houtex

Howdy all!

Under TSB 05-20-02, they describe how some 05-06 Mustangs can exhibit axle whine or hum during acceleration, deceleration and/or cruise. The TSB in question:
http://bradbarnett.net/mustangs/gala...axel_noise.pdf

Now my description... I have some low pitched resonance type noise that is best heard on the freshly laid down blacktop on my route to/from work, although I've heard it on concrete and others. It starts around 40ish and is best heard at 50-55, and still there at 65+, but not as much.

It's an all over... well... kinda a wararararar... well, no it's more of a oooohhhhmmmm... er, maybe more like a wwwoooowooowooowoowooowo... I dunno. It's a low hummy, moany noise. Like a quiet moan.

Well, enough of the attempt at the description. As a test, I took it outta gear from 5th, and went to 4th, no change. Neutral, no change. Weave in the lane a bit to see if it's worse going one way or another, no real change of note.

Only happens in the 40ish and up, but again, is very noticeable at 50 or so, then isn't so much at 65+ but still there.

'Course, turnin' up the radio fixes it, but I don't always run with it on.

Is that what the TSB is talking about? Seems to be getting worse, or maybe I'm just becoming attuned to it...

Regardless of the this and that issues (seat side, painting mufflers, sparkplugs, what have you) <name pending> is still in the 'i love it' zone, and I just want to make sure my baby is well taken care of as best I can.

Thanks for any help/advice!

shaun_beauchamp

Sounds like a V8 exhaust. Sure you're not paranoid?

I tend to think things are going wrong because that's nature. You can beat the **** out of your car and it will get you where you're going. Dealer waits for stuff to fall off before covering anything anyway.

Driveshafts have a tendency to get out of balance, but the car has two-piece so that shouldn't be an issue. See if something is stuck to the drive shaft.

If it isn't the drive shaft, check the brakes. See if they are discolored. You may have a warped rotor. Before you go crazy, make sure all your lugs are torqued to spec (95-105 lb/ft).

You may have a tire issue. See if there is a bubble on the tire wall on any of your tires. Sometimes a tire will let loose internally and then it does weird stuff at speed.

Without driving your car, that's my typical checklist.

Kingpin2B

I have this problem, but I just thought it was the spydershaft causing the wohhmmm wohhmm noise, but come to think of it...the noise just started and it has been like 5 months since I had the shaft installed...so i guess i qualify for this tsb, but I have 4.10s and the tsb says to replace the ring and pinion and I doubt they'll replace my 4.10s with 4.10s, if they do any work at all since they'll probably blame it on the driveshaft! yes run-on i know.

I'll wait for fatal failure then address it(i can cope with the noise if it stays as is), and hope my rear end stays where it supposed to when/if it fails fatally.

Does someone know what could actually cause this? will it get worse? should i address it now? Thanks in advance and thanks houtex for bringing this up.

Shotokan1509

They will blame the 4.10's as causing the noise.. unless you had them dealer installed.

houtex

Hi Shaun! Thanks for the reply! Just wanna comment on your suggestions, maybe see if we can eliminate some stuff, clarify others for my ignorance problem...

Don't think it's the exhaust, or the neutral at idle while at speed would have changed that, as well as other gears... it's pretty constant no matter what gear. I also notice it during mild acceleration through the gears, independent of the gear and engine speed, and moving up in intensity of the sound as I go faster, peaking at about 50-55. Does that sound like a reasonable theory?

Good idea on the driveshaft hanger-on. Will do, but wouldn't that also cause a vibration of some kind? Balance issue?

The brakes don't look funny at all. There's plenty of pad meat on them, they don't make noise, and I checked that at speed, applying both regular brakes and the parking brake. No change. Further, unless the system is dampening it, there's no pulsing at the pedal, but I don't know enough about the ABS system to know if you'd feel that or not.

Lugs have been torqued recently, but I'll double check. Would think that would cause a vibration as well... car's really smooth... but elimination of items is key, so I'll do that too.

Tire issue... Hm. Just had them checked out for balance (hence the torque recently) and they didn't say anything about the tires at all, just had a thrown weight. THAT I felt. I think I heard it leave, actually...

I'll inform about those maybes as soon as I can check them out. Thanks again!

Burke0011

WOW you know..... I think I may have this myself

it seems to come on over 40mph and you can hear mostly during decel - I did most everything you did too.

