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Drivetrain Noise in 4Hi

EliRox

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I'm a little stumped and hope that someone can help. I'll try to explain.

I have a manual transmission 2020 with approximately 500 miles (760km) on it since new. It has factory lunchbox lockers front and rear with locking hubs. I mostly drive it in rear wheel drive and about 95% of the driving is off-road (gravel, snow, sand).

I've recently noted that when it is in 4Hi, and in 3rd or 4th gear at mid rpm (coasting or part-throttle) I get a rattling sound from underneath the vehicle from the transfer case area. The noise goes away completely when driveline is under more than half throttle. It doesn't make the sound at all in 4LO or in 2WD. It sounds like something is loose and vibrates at a certain frequency when the it is in the conditions above. It isn't a grinding sound.

I checked all of the fluids and both front and rear diffs were a just little low, the transmission took about 500ml of fluid before overflowing, and the transfer case took probably 750ml (not quite a quart). This is surprising as there is absolutely no evidence of a TC leak (I keep my Roxor in a garage with a concrete floor and have no evidence of any oil on the floor). It must have come from the factory with low fluid level in the TC.

I topped everything up but the noise as described above is still there. Planning on taking it to the dealer but it's a PITA because my dealer is a 4 hour drive away.

Any ideas on anything that I could tighten up or check?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
EliRox
 

Roxor94

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Some people get a rattling noise from a cracked factory oil pan skid plate. Worth a shot to look at it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

EliRox

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Thank you for the info so far. I double-checked the skid plate and it's solid, no cracks. WRT to the engine clatter at 40mph - the noise I'm concerned about is not vehicle speed sensitive, I can replicate it by using 4Hi, 3rd or 4th gear, part-throttle or coasting, hubs locked or unlocked. It sounds like a muffled rattle, something like smaller metal pipe banging around inside a bigger one.
 

Kake America

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Any way you get a video or something so we can hear it too?
 

WillysJeep

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My machine has open axles with Warn hubs. My experience has been:

2WD hubs unlocked. Quiet
2WD hubs locked. Picking up some chatter
4WD high hubs locked under load. Quiet
4WD high hubs locked light load. A LOT of drivetrain lash very noisy
4WD low hubs locked. Relatively quiet

I believe there is just so much metal on metal when the drivetrain does not have a load on it it’s just noisy. With that it also seems that the front axle is the main culprit.
 

Kake America

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I wonder if if one of your hubs is not engaging all the way, maybe try locking the hubs one at time. Or switch back to the factory hubs to see if the sound goes away.
 

WillysJeep

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Thanks Kake. Question to everyone about hubs. Are the hubs supposed to “click” I say that but it is more of a positive thud that you can feel through the hub when you completely engage and disengage? I have noticed that it does not seem to be consistent. My thought was that there may have to be rotation in order for that to happen but I really have no idea. The dealer installed the hubs so I do not have the originals.
 

EliRox

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My machine has open axles with Warn hubs. My experience has been:

2WD hubs unlocked. Quiet
2WD hubs locked. Picking up some chatter
4WD high hubs locked under load. Quiet
4WD high hubs locked light load. A LOT of drivetrain lash very noisy
4WD low hubs locked. Relatively quiet

I believe there is just so much metal on metal when the drivetrain does not have a load on it it’s just noisy. With that it also seems that the front axle is the main culprit.

WillysJeep, that's pretty much what I'm getting. I'm going to try to make a video of it today and post it.
 

Collin S.

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S
Thanks Kake. Question to everyone about hubs. Are the hubs supposed to “click” I say that but it is more of a positive thud that you can feel through the hub when you completely engage and disengage? I have noticed that it does not seem to be consistent. My thought was that there may have to be rotation in order for that to happen but I really have no idea. The dealer installed the hubs so I do not have the originals.
Sometimes they click if things are positioned just right when you engage or disengage. If they don’t click then once you roll slightly they will.
 

EliRox

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Still trouble-shooting this sound. I did replace all of the fluids in the front, rear diffs, TC, and transmission a couple of days ago (750km, 48hrs). The colour of the factory gear oil was interesting (see below). None of the magnetic plugs showed anything unusual (minor filings typical of vehicle brea-in). This Roxor has seen any deep water, perhaps 4-6" once, at a crawling pace, while crossing a small puddle.

