2008 Alpha Making Loud front right clunk when turning sharp
#1
11-27-2018 | 07:00 PM
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2008 Alpha Making Loud front right clunk when turning sharp
Hello all, new here but I've done a ton a searching and can't seem to find a thread matching my exact problem.
I have a 2008 H3 Alpha that is making a horrible clunking noise when I turn sharply to the left. It is like something is binding on the passenger stub shaft when turning and making a horrible clunk noise. Sounds like the wheel is going to fall off.
I have replaced the stub shaft and wheel bearing already after reading through other post on here. I am also assuming since mine is an 08 I have a metal shift fork instead of the plastic that came in 06 and some 07? I am assuming my tcase is stuck in 4hi lock? I've tried switching through 4hi, neutral, 4hi lock, 4 low lock in a dirt parking lot and turning going forwards and backwards but it doesnt make a difference? I can hear the tcase shifting and i can get the neutral and 4low lock but I can't tell the difference between 4hi and 4hi lock? I am going to pull the front drive shaft tonight to see if I can still drive the vehicle or not. From reading other posts on here, it seems as if I remove the front drive shaft and the vehicle still moves the tcase is stuck in 4hi lock, if I remove it and the vehicle doesn't move, than the tcase is in 4hi.
Does anyone have any insite as to what else could be causing the problem? I've jacked the front end up and when I rotate the front two tires everything spins freely and nothing binds in the CV's or front diff?
I've read a bunch of post from others with a similar problem but it doesn't seem like anyone updates the post once the fix the issue?
I have a 2008 H3 Alpha that is making a horrible clunking noise when I turn sharply to the left. It is like something is binding on the passenger stub shaft when turning and making a horrible clunk noise. Sounds like the wheel is going to fall off.
I have replaced the stub shaft and wheel bearing already after reading through other post on here. I am also assuming since mine is an 08 I have a metal shift fork instead of the plastic that came in 06 and some 07? I am assuming my tcase is stuck in 4hi lock? I've tried switching through 4hi, neutral, 4hi lock, 4 low lock in a dirt parking lot and turning going forwards and backwards but it doesnt make a difference? I can hear the tcase shifting and i can get the neutral and 4low lock but I can't tell the difference between 4hi and 4hi lock? I am going to pull the front drive shaft tonight to see if I can still drive the vehicle or not. From reading other posts on here, it seems as if I remove the front drive shaft and the vehicle still moves the tcase is stuck in 4hi lock, if I remove it and the vehicle doesn't move, than the tcase is in 4hi.
Does anyone have any insite as to what else could be causing the problem? I've jacked the front end up and when I rotate the front two tires everything spins freely and nothing binds in the CV's or front diff?
I've read a bunch of post from others with a similar problem but it doesn't seem like anyone updates the post once the fix the issue?
#2
11-27-2018 | 11:22 PM
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Update: so I got home and through it on the lift. I removed the front drive shaft and rear driveshaft to begin looking into the front end or tcase. Front end turns smoothly at full droop and fully turned right and left. Checked that off the list. Then I moved to the tcase. Before I lifted it, I put the transmission in neutral and the tcase in neutral. I noticed when I pulled the driveshafts that the tcase was not in neutral. I pulled the electric tcase shift motor and am able to smoothly engage the tcase into all four options manually (4hi, 4hi lock, neutral and 4low) then I had my wife jump inside and turn the ignition on. She pushed all three tcase buttons and put the tcase in neutral all while I observed the motor moving flawlessly in all positions. The amount of movement by the electric motor matches that required by the tcase. Now comes the issue, I put the eletric motor in 4low by pushing the button and I manually put the tcase in 4low by turning the shaft. When I got to install the electric motor on the tcase it is roughly 30 degrees off on rotation? I put the motor in 4hi and the tcase in 4hi manually and I have the same issue? What could be causing the electric motor to be off by 30 degrees? There isn’t enough adjustment to compensate for the issue and the motor only goes in one way...
I put the electric motor back on the tcase and rotated the motor to get the key way and bolt holes to line up against its will. Now when I shift the tcase by using the buttons it is off by one selection. 4hi is 4hi lock. 4hi lock is neutral and neutral is 4low. 4low works as it should because the tcase stops the motor from rotating any further.
Does anyone one have any experience with this? Is it the shift motor? Computer? Sensors? Tcase shift fork bent?
Any help would be appreciated.
I put the electric motor back on the tcase and rotated the motor to get the key way and bolt holes to line up against its will. Now when I shift the tcase by using the buttons it is off by one selection. 4hi is 4hi lock. 4hi lock is neutral and neutral is 4low. 4low works as it should because the tcase stops the motor from rotating any further.
