First noticed this in reverse while maneuvering a trailer after a 3 hour drive (trailer was only 2600lbs). Sounded to me like the t-case chain popping teeth, but I was in 2wd....

While coasting forward with the door open, it sounded like a faint dragging sound from the t-case area, but it's hard to really tell with the clatter & exhaust.

I dropped the trailer, and had to make a u-turn, which caused more of the binding and banging. Pulled straight up the driveway, and anytime throttle was applied it would bind/release/bind/realease.. Finally got it (halfway) into the garage, and upon inspection, the front driveshaft bolts on the CV had completely backed out and were gone! D/S was laying on the crossmember.

I thought i had a stroke of luck. Ran to the fastener store, picked up the right hardware, bolted up the D/S, and the same thing.. bind/release. OK, it's not the front axle. (CAD is working fine, shaft spins freely, etc) All u-joints are very good, including the carrier bearing.

OK, t-case is coming out. took it out, and thought the chain is stretched (will be replacing it), everything looks GREAT in there, considering I've got 228k on it. (pics: http://www.rnrfab.com/rich/misc/tcase)

It's currently below freezing here, and the rear axle is outside, but I'm still gonna try and pop the diff cover, see what's going on in there.

Sorry for being so long-winded, I just want to explain myself as clearly as possible.

I think it's either the pinion or a munched spider gear....

 

Yikes!......probably not a spider or side gear problem if the rear is still bang'in away in a straight line.........hate to say it but it sounds like your ring and pinion is munched if the t-case is ok....

 

I just pulled a handful of pinion pieces out of my rear diff yesterday---when it was going bad, it sounded like the t-case was gonna jump through the floor and slap me! I think the driveshaft transmitted the noise forward of where it was originating in the rear end. Needless to say, my ring and pinion kit are on the way

 

Pulled the diff cover... looks perfect in there! (OK, so I need to change the fluid) What look like solids are just bubbly gear oil.



t-case:




Like I mentioned, more on the site...
http://www.rnrfab.com/rich/misc/tcase/

ACK! I'm offically lost!

 

Mine made some really nasty noises when the front wheel bearing went - but it didn't sound like it was the wheel bearing (wheel bearing hub). It was always worse when I turned and got really bad when going in reverse. When it started I had never used 4 wheel drive for about two months but I thought it was from the driveline as well. If I jacked up the front end and tried to turn the wheel you could feel the roughness of the bearing.

Just a guess though. Good luck.

 

I've been fighting my t-case for a year now. My case kept on munching on the fork plastic then sounding really bad. I figured I'd missed a tolerance inside the case, so I finally broke down and took it to a real shop. It turns out that it was just plain worn out at 176k miles. Your case doesn't look that bad -- it doesn't take much wear on each part to make it sound bad. I'd replace the chain while your in there, like you said. However, I think you'll find the problem somewhere else. I ended up replacing mine with a brand new one from Transfer Case Express for $1120 shipped.

HTH,
brandon.

 

Brandon, what were the symptoms you experienced?

 

what about the front axle disconnect,maybe it's partialy engaged and its popping off the splines on the other half of the axle....

 

Oops... I missed this thread!

My symptoms were evident by the brass in the fluid, plastic chunks in the fluid and difficulty shifting the transfercase. The noise it made was a popping/banging noise which made it sound like the drivetrain was coming apart. From the looks of your undamaged syncro, I doubt that it's the 4x4 engaging/disengaging. The chain sprockets do seem a little worn.. is it possible that the chain is binding inside the tcase?

brandon.

 

Is your t-case chain stretched badly?? If there was a lot of slack in the chain you could have those symptoms.

 

Yeah, the chain is stretched pretty bad.. The new one should be here today.

If I wasn't such a pain to get the tailshaft housing off once the t-case is installed, I'm 1/2 tempted to re-assemble the t-case and run it without a chain, just to see if it was the chain...

so is it possible the stretched chain would bind up the works even in 2wd?

 

Welp, got the chain replaced... everything was rotating nicely. Installed and filled the case, filled the rear axle... took it for a quick test drive down the block and back.. well, when I gave it some throttle, it banged & jumped out of gear and made a really bad noise.. shut it down immediately.

It's heading to an ATS-approved tranny shop tomorrow... I give up. I hope they honor the warranty!!

 

Truck is at the tranny shop here in Raleigh (dropped off on Sunday). The tech called ATS on Wednesday morning, (they had other vehicles in before mine, understandable) and supposedly they were waiting to hear back from ATS. TODAY the trans shop, after receiving no callback, again called ATS and were only told to perform a pressure test.

Not too happy so far.

 

What shop in Raleigh is a certified ATS shop??

 

Sent ya a PM...