For 84 Brat 4spd hi/lo

 

I've posted this before, but I wanted to see if I could get some different responses. When I drive my Brat between 0-25 there is a very noticeable metallic pinging noise that increases with vehicle speed and disappears. The tapping also gets louder as the vehicle warms up, and if I push DOWN on the 4wd shifter/lever the sound almost goes away. I was told this is the shift bushings and I found the sloppy bushings thread but it only talks about replacing the bushings in the actual gear shifter, not the 4wd lever. I'm getting ready to drop my transmission to swap the clutch, replace seals, and do some engine work here soon. I'll have a week so I want to get all the parts I need ready. Is there any link to a guide for replacing whatever bushings are on the 4wd shifter, and gear shifter?

 

I would also like to mention that my gear shifter is sloppy as hell, a lot of play from side to side, but the 4wd shifter is stiff and doesn't seem like the bushings on it are messed up.

-Thanks

Edited November 28, 201114 yr by c0r3f1ght3r
typo

... a very noticeable metallic pinging noise that increases with vehicle speed and disappears. The tapping also gets louder as the vehicle warms up, and if I push DOWN on the 4wd shifter/lever the sound almost goes away. ...

 

That sounds like a Dry / Worn Ball Bearing on the Transmission, or Does the Sound comes from around the universal joint cross?

not sure what universal joint cross is, but when I pulled the rubber boot off and drove the sound seems like it comes from right in front of the drive shaft inside the transmission. It honestly seems like the 4wd lever/shift must be moving around inside or something, because if i push down on the level the noise is barely audible.

Also I've noticed that when I decelerate that there is this uneveness in the back. Its hard to describe. It feels like power is going from one side to the other, the rear passenger wheel feels like its rolling over a small bump as I slow down. Maybe the brakes, maybe a wheel bearing...

Think the 1st thing I would do is check/replace transmition mounts.

Chances are they are the originals, and are weak/saggy or broken.

 

Bad mounts will let the trans sit lower, and put some what of a bind on the 4WD linkages.

The fact that you can change the noise by pushing down on the lever is what made me think of the bad mounts.

 

Could be something totally different, but that's my thought.

Think the 1st thing I would do is check/replace transmition mounts.

Chances are they are the originals, and are weak/saggy or broken.

 

Bad mounts will let the trans sit lower, and put some what of a bind on the 4WD linkages.

The fact that you can change the noise by pushing down on the lever is what made me think of the bad mounts.

 

Could be something totally different, but that's my thought.

 

Well from my observation pushing down on the 4wd lever is causing it to back the rod out a bit more from the trans I would assume since pulling up pushes the rod in.

The 4WD lever is bolted to the body, shift rods run thru, and are attched, to the trans with no real allowance for any mis-alignment.

So weak/bad trans mounts can cause issue there.

 

Bad trans mounts can also cause front drive axle DOJ boot failure from the trans moving around, when it shouldn't be.

 

Like I said, just a thought on possible cause of problem.

Or it could be gearbox noise being transferred to the body by the 4wd lever... When you push down on the 4wd lever you break the contact between whatever it is contacting the body and the body itself, thus no audible noise.

 

The best thing you could do is get under your subi and have a look around to see if anything is fouling on something it shouldn't be.

 

Cheers

 

Bennie