Does anyone one have any experience with this? Is it the shift motor? Computer? Sensors? Tcase shift fork bent?
Any help would be appreciated.
#4
11-28-2018 | 09:48 AM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 12,491
From: Boat Town USA MI
Try installing it when everything is in neutral.
When it is attached and rotates the T Case internal range selector, it rotates slightly beyond the actual T Case position to "hold" (put slight pressure on) the T case in the range selected at each end of the range (4Hi and Lo Lock), the T Case stops it. When unbolted and energized, they may rotate incorrectly.
All mid 2007s and up have metal shift forks, not an issue for you 08 Alpha. They can wear out, but you did not provide the miles on the truck so IDK.
You can get the T case out of 4Hi lock by backing up turning back and forth unless there is some internal damage or failure.
When it is attached and rotates the T Case internal range selector, it rotates slightly beyond the actual T Case position to "hold" (put slight pressure on) the T case in the range selected at each end of the range (4Hi and Lo Lock), the T Case stops it. When unbolted and energized, they may rotate incorrectly.
All mid 2007s and up have metal shift forks, not an issue for you 08 Alpha. They can wear out, but you did not provide the miles on the truck so IDK.
You can get the T case out of 4Hi lock by backing up turning back and forth unless there is some internal damage or failure.
#5
11-28-2018 | 10:03 AM
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I thought about this so I pulled the back of the motor apart and it is non adjustable... The back of the motor is a sensor that tells it where to turn and what position it is in and is keyed so that it can only go together one way.
#6
11-28-2018 | 10:07 AM
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Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 8
Try installing it when everything is in neutral.
When it is attached and rotates the T Case internal range selector, it rotates slightly beyond the actual T Case position to "hold" (put slight pressure on) the T case in the range selected at each end of the range (4Hi and Lo Lock), the T Case stops it. When unbolted and energized, they may rotate incorrectly.
All mid 2007s and up have metal shift forks, not an issue for you 08 Alpha. They can wear out, but you did not provide the miles on the truck so IDK.
You can get the T case out of 4Hi lock by backing up turning back and forth unless there is some internal damage or failure.
When it is attached and rotates the T Case internal range selector, it rotates slightly beyond the actual T Case position to "hold" (put slight pressure on) the T case in the range selected at each end of the range (4Hi and Lo Lock), the T Case stops it. When unbolted and energized, they may rotate incorrectly.
All mid 2007s and up have metal shift forks, not an issue for you 08 Alpha. They can wear out, but you did not provide the miles on the truck so IDK.
You can get the T case out of 4Hi lock by backing up turning back and forth unless there is some internal damage or failure.
I can manually change the tcase selection to all four options no problem. I put the tcase in neutral and the motor in neutral but they are roughly 30 degrees apart. When I twist the motor to bolt it up, it changes the tcase to a different slection. When I bolt them all back together and use the buttons to select the tcase position it is still off by one selection. My 4hi on the dash is actually 4hi lock on the tcase, my neutral on the dash is actually 4low on the tcase. My 4low on the dash is 4low on the tcase but I think it is because the tcase maxes out on rotation and obviously wont go any further.... New TCCM? or encoder motor?
#7
11-28-2018 | 03:26 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,492
From: Wisconsin
I'd personally would make certain that the correct encoder motor actuator was installed. The part # should be 06-10 Transfer Case Motor Encoder (Actuator) part no. 89059551,(89059688),19300596
Maybe the PO installed an incorrect unit.
Or just buy brand new AcDelco one.
Maybe the PO installed an incorrect unit.
Or just buy brand new AcDelco one.
#8
11-28-2018 | 03:55 PM
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Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 8
I'd personally would make certain that the correct encoder motor actuator was installed. The part # should be 06-10 Transfer Case Motor Encoder (Actuator) part no. 89059551,(89059688),19300596
Maybe the PO installed an incorrect unit.
Or just buy brand new AcDelco one.
Maybe the PO installed an incorrect unit.
Or just buy brand new AcDelco one.
#9
12-05-2018 | 10:19 PM
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Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 8
Installed the new encoder motor with the vehicle in neutral and the tcase in neutral. No change at all. The encoder
motor and tcase still dont seem to line up? Could the TCCM be bad? It seems to rotate the encoder motor properly and the correct amount, they just don’t line up! Could something in the tcase be bent causing the shaft to be slightly off? Never been inside of one of these
motor and tcase still dont seem to line up? Could the TCCM be bad? It seems to rotate the encoder motor properly and the correct amount, they just don’t line up! Could something in the tcase be bent causing the shaft to be slightly off? Never been inside of one of these