8 - TROUBLESHOOTING

Problem Possible Cause Correction

Worn or scratched washer Insufficient lubrication Replace all scratched washers and those
surfaces with a thickness by 0.1 mm (0.004 in) lower
than the new ones
Incorrect lubrication. Contaminated lubri- Use proper lubricant, fill up to the correct
cant level and change at recommended inter-
vals
Worn-out inner diameter Intense use Replace bearing
of pinion tapered roller
bearing
Excessive pinion axial play Check pinion axial backlash
Unsuitable lubrication. Contaminated lubri- Use proper lubricant, fill up to the correct
cant level and change at recommended inter-
vals
Twisted or broken axle Intense vehicle operation, overload Replace the axle beam
beam
Broken axle beam at Loose wheel support Replace the axle beam
wheel flange
Bent axle beam body Check the bending of the axle beam body.
Make sure that the wheel support is not
worn out or wrongly adjusted
Noise during travel Excessive backlash between ring gear and Adjust the backlash between the ring gear
pinion and the pinion
Worn-out pinion and ring gear Replace pinion and ring gear
Worn-out pinion bearings Replace pinion bearings
Loose pinion bearings Adjust pinion bearings
Excessive pinion axial play Adjust the axial play of the pinion
Worn-out differential bearings Replace differential bearings
Loose differential bearings Adjust the bearings
Ring gear excessively off-set Replace the ring gear
Low lubricant level Restore the level
Poor or incorrect lubricant grade Change lubricant
Bent axle beam Replace the axle beam
Noise during idling Noises emitted by the axle when the ve- Adjust the backlash between the ring gear
hicle is moving are usually heard during and the pinion or replace pinion and ring
idling, even though they are not too loud gear
Incorrect backlash between pinion and ring Adjust the backlash between the pinion and
gear (the noise heard while decelerating the ring gear
disappears when speed is increased)
Worn-out pinion spline or input flange Replace the pinion
Intermittent noise Damaged ring gear Replace the bevel gear
Loose differential box screws Tighten the screws to torque
Constant noise Damaged ring gear teeth or pinion teeth Replace the bevel gear
Worn-out bearings Replace the bearings
Worn-out pinion splines Replace the pinion
Bent axle beam Replace the axle beam
Noise while steering Worn-out differential planetary gears Replace the planetary gears
Worn-out differential box and/or pins Replace the differential box
Worn-out differential washers Replace the washers
Worn-out axle beam splines Replace the axle beam