rear axle creaking sound -- help needed (1 Viewer)

[ballardcruiser]

For a long while, I thought that the creaking sounds I heard every once in a while on my fj62 were related to leaf springs shifting around (I put in OME' springs earlier this year).

Well, today on my driveway I heard a noise as I was getting out of the truck and I realized the noise doesn't seem to be coming from the leaf springs at all (but it is coming from the rear). I grabbed the rear d.s. wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock and tried to wiggle it and--though it didn't really move--I kept getting a noticable creaking sound. Then I heard it on the passenger side rear when I did the same thing. (No noises like this come from the front end at all when I grab the wheels like this).

I've rebuilt the front axle but haven't touched the rear axle (aside from fluid changes to the pumpkin). Car has 180k miles on it. Any guesses as to what I need to do next to troubleshoot? Have the rear axle bearings gone bad? Anything else I should look out for? I don't have any grease leaking or anything. But the sound does scare me a bit.

Lastly, how does rebuilding the rear compare to the knuckles / front end? Harder/easier?

Thanks for any help.

 

[lovetoski]

Hey,

No clue what the creaking might be from - would love to hear some ideas though. Rebuilding the rear semi-float axle is really easy. Remove wheels, remove brake drums, remove rear diff cover, remove c-clips on inside of axles, slide axle out. There is one bearing pressed into the end of the axle housing - they don't wear fast, but at 180,000 it could be worn I suppose. They are a pain to remove - I used a heavy duty slide hammer. Took a bunch of hits.

HTH

...I have a bunch of wierd noises too...

 

[lowtideride]

easier aside from pulling the rear axle bearings. Sure its not dust or dirt particles in your drum brakes?

 

[DaveWest5150]

do you have those supid little chrome do goodies in the middle of the wheel?
check em to make sure they are not loose or better yet take them off and see if the noise goes away

 

[ballardcruiser]

Would dust in my drum brakes cause a creaking sound just from my body weight leaving the car as I step out? Or from me grabbing the tire like that?

I may try to take the drum brakes off tomorrow just to see if I can isolate the sound to a specific section.

 

[ballardcruiser]

do you have those supid little chrome do goodies in the middle of the wheel?
check em to make sure they are not loose or better yet take them off and see if the noise goes away

I did that! Those were the first culprits but removing them didn't help at all.

 

[lowtideride]

the rubber bushings of a leaf springs can make the sound you decribe. If it made it as you got out of the truck(i.e. took wieght off of the suspension) then it sounds like it may be the rubber bushings.