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.
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.