I've got a 93 850 GLT auto.

When I jack the car up and spin the front wheels (manually) with the trans in neutral I can hear a semi-regular clicking sound while the wheels are spinning. It's not a wheel bearing -- it doesn't sound the same and the sound is not coming from the wheels. It sounds like it's coming from somewhere more towards the center of the car.

It happens the same with both wheels. Could this indicate bad bearings, maybe on the half shafts or something? Or is it normal?

 

Might be the axles.
Are the axle boots torn?

 

Are the tires are going diffrent directions ? If you make the tires spin the same directiondoes the noise goes away? If this is the case normal sound. Click and poping while making hard turns forward or backwardsis the cv's.

 

Sorry about the annoyance.

I believe you know, that with the differential in place, the wheel on the other side turns in reverse direction as you turn the other wheel. If you see no fault after visual inspection and if the noise gets louder in time, the problem could be in the differential. Any transmission fluid leak? Is the fluid level correct? Also, when you drive, do you hear it? Or, on a level surface where there are no other cars around, try pushing the car with the engine off, with the shifter in Neutral to see if you can hear it with the vehicle's weight on the wheels; this may narrow down the possibility. I just noticed, that this is pretty much the same advice as JAKESTERS[8D]. Duh, mid-age moment.

If you hear the click from the centre of the car, check the inner CV-joint boots as was suggested by Tech. There is only one axle shaft bearing, which is on the passenger side but I don't believe it would click even if it's worn out.

I wish I could help you better.


JPN

 

Thanks for the replies. As always, you guys are very helpful and much appreciated.

I should have specified that I was hearing this sound with only one side of the car off the ground at a time, so only one wheel was spinning at a time. The transmission fluid is good and the axle boots are not torn. I don't believe it's the CV joints as it does not happen in particular when turning (can't hear it at all while driving anyway). I rolled the car back and forth in my driveway and did not hear the sound, although it's hard to say if it wasn't there at all given that it's not very loud in the first place.

It makes sense that it could be something in the differential, but doesn't sound like it's a common problem or anything. I'll check it out periodically to make sure it's not getting louder with time.

 

I have same issue but the click just when car jack up and no sound when the load on the sound comes from inner cv joint and diff ? any thoughts