I'll include a video of with the sound in the next post.

Transfer Case Fluid
1609825927887.jpeg

Transfer Case Plug
1609825990668.jpeg



Transmission Fluid
1609826124820.jpeg

Transmission Plug
1609826186076.jpeg


Front Diff (Spartan Locker) Fluid
1609826237333.jpeg

Front Diff Plug
1609826267099.jpeg


Rear Diff (Spartan Locker) Fluid
1609826308361.jpeg

Rear Diff (Spartan Locker) Plug
1609826352357.jpeg


1609825927887.jpeg 1609825990668.jpeg 1609826124820.jpeg 1609826163316.jpeg 1609826186076.jpeg 1609826237333.jpeg 1609826267099.jpeg 1609826308361.jpeg 1609826352357.jpeg
 

EliRox

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Hi everyone,

Finally found the issue! It has taken a third-party expert diesel and drivetrain expert shop to figure it out. It turns out that the factory lift kit puts the front driveshaft at too great an angle where it connects (via the u-joint) to the front diff.

They looked at everything on the front end (axles, differential, factory lunchbox locker, and bearings) and finally, with the vehicle on a hoist and powered up with a tech walking under the vehicle with a stethoscope, they were able to record the noise and vibration coming from the front driveshaft.

This troubleshooting started at the dealership and involved a Roxor factory expert. That expert stated that Roxor encountered and knew of the driveshaft angle issue with the factory lift, and their engineers determined that although there's vibration and resonance at certain driveshaft speeds, that it is within specs.

All of this is staying on my file and I will be demanding that should there be a failure of the front driveshaft u-joints or any associated components (pinion bearings, front diff etc), that Roxor acknowledges the factory design issues and corrects the potential failures.

My dealership will be sending all of these findings to Mahindra and I will expect a recall to correct the driveshaft issues. The correction may need a transfer case drop, or a reduction in the factory lift to 2" vice 3".

Anyway, I hope that this helps everyone that has a factory lift kit and may be running into the same issues. If you are, please feel free to contact me and use the video above, and the video that I will be posting in the next day ore two of the techs documenting the problem.

Cheers,
EliRox
 

txroadkill

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Sounds like maybe a double carden shaft or a degree shim might fix your problem. Did the 4x4 shop have a solution? Sometimes it’s best to fix it yourself then seek relief afterwards.
 

EliRox

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Sounds like maybe a double carden shaft or a degree shim might fix your problem. Did the 4x4 shop have a solution? Sometimes it’s best to fix it yourself then seek relief afterwards.

I'm going to get a quote on a double cardon driveshaft and then decide. The shop doesn't make them there, it'd be another shop in town and they need to look at it but estimate less than $1000 (Canadian) for the work. I don't mind fixing it but this is a factory ordered lift and a vehicle with less than 800km on it. I think this is going to be a problem for everyone with the factory lift and so the company should fix it.
 

Dan H.

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Those magnets sure seem to have alot of metal. Mine hardly had anything on it. I would keep an I eye on things for sure.
 

Wm435

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Thank you so much for this post, your a major help. I'm more than certain it's the same issue I'm having. It sounds very identical in nature. But mine is more severe sounding, probably from all the miles I've put on it. But here is the kicker I dont have a lift on it, except for the shackle lift supplied from DF
 
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Wm435

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Sounds like maybe a double carden shaft or a degree shim might fix your problem. Did the 4x4 shop have a solution? Sometimes it’s best to fix it yourself then seek relief afterwards.
where can I find these? I am in need to correct the very same issue I have
 

txroadkill

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@Jesse Torque King 4x4 do you have a possible solution?

Any driveshaft shop can make the shaft but I can’t remember if you’re gonna need a new yoke or not for it to work.

As far as degree shims go you’ll need to look at the shaft and see if they would help. Most likely the bind isn’t there currently (at the axle) but they might possibly be needed in conjunction with the double carden shaft to get the shaft angled right.
 
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