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Drivetrain Roaring Noise driver's side '86 GL Wagon 4wd 5Spd


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I'm getting a loud roaring noise on the driver's side in the front end. Both axelshafts are new. Trans is original. 164,000 miles. 4WD works fine. New wheel bearings on pass side about a year ago. Original wheel bearings on driver's side. Front end alignment is fine. When I accelerate, the car pulls to the left, if I shift to nuetral the pull goes away. When driving, if I turn the wheel just a bit to the right, the roaring noise will stop. If I occilate the steering wheel when driving you can hear the roaring noise come back and then go away. At highway speeds the car will pull to the left when driving but like I said if I take it outta gear and just coast the car has no pull at all but still get the roaring noise that can come and go as I turn the wheel.

Is it my tranny? Do I need new wheel bearings on the driver's side?? Could there be a chance of missmatched axelshafts?? (everyone knows how quickly these old Subies can go through axelshafts) There is no play in the drivers side wheel when you rock it while parked. Maybe a worn spindle??

Hope someone in the USMB cn help ...............Regards, Chongo

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  • 6 years later...

from own experience aand what I read in this valuable forum, is the front differential (the bearings are worn) and that cause the noise. Why? the differential lost oil somehow.

You have to

1 chenge the bearings inside the differential

2 get a new differential (if can be sold separated from the transmission), or

3 get a new transmission,

good luck, and since I have the same problem please share your info if you know about a place to get either the differential or the tranmission

thanks

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Classic wheel bearing. You will rarely feel play in EA series wheel bearings because there are two and likely only one has failed - unlike tapered roller bearings on a spindle the entire assembly will not loosen till BOTH wheel bearings have failed and not just a little wear either - you would have to have serious failure on both bearings to introduce any play to the wheel. Additionally the parking brake is on the front wheel and most people forget to disengage the parking brake when checking wheel bearings - the brake locks the rotor/hub/wheel to the knuckle and no play will be felt.

 

Front diffs rarely fail, and the noise couldn't possibly change when steering if that were the case.

 

GD

Edited by GeneralDisorder
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