said:
Don't underestimate the amount of vibration that can come from worn UJ's.....I am about to change the front one on our remaining 110 (delivered today - fit in a day or so) when you put your foot in the accelerator the engine torque is transfered to the props, as a diesel generates quite a shunt on the drive train on each bang of the cylinders, you get a lot of juddering through the props and worn UJ's , when you lift off - as the engine torque demand is reduced, the props are free to rotate and move around a bit without constantly being banged about by the engine torque.....hence the vibration goes.

Heavy acceleration can feel like the thing is going go bang and she shakes and shudders in cases of extreme wear.....

Get her on the flat, handbrake off, place chucks an inch from the front of a tyre and an inch behind same tyre (for safety incase she begins to roll) and climb under - grab the prop and rotate, push and pull and also put lateral load into the UJ's and see how much movement there is, even a small/tiny amount is cause for replacement.
Click to expand...
Cheers, Saint. I've been watching the Land Rover Toolbox videos about prop shafts and uj's on Youtube. I'll take the props off and check them. I've religiously greased them for 12 years. However, they must be worn despite my regular 6k greasing.
 
I replaced the rear prop UJ on my 90 this week.

Had taken it off to check the rear output seal on the T box. while checking the prop found the smallest bit of slack on the rear UJ, changed it, I like to think it runs better now. Then again that could just be wishful thinking.

Just make a note of which way the grease nipple is pointed when you refit the replacement if you do change one.

Cheers
 
neilly said:
I replaced the rear prop UJ on my 90 this week.

Had taken it off to check the rear output seal on the T box. while checking the prop found the smallest bit of slack on the rear UJ, changed it, I like to think it runs better now. Then again that could just be wishful thinking.

Just make a note of which way the grease nipple is pointed when you refit the replacement if you do change one.

Cheers
Click to expand...
Did you buy GKN replacement?
 
Yes, had one in the toolbag for 3 years thought I may as well use it, then got a replacement for the toolbag cost £11.

Cheers
 
Al2O3 said:
Despite the oil burning issues, my rebuilt engine is much smoother and quieter than before.
This has drawn my attention to minor vibrations on acceleration, because I can hear and feel them now! :eek:
It's not too bad, but as the revs go up there's vibration and it sort of puts you off wanting to get a few more mph out of that gear. Plus, it would be nice to have other areas of the Landy quietened down a bit to compliment the engine.
I've always greased the UJ's and props every 6k as part of the service. In 12 years of owning the Landy and 100k miles covered, I've never changed a UJ :eek: I presume they'll get a bit of leverage applied for the MOT and they've never developed any knocks.
So, I'm wondering how transformational, in terms of vibration removal, is it when you change the UJ's? I'm talking not wrecked ones, but they must be worn. I could also look to see if there are marks where balance weights have fallen off the props.
When I take it out of gear and coast it's smooth and vibration free. Are the UJ's and props the right things to be looking at?
Click to expand...
balance weights make no difference , phase of the joints or one seizing may well
 
Without knowing what sort of milage the uj's have done I'd say it's well time to change them anyway after 12 years.
Just because you grease them every 6k miles don't mean to say one or other of them isnt running dry, I often have great trouble getting grease into all the cups. Might just be my problem though.
 
frog hopper said:
Without knowing what sort of milage the uj's have done I'd say it's well time to change them anyway after 12 years.
Just because you grease them every 6k miles don't mean to say one or other of them isnt running dry, I often have great trouble getting grease into all the cups. Might just be my problem though.
Click to expand...
My thoughts too. Just never noticed it as a problem before. I can hear the radio now anorl!
 
frog hopper said:
Just because you grease them every 6k miles don't mean to say one or other of them isnt running dry, I often have great trouble getting grease into all the cups. Might just be my problem though.
Click to expand...
I would second this, I regularly grease mine, before and after off roading, and every couple of months or so when I am doing other things, but every time I have changed one there are always two cups full of grease and two cups full of rusty dust!
 
12 years/100k is fantastic for a set of UJs in my experience. If you want to be paranoid about sounds/vibrations you've got the right vehicle! (don't forget to worry about the CV joints)
 
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