G2 Transaxle Noise

[Paddles]

Hi again,
I posted earlier about reassembling my transaxle and I appreciate the help I got from forum members, but I am now back to square one. A really loud noise developed in my trans months ago so I replaced the bearings. Noise continued so replaced engine bearings. Eventually a mate let me remove the rear axles and trans from his cart and put in mine and the noise disappears. I have dismantled and checked everything I can see in my trans and reassembled and noise is still there. I jacked it up off the ground and removed both axles and wheels and the noise seems a lot less so would my problem be in the diff gears or possibly axle bearings but while I didn’t replace them they look good. Someone also suggested dodgy engine mounts but the noise isn’t just a vibration, it is a nearly deafening metal grinding noise
TIA
Paddles

[slonomo]

Whatever you haven't replaced, replace it, that's the only way. Bearings can feel nice and tight when you spin them by hand. Once you put a vertical load on them things can change. Sounds like maybe water got in the trans at some point and maybe pitted the bearings. This is common. Sometimes if you just run it that way the pitting will wear off. If the ball bearings are worn, or egg shaped, you will need to replace them.

[grantspec]

Is your input shaft and secondary clutch in good shape? The slightest amount of wear on the input shaft can cause the sliding sheave to chatter and make a growling noise. Took me a while to figure this out on my cart. I replaced the input shaft and no more problems.

[Paddles]

I have swapped entire transaxle and axles and hubs from a mates cart into mine and noise disappeared. I then worked my way back with his parts so I have eliminated everything except the trans itself. I have opened it and inspected everything several times and all looks mint. No sign of any wear at all in sun gears, main gears or clutch shaft. It sounds like it hasn’t fully engaged into gear as though the dog clutch was just passing across the opening it’s supposed to drop into but it is definitely in gear, forward and reverse and has heaps of torque but still very loud and no speed....only half the speed it had. Don’t know what else to try.

[slonomo]

If you have replaced all the bearings, then it has to be one of the gears. Even though a gear looks fine, it could have a tiny imperfection and it can cause noise. If it's a humming sound it's usually gear related. If it's a ratcheting sound, it's either not in gear all the way or a gear is missing teeth.

[Paddles]

Thanks for your replies Slonomo
The gears definitely aren’t missing teeth and it’s more a ratcheting noise than a humming noise. I have it all back together again and I will try manually pushing/pulling the gear change lever on the spline on the trans to see if anything sort of clunks in a bit further. It does however go forwards and reverse which suggests it’s in gear but roaring at very low speed.
Kind regards

Paddles

[slonomo]

The speed of the cart and rpm of the engine will be determined by the clutches, not the trans. The trans gears are fixed, meaning, they are the same ratio all the time, and won't affect speed/rpm. If you hare having slow driving speed and high engine rpm, you would be looking at the clutches and belt setup. If the cart won't speed up (MPH) it would be clutch related. If the engine is not speeding up (RPM) it would be carb/engine related.

Now if it's not going into gear, that will be in the selector and engine rpm. If it grinds when you put it into gear, your engine rpm is too high. Try shutting the engine down, putting into gear, then starting the engine. If that works, then the engine is idling too high and the carb needs to be adjusted.

If it goes into gear ok and still grinds, the selector mechanism might be damaged, or it could be adjusted too tight. The adjustments are on the trans where the cable attaches to the selector. You'll see threaded fittings. Those will loosen or tighten the cables. Without seeing how it's set up, I can't tell you which way to go. But you want "full travel" of that selector lever on the trans. Sometimes if the cables are too tight, switching gears up front doesn't move the selector on the trans enough and it will sit in between gears and not fully engaged. That will cause grinding sounds.

[Paddles]

Your last paragraph Slonomo, is right on the money. I have over adjusted the cables to the point that it is ridiculously hard to change gears on the selector handle, but the cart is now going fully into each gear. I actually relocated the controls on the back of the selector handle, into the other set of holes that are there. Today I will put them back where they came from and just adjust on the adjustment threads. I will let you know how I get on but it’s definitely in the selector cable area somewhere.
As always, you have been a big help

Kind regards

Paddles

[slonomo]

These cables can be replaced, sometimes they stretch, although I wouldn't think that's what's causing the issue. Hope you get it adjusted

[Paddles]

hi Slonomo, just thought I should get back to you and others with an update. Nothing to do with the trans...turns out my cart has never had an engine tension cable....put a bolt and bracket in there and things improved a fair bit. I think I will check the engine mounts next but they are too expensive for me just at the moment. but the entire trouble seems to be related to engine vibration or perhaps the engine touching the frame...then engine was moving back over an inch


cheers
Paddles