Banjo rear or brake drum noise?

[Hotrodvideo]

The rebuilt '36 banjo rear end I have in my '32 highboy starting making a clanging noise the other day. Everything is new still, not many miles on the rebuild.

It sounds like someone is hitting a hammer on the LH brake drum.

It only does this when the car is in forward motion.

Could it be as simple as the axle nut not being tight enough or does it sound like something else? I think I have it tightened to 150 lbs.

[Terry,OH]

Could be a couple of things, sounds like it is time to disassemble for an inspection of the axle end, brakes and bearings.

[JM 35 Sedan]

I would set the rear up on jack stands with tires and wheels removed. Start the engine and slowly engage the drive line in low gear to determine if noise is still there and exactly where it is coming from. If the noise still sounds like it's coming from the drum, remove it and see if anything is obviously wrong.
As I started reading your post my first thought was the driveshaft to pinion coupling rivet came loose and was hitting inside the torque tube but don't believe that would make a noise that sounds like it's coming from a drum.

[BobbyG]

Q. Is it a rythmic clang timed with each turn of the wheel ?
This is how mine sounded a few weeks ago - turned out to be a broken pinion tooth.

I narrowed it down by doing what John said above - sitting her on jack stands and turning the wheels - be careful under there though !

It does sound like you may have a strip down for an inspection in your future.

I hope it is not too bad.

Bob

[Hotrodvideo]

Yes it is a rhythmic clang timed with each turn of the wheel.

I'll put it up on jackstands and put a long screwdriver to the torquetube.

The whole rear has been gone thru with new everything.

I used grade 8 bolts with locking nuts instead of pins on the driveshaft coupler just like Vern Tardel suggested.

[BobbyG]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

if it is not in the hub then it is in the banjo, mine was a very dsitinctive noise in the end shook through the whole car and got worse with speed - I had to limp it home in 1st slipping the clutch to keep it from going more than 2 mph+- - took bleedin ages to get it home !!

Good luck

[SUHRsc]

I had a parking brake cable unhook inside once...

Something easy to check atleast!

[Hotrodvideo]

It sounds like it's outside the car, that's why I thought it was in the drum. It shifts and drives fine. No other abnormal noises.

I was thinking it might be the cable smacking on the drum or something like that.

I'm having a tough time trying to get that drum off!!

[SUHRsc]

Pull on the cable with your hand... you'll know if its unhooked... plus the handle should pull back more then usual if its unhooked, also.

[Hotrodvideo]

I tried that, it's very tight. the RH is much looser. hopefully that's all it is?

[Hotrodvideo]

Ok, so I got both rear drums off and found nothing wrong.

I put the '32 on jack stands and ran the engine in gear and had a friend get underneath and listen and it sounds like the noise is coming from the coupler from the pinion to the driveshaft.

My guess is that my chattering clutch loosened up the pin(s) in the coupler so I should probably pull the rear end out and check it.

What do you guys do to support the body/frame while working on it?

Just use jack stands or jacks or steel milk crates?

[Hotrodvideo]

Bump.

Just checking to see how you guys take out support the body while taking the rear end out.

I guess just jack stands should work unless someone else has a safer way?

[JM 35 Sedan]

I used six jack stands when I removed the rear in my fordor sedan to change ring and pinion gears. Two at the front axle, two in middle of the car near the point where rear legs of X member comes into side rails, just before the kick up for the rear axle, and two at the rear of the frame side rails near where the bumper brackets attach. When the rear is completely unbolted, lowered down and ready to roll back, I remove the rear stands long enough to roll the rear completely out from under the car. Then put those rear stands back in place until the rear is ready to go back in. This is the way I do it, others will probably have different methods. I have pictures showing the procedure/steps used to remove and replace the rear if you would like to see them.

[Hotrodvideo]

It's a '32 roadster so it's pretty light but the frame doesn't have much for the jack stand to hold.

Can you post pics JM, if not e-mail me at [email protected], thanks!

[BobbyG]

I lifted mine up with trolley jack - then sat it the frame on axle stands just in front of the bones - do chock the front wheels well - I put a 2nd set of stands under the frame also just in case.

Once I had removed the rear end I slipped a scaffold tube across under the frame and sat that on a couple of stands also - just as a precaution as I was going right under to do some other bits n bobs.

Take your time to make sure that she is well supported and then take some more time and just look to see where else you can support just in case the 1st support fails.

Best of luck with it.

[1931 flamingo]

"the frame doesn't have much for the jack stand to hold." What kind of stands are you using??
Paul in CT

[Hotrodvideo]

I have a few different stands but they are pretty small, I think I'll have to get some more heavy duty ones.

[Mike in AZ]

i think there have been posts in the past, probably on the old Fordbarn, about jackstands....stay away from the stamped metal 3-legged ones....good luck....Mike

[john in illinois]

I use 4 northern tool 12 ton jackstands to support a car at the frame.You do not need that much capacity,but they are very secure and extend to 28 inches,wide pads to saddle frame. That was a good working height when I was welding my AV8 frame too.I just flipped it around on the stands.
They are listed for $79 a pair
John