More ute questions for the mechanic types...

[Neka79]

since i kno bugger all abt cars, and u lot kno a little bit, im asking for assistance again...
when i recently had the ute serviced and the front struts fitted, i asked abt a funny noise coming from the rear..Greeny seemed to think it was rear wheel bearings..so they had a look see and told me that the thing needs new wheel bearings, and more than likely new diff bearings while its apart...

they also commented that this may be causing what i thought was the transmission to slip, by not getting good drive... so ive been trying to save the $800 that its gunna cost to fix..mind u everytime i get a bit of coin the the bank i spend it on the zed or bloody nitro cars

so what i wanna kno is this...is $800 a fair price for parts and labour to replace wheel and diff bearings, and i assume in the process a diff fluid change etc... i wouldnt have a clue on the price of parts, but surely $800 is a bit steep??...

NO...i cant do it myself cos i dont have the
1.time
2.tools
3.knowledge
4.space
5.trust in doing shit on cars myself

thanks in advance (i reckon smitty will be the 1st one to reply- and hes ussually good at the advice thing )

[Smitty]

Nath

if its BOTH the axle (wheel) bearings and the internal diff (side and pinion) bearings
being replaced...$800 for parts and labour is pretty reasonable
the bearings are pretty exxy...especially the internal diff ones
and the labour is a killer too...you have to pull the diff completely apart to replace
the bearings and then you have the job of re-setting it so it does not tear itself to bits
the 1st time u drive it

anyone think to look at a complete changover diff...??? might be cheaper


hth


Smitty

[scotty14]

G'day mate.
Just reading your post, and it sounds like there spinning you a yarn.

I have 24 yrs as a machanic and the 2 machanics sitting next to me have 45 years between them and they agree.

This is the way i see it.... Holden have had diff problems for years now, If it's the rear wheel bearings, the noise will change when your driving through corners. Find a nice quite street get the vehicle to about 60 to 80 k's and get the vehicle to sway left and right and listen for the noise to change tone. if the wheel bearing are u/s there will be a growling type noise in the middle of the sway.

As for the tranny. the diff will have no affect on the shift change of the transmission. If the the transmission is slipping, then the problem is in the trany.

As for diff bearing. The last diff I had rebuild cost about $1500.00(trade price to me). also you need to know what your doing when it comes to identiying a diff problems.

Sounds to me you need to find a machanic who knows what he is talking about...

[Smitty]

This is the way i see it.... Holden have had diff problems for years now, If it's the rear wheel bearings, the noise will change when your driving through corners. Find a nice quite street get the vehicle to about 60 to 80 k's and get the vehicle to sway left and right and listen for the noise to change tone. if the wheel bearing are u/s there will be a growling type noise in the middle of the sway.

agree....or remove rear wheel and disk rotor and measure axle runout with dial indicator

As for the tranny. the diff will have no affect on the shift change of the transmission. If the the transmission is slipping, then the problem is in the trany.

Nath..note this
coz its abso spot on

As for diff bearing. The last diff I had rebuild cost about $1500.00(trade price to me). ...

new gears and maybe spiders (if an open diff) in that price I would suggest
coz
I have just rebuilt the 'BIG' Holden Salisbury in my VK track car total parts were about $275
.. the wheel bearing kits (SKF from memory) were about $30 a side, the hemisphere bearings about
the same and the bloody pinion bearing/spacer like $100 (and just about unobtainable..I bought 2
while I was at it) + gaskets + 2.5 litres of Penrite LSD oil. The LSD was tight and the crown wheel and pinion were 'nice'
so they got re-used.(anyway...new crowns and pinions for large Holden Salisburys are like Hens teeth )


cheers

[Shaman]

Nath,

When I had the VX, I got a complete diff changeover from 3.08 single-spinner IRS gearing to 3.46 LSD IRS from a wrecked car and it cost me $680 all up, with old one removed and new (second-hand) LSD fitted. Didn't give me a problem in 2 years and then I sold the car. It's risky, but it worked for me and is cheaper... plus you get extra acceleration Just keep in mind your speedo will be about 12% out and will require correction (which cost me $60 from Gilberts when it was by the Mt Barker off-ramp).

