Noise with RubiCrawler?

Chris

Chris

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For those of you with a RubiCrawler, does yours make any noise at all?

I notice while driving in 2 Hi on normal paved roads, there’s a slight noise coming from the shifter console area that wasn’t there before the RubiCrawler install.

It doesn’t sound bad, just a very, very slight whine or whirl noise.

Just curious if this is normal behavior of them RubiCrawler.

I’ll call AA tomorrow and ask just incase.
 
I spoke with AA today and he said this isn't normal. I really don't know what this noise is or where it's coming from, but you can hear it right under the transmission tunnel (through the shifter console area), and it gets louder with speed. It's not a whine, it's more of a "whirl" sound. What I do know is that it wasn't there before the RubiCrawler.

I'm also having other weird experiences with the RubiCrawler, like getting it in gear. Sometimes it won't engage, it just sits there like it's in neutral. He things it might be a cable adjustable issue, as there is no other "adjustment" points on the RubiCrawler.
 
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Sorry to hear you're having issues (again?) with your TJ @Chris. Did they give you any ideas on adjustments? It's going to be a bummer if you have to tear it out and send it back.
 
StG58 said:
Sorry to hear you're having issues (again?) with your TJ @Chris. Did they give you any ideas on adjustments? It's going to be a bummer if you have to tear it out and send it back.
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Unfortunately not. It's like the Savvy shifter cable (which I had before). You just have to play around with it until you get the adjustments right.

That may explain the shifting issue, but the noise issue is beyond me. It's not gear whine from the planetary gears. I almost wonder if it's possible that there's a hole somewhere in the transmission tunnel I am not seeing, and perhaps I'm hearing wind rushing through it. Sounds like I need to drop the skid and start looking.

Technically I could just take it back to the shop and have them adjust the RubiCrawler (since I paid them to install it), but adjusting it isn't hard (just time consuming), so I may be better off adjusting it myself.
 
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Chris said:
Unfortunately not. It's like the Savvy shifter cable (which I had before). You just have to play around with it until you get the adjustments right.

That may explain the shifting issue, but the noise issue is beyond me. It's not gear whine from the planetary gears. I almost wonder if it's possible that there's a hole somewhere in the transmission tunnel I am not seeing, and perhaps I'm hearing wind rushing through it. Sounds like I need to drop the skid and start looking.

Technically I could just take it back to the shop and have them adjust the RubiCrawler (since I paid them to install it), but adjusting it isn't hard (just time consuming), so I may be better off adjusting it myself.
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Might be beneficial to still take it to the shop and have them look at the whole thing. If it is someone they did they should be able to fix the whirring sound.
 
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Chris said:
For those of you with a RubiCrawler, does yours make any noise at all?

I notice while driving in 2 Hi on normal paved roads, there’s a slight noise coming from the shifter console area that wasn’t there before the RubiCrawler install.

It doesn’t sound bad, just a very, very slight whine or whirl noise.

Just curious if this is normal behavior of them RubiCrawler.

I’ll call AA tomorrow and ask just incase.
Click to expand...


I installed one this past year and have no issues with it. Your noise might be some part touching in a manor that transfers the noise. Check your oil level---it takes a while to fill the rubicrawler from the transmission. As far as the shifting problem, there is very little room for adjustment error with the cable that they supply (it should have more travel) so try readjusting the cable.
 
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Boinked said:
Might be beneficial to still take it to the shop and have them look at the whole thing. If it is someone they did they should be able to fix the whirring sound.
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Yeah, when I picked it up he mentioned the sound, so it was something that I was aware of. He said that for the life of them, they couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Still, I may bring it back just to have them look again.

Jim B said:
I installed one this past year and have no issues with it. Your noise might be some part touching in a manor that transfers the noise. Check your oil level---it takes a while to fill the rubicrawler from the transmission. As far as the shifting problem, there is very little room for adjustment error with the cable that they supply (it should have more travel) so try readjusting the cable.
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Both good points. I'll check the transmission fluid level just to be sure. Always helps to eliminate the most obvious things first.

That's what Vic at AA was saying. It could be some adjustment in the cable's is needed, but there shouldn't be much. I suppose the worst case scenario is that somehow I ended up with a bad unit... obviously AA would warranty it, but I would be out the money for the labor, which would really piss me off.
 
Jim B said:
I installed one this past year and have no issues with it. Your noise might be some part touching in a manor that transfers the noise. Check your oil level---it takes a while to fill the rubicrawler from the transmission. As far as the shifting problem, there is very little room for adjustment error with the cable that they supply (it should have more travel) so try readjusting the cable.
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Knowing nothing about the unit itself, fluid or contact with the tub would be my first two checks.
 
Fluid is full, checked that. Contact with the tub could have something to do with it. I'll have to get under there and look.
 
Chris said:
Fluid is full, checked that. Contact with the tub could have something to do with it. I'll have to get under there and look.
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Crazy idea- if you have an old phone, turn the camera on, duct tape it to the skid and drive around for a bit. Move it around the undercarriage till you localize the source.

Sometimes what sounds like noise from the power train is something else, but the noise is channeled through the shifter opening.
 
BoldlyGoing said:
Crazy idea- if you have an old phone, turn the camera on, duct tape it to the skid and drive around for a bit. Move it around the undercarriage till you localize the source.

Sometimes what sounds like noise from the power train is something else, but the noise is channeled through the shifter opening.
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That's what I'm thinking. I may borrow my brother-in-laws GoPro to use.

Whatever it is, the only reason I'm able to hear it is due to the shifter opening. It's pretty obvious that the noise is coming directly from that area.
 
You recently had the mid arm suspension installed? Maybe one of the lines at the frame is touching the body. This could telegraph noise into the body which acts like a speakerbox.
 
I agree. I noticed "something different" type of sound after I did mine. I must've gotten accustomed to it though, now it just sounds normal.

The window for correct cable adjustment does seen rather small, but on t-case, not Rubi. Can you move your shifter any without feeling the gears contact each other on the t-case? I noticed after installing mine, it felt like the t-case was almost in 4wd hi while in 2wd. After some adjusting, it was good.

When shifting rubi, I'm usually rolling, maybe 1mph, in neutral and it'll shift fairly easily. I say fairly easily because it does require a lil more effort to shift than the t-case.

I wouldn't trade it, Rubi is awesome, and has me considering adding a 241
 
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