The Ford Barn

Colonel Biggs · 08-16-2014, 09:24 PM

A couple of years ago I started picking up a low growl in second and, particularly, high gears. I lived with this for a bit, but I’m a perfectionist (unfortunately). The growl to me seemed bearing related, but I had restored the vehicle from the ground up only 400 miles earlier. The intensity of the noise was greatest around the transmission area of the car, but it also extended down the torque tube somewhat to the differential.

In explaining my situation to Tom K. at Bratton’s (who rebuilds their transmissions) and to Les Andrews, both seem convinced that it was a transmission-related problem (no doubt the second and high sliding gear), as opposed to a rear end problem. I concurred, so I performed a total rebuild of the trans – with both Tom K. and Les offering outstanding advice. Needless to say, after installing the trans and cranking up (car still on jack stands), the growls were still there.

In using one of NAPA’s stethoscopes, the noise appears loudest at the front of the torque tube where the drive shaft roller bearing is situated, but there is also some noise down at the differential. (There is almost no noise at the trans nor at the universal joint.) I did a total rebuild of the rear end at the time of the restoration (replacing bearings, bearing cups, pinion gears et al), so I am “hopeful” that the noise is not emanating from the rear of the car and coming up the torque tube (refer to my article in the January-February 2004 issue of The Restorer, if you are so inclined, but it’s bedtime reading only!).

I could start by pulling the rear end back again and checking the drive shaft roller bearing, although I don’t think that this bearing receives that much stress. The growl does cease when I throw out the clutch. I’m trying to think of other tests that I might conduct before gyrating to the differential.

This one has me baffled!

Gordon

08-16-2014, 09:24 PM	#1
Colonel Biggs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 158	Can't seem to locate a growl A couple of years ago I started picking up a low growl in second and, particularly, high gears. I lived with this for a bit, but I’m a perfectionist (unfortunately). The growl to me seemed bearing related, but I had restored the vehicle from the ground up only 400 miles earlier. The intensity of the noise was greatest around the transmission area of the car, but it also extended down the torque tube somewhat to the differential. In explaining my situation to Tom K. at Bratton’s (who rebuilds their transmissions) and to Les Andrews, both seem convinced that it was a transmission-related problem (no doubt the second and high sliding gear), as opposed to a rear end problem. I concurred, so I performed a total rebuild of the trans – with both Tom K. and Les offering outstanding advice. Needless to say, after installing the trans and cranking up (car still on jack stands), the growls were still there. In using one of NAPA’s stethoscopes, the noise appears loudest at the front of the torque tube where the drive shaft roller bearing is situated, but there is also some noise down at the differential. (There is almost no noise at the trans nor at the universal joint.) I did a total rebuild of the rear end at the time of the restoration (replacing bearings, bearing cups, pinion gears et al), so I am “hopeful” that the noise is not emanating from the rear of the car and coming up the torque tube (refer to my article in the January-February 2004 issue of The Restorer, if you are so inclined, but it’s bedtime reading only!). I could start by pulling the rear end back again and checking the drive shaft roller bearing, although I don’t think that this bearing receives that much stress. The growl does cease when I throw out the clutch. I’m trying to think of other tests that I might conduct before gyrating to the differential. This one has me baffled! Gordon