Highly considering selling

[VXIRONwoMAN]

What's the current problem? If there's a vibration you're trying to track down, you at least have an additional way of troubleshooting some of the potential problem parts, and that's by swapping parts from the other VX in your garage.

Granted, it depends on the part in question as to just how hard/time consuming the swap may be, and the fact that the process effectively takes both VX's out of commission for awhile, but that's just time invested, and could maybe save money wasted. (I don't know about you, but there's fewer things more frustrating when it comes to car repairs than having new parts thrown at a vehicle in the "hopes" it will fix the problem.

Any specifics of the current problem that could help everyone here offer a few possible suggestions for fixes?

The VX's are our only rides. So if both are out of commission we have no way of getting to and from work and/or school. And we would have to have the mechanic do the work which would cost in labor any way... Another reason to just have one VX, not two... If they both need to go to the shop you're screwed!

As for what the problem is...

Driving at highway speeds over 55mph I hear a loud grinding noise only when I slowly let up on the accelerator. Not when I am giving it gas or completely off the gas, but in between. The faster the speed the louder the noise. The noise is stemming from the rear and is more prefound near the rear diff. But it also is heard in the front just not as loud. We had it up on the lift that is how we know the location of the noise. We just don't know what is wrong...

[MSHardeman]

Cece,

Sorry to hear about your issues with the VX. I'm sure it's incredibly frustrating, particularly when things seem to keep going awry. I hope you don't have to sell your VX, but would totally understand if you do.

As for your grinding; have you checked the fluid in both the transfer case and the rear end lately? I don't get a grinding noise, but when I let off of the gas I tend to get some gear noise coming up through the shifter for the four wheel drive system. I have an after market shift knob, and I think it amplifies the gear noise. That noise happens only on deceleration and I'm guessing it's because as the weight of the VX shifts forward it puts stress on the gears and I can then hear them meshing. I don't think it's a problem because it's always made that noise, even after I had the transmission and transfer case fluid changed.

I know this sounds silly, but I also get a wicked noise from my tires when I let off of the gas at highway speeds. Again, I guess it's because the VX's weight shifts forward and pushes the tread on the tires into the pavement differently. That doesn't sound like your problem because you said that you guys had the VX up on the lift and it still made that noise.

Oh, another possibly silly question; have the u-joints on the drive shafts been lubbed?

I would check (or have it checked) the fluids in the transfer case and the rear end to make sure that there is enough clean fluid in there.

Just my two cents.

[VXIRONwoMAN]

As for your grinding; have you checked the fluid in both the transfer case and the rear end lately?

I know this sounds silly, but I also get a wicked noise from my tires when I let off of the gas at highway speeds.

Oh, another possibly silly question; have the u-joints on the drive shafts been lubbed?

I would check (or have it checked) the fluids in the transfer case and the rear end to make sure that there is enough clean fluid in there.

I am pretty sure the mech. checked the fluids, I have done so much to it, it's hard to remember though. I gotta check my records.

It's not the tires because the noise was there when it was on the lift.

U-Joints and driveshaft are lubed... they didn't need much, but they are lubed...

You know it's bad when you don't want to drive it anymore because you're afraid you're gonna have to fix something else...

The mech. still wants to figure out what is wrong with my VX, but I can't afford much more...

[Y33TREKker]

As for what the problem is...

Driving at highway speeds...

Has any of the work you've had done involved the ring and pinion in the rear diff? Excess backlash between the two could be a possibility, and if there was an excess in the rear diff, I imagine the sound/vibration could get transmitted back towards the front via the drive shaft.