Triumph Repair: u-joints? or bearings?, Spitfire, rear end tap

Question
Hello ,I have a 1978 Spitfire 1500 - i would swear that my right rear u-joint is gone . It has the usual tap when not under load , and on right turn coasting. i got under vehicle and it didn't seem to have any play - I had some one start it and put in gear as I tried to create some load etc . Nothing. I was wondering if it could be the Driveshaft bearing or something else?

Answer
Mike,

It can be difficult to track down rear axle noises on the Spitfire.

It's worth making sure all the different bolts are properly torqued, including the lugnuts.   A loose wheel or loose drive flange can also make a tap sound under the right conditions.

About the best way I can think of to check all the u-joints and bearings is to get the car up on a lift that supports the car on the frame, not the wheels.   Put the car in neutral and move the axles and the drive shaft around a bit.   Keep in mind that it could any of the 4 u-joints, the hub bearings, the diff outer bearings or pinion bearing.    

And it is a 30+ year old car, so it's not unusual for the hub and diff bearings to also be suspect.



Cheers,

Jim