<VV> Early halfshaft wear mystery

[Tony Underwood]

At 11:36 PM 4/24/2009, Doug Mackintosh wrote:
>Today on my way to work, after a swift right sweeper and just as I 
>straightened back out I heard a squealing noise from the Left rear 
>wheel area. At first I thought the tire was rubbing, but I could 
>find nothing close. The noise continued intermittantly, seemingly 
>making noise on left turns (or when there was thrust that direction) 
>and going away if I turned right. When I got home I inspected the 
>axle and found a shiny worn band about 3/8 inch wide on the axle 
>shaft. The worn area is at the left (outer) end of the opening in 
>the rear of the A-arm for the axle exit. See the photo here:
>
>http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3471808313_ce02e76aaf_m.jpg
>
>It looks like recent wear, almost like it was turned on a lathe. But 
>I could not find any corresponding shiny spot on the A-arm. I have 
>the axle out now, and partially disassembled. I can't figure out how 
>it got the shiny band. There does not seem to be enough slop in the 
>bearing or U-joints to actually allow contact.
>
>Has anyone seen this before, or have any ideas I have not thought of?
>





Chunk of gravel found its way into the rear swing arm.   Suspension 
flexs, axle moves up and down, rubs against the chunk of stone (or 
whatever) and carves the axle.


...at least that's what happened to me once, when I grooved an early 
axle.   Did you look around inside that swing arm for a rock?




tony..