Personally I'd look around somewhere like Black Diamond Auto (ALWAYS have good prices and quality warranties on parts) or try the Street Commodores forum and see if anyone is getting rid of a diff to suit a VN. Live-axle is heaps cheaper than an IRS rear end, too, not to mention more hard-wearing.

Gogo Ford 9"! (The ONLY thing they make well )

[aggerz]

Good post Scottie, your're right on the money..

Trans slip would never be caused by the diff, I work for Ford Warranty dept, we would slap our dealer stupid if they tried to tell us something like that..

Gogo Ford 9"! (The ONLY thing they make well )

Agreed, pity the diffs in current models don't share the same indestructible trait.

[Smitty]

Gogo Ford 9"! (The ONLY thing they make well )

Agreed, pity the diffs in current models don't share the same indestructible trait.

funny that.......................... Holden have the same problem with their current diffs also
(I am on #3 with the SS)
maybe sumfing to do with them coming from the same place

[Neka79]

Good post Scottie, your're right on the money..

Trans slip would never be caused by the diff, I work for Ford Warranty dept, we would slap our dealer stupid if they tried to tell us something like that..

Gogo Ford 9"! (The ONLY thing they make well )

Agreed, pity the diffs in current models don't share the same indestructible trait.

fark it...ill get them to do all the bearings...

the tranny slip was sumthin i suspect- its not a slip like when u change gear, its when u go to take off from stanstill theres a feel that it isnt hooking up at the back end.... thats what made me think he could be right...

as Scotty said- when i go round corners it DOES thump and clunk..it was Greeny (decent mechanical knowledge) who suggested i check rear wheel bearings...my mechanic said he reckons there stuffed, and he also reckons while its apart he should change the diff bearings too...

$800 is all parts and labour....

so since the consensus is its too difficult for me to do, and this mech has been good the last few times i had the ute in (he's looked after it for abt 3 yrs)...ill get him to fix it...


cheers for the imput!!

[aggerz]

funny that.......................... Holden have the same problem with their current diffs also
(I am on #3 with the SS)
maybe sumfing to do with them coming from the same place

LOL don't talk to me about DANA..

[Benno]

Nath,

If you've ever tried to do a wheel bearing job yourself, you'll know what I mean when I say, PAY THEM THE MONEY. I replaced the 2 rears on my statesman, and boy, I'll never do that again. Lots of swearing and hitting stuff.

That said, find out what bearings the guy will be using to replace them. I found SKS to have a better bearing than the standard holden ones.

[Smitty]

Nath,

If you've ever tried to do a wheel bearing job yourself, you'll know what I mean when I say, PAY THEM THE MONEY. I replaced the 2 rears on my statesman, and boy, I'll never do that again. Lots of swearing and hitting stuff.

That said, find out what bearings the guy will be using to replace them. I found SKS to have a better bearing than the standard holden ones.

whoa boy....
wheel bearings on an IRS Stato...? pay the dealer/mech to do it
even I am not that stoopid..its a pig of a job

Nath
you have one advantage on ya ute...its gotta solid rear axle
rear wheel bearings are a reasonably easy job
UNLIKE any vehicle with IRS


cheers
Smitty

[Benno]

Sorry Smitty,

Should've mentioned IRS are worse than Nath's ute. Even still, that experience has put me off ever attempting another set. It's up to you Nath, but I'd still pay someone else to do it. That, and I'm also lazy

[Smitty]

Sorry Smitty,
Should've mentioned IRS are worse than Nath's ute. Even still, that experience has put me off ever attempting another set. :

Benno
don't blame ya mate
I did the rear (and front ) wheel bearings on my daughters 325 M3 BMW
...never again it was a carnt of a job not made easier by bloody german
(read strange) mechanical setup on the Bimmer
mind you..the set I did on missus' old VR V8 Commie was not much easier

solid axles? provided you have a slide hammer and a garage press (both of which I have)
the job is not too bad...still its a bad way to spend a Sunday arvo


cheers
Smitty

[aggerz]

I did the rear (and front ) wheel bearings on my daughters 325 M3 BMW

a 325 M3? that i'd like to see..
I figure you mean..325i..E36... not m3

[photomike666]

I did the rear (and front ) wheel bearings on my daughters 325 M3 BMW

a 325 M3? that i'd like to see..
I figure you mean..325i..E36... not m3

Depends on the year mate, BMW have been making the M3 since the early 80s that I recall - so could be much longer.