I thought maybe it was a suspension noise but now I am thinking maybe its this TSB?

Centurion96

If it were axle gears or pinion bearings you would notice it get louder under load, either acceleration and deceleration. The fact that it occurs at higher speeds and different road surfaces I'd look to the tires. I have noticed that on freshly paved asphalt surfaces I get a louder tire hum. I would think that you would feel some vibration if it were the drive shaft or tire balance so I think it is the tread pattern reacting to the road surface. Now if you were running 35" mudders I would definitely blame the tires.

BB
Semper Fi

Shotokan1509

Hear it under load unless engine/exhaust was overpowering the noise. I can hear a hum from the back of my car, but I think i agree with Bob that it's my sticky 295's just rolling down the road. I can only hear it with the music off, basically no throttle input, windows up.

Bob,

Who says he's not running mudders? While I would not do whats below, I do think it would be fun to hit some dirt roads in a stang wearing BFG A/T's , of course that would have to be a total beater car.

Centurion96

Now that's a Mustang I could appreciate. As you can see below I am rather hard on 8.8s. The rust was due to having these pieces sitting outside while waiting on purchasing a digital camera. I've noticed that in the case of a pinion bearing going south, when at speed with no load the gear or pinion bearing hum is usually at a minimum.




BB
Semper Fi

MBK

has anyone heard a metal vibrating noise from 2500-3500 RPM in 1st or 2nd, somwhere from the rear, when you first start driving in the day? it goes away the more you drive it throughout the day... any idea???

shaun_beauchamp

OK, the only other thing I notice is with ALL S197s.

For some reason, due to the tie-rod setup in front, the car has a minimal steering wheel wiggle. Mine has it, my wife's has it, both the loaners I drove during TSBs on my car had it, just the slightest wiggle.

What I noticed was that when I put the wider tires on my car, the wiggle moved to just above 40mph thru just about 65mph. It seems that if I turn the car to the Right when it happens, it quits. When I turn a bit to the Left, it comes back. Kinda like the front end doesn't like how the tires are loaded.

I started playing with tire pressures. I have the GoodYear Eagle F1 A/S 255/45/18s. I put the fronts at 34psi instead of the Ford recommended 32psi and it seemed to alleviate the issue.

I think the steering set from the factory is just a bit off. When I had my alignment done, the tech asked if I wanted it changed. I didn't notice anything before the wider tires, so I opted to leave well enough alone.

Anybody...Drive precisely 60MPH on a flat, open road. Let the wheel go and stare at the 12:00 position of the wheel. See if you get a 1 to 2 mm (Left Right) shake.

Let us know if this is common / the issue.

Shotokan1509

Zero shake, but I'm running FRPP lowering springs, Tokico D-specs, camber bolts, and 255 Falken Azenis RT615's. I do have a small amount of bumpsteer.

Want a wiggle or bumpsteer? Try my 95 4x4 Ranger with leveling coils and Pro Comp ES 9000 nitrogen gas charged shock absorbers.. I have to be REALLY careful when I switch between vehicles due to the totally different driving styles.

frdtch05gt

Mine shakes a bit in the steering wheel at about 70 or so. I'm running BFG KDW 255/45/18's all around. I've also got a bit of a tire hum, these KDW's are a bit noisy, but they stick like glue.

Ninjak2k

I get a shake in my car ('06 GT) as well right at about 73 mph. I was just searching the forums to see if anyone else is experiencing the same thing. Below that and above that, not a thing - smooth as glass. But right at ~73 mph it's pretty bad, which sucks because that's a speed I like to cruise at. What might be causing this?

~Dan

2005GTDELUXE

I have this one when I first start up and drive. It sounds exactly like metal vibration in 1st and 2nd and only at the start of driving. No idea what it is either.

GTMark052

Mine has the shake also. I thought it might have been the tires because I didn't notice it with the stock tires but when I went to the 255's.....there it was. I'll try the higher air pressure to see if it helps.

houtex

As the OP, I figure it might be worth noting that I took it to a good mechanic... he drove it while I rode. Definitely nothing more, in my case, than the right front tire being very loud. Tire itself doesn't seem bad... but there's something going on with it. I'll just put up with it until it shows signs of immenent deletion or it wears out. Not a big. More reason to crank the Shaker 500.