Help with rear end noise

[rhinop]

Hi all, I'm looking for help trying to diagnose an intermittent noise coming from what seems to be the rear end of my bronco. It happens in forward and reverse but it doesn't happen all the time. If any of you have an idea of where I should start looking I would really appreciate it. I've uploaded a video to YouTube so you can hear the noise. Thanks in advance!

https://youtu.be/9Ss7bUyAClQ

 

[ared77]

Others on here much better mechanics than me, but I'm wondering if it could be something like a broken spring on the brake shoes.

 

[DirtDonk]

Bummer about the overflowing gas tank too!

That is an odd sound. It’s not like I’ve never heard it before, but I’ve never heard it on a vehicle I had a chance to diagnose. Simply heard it running around on other vehicles.

At this point you simply need to give it a close inspection. Look for anything obvious on the outside first of course, but it does sound like it’s in the brake area. Pulling a drum off should tell the tale, but don’t ignore a rear wheel bearing while you’re in there either.

This is one of those often overlooked aspects of older vehicles. Our particular models do not have bearings that are lubed by the gear lube. They are sealed ball bearings in a “lubed for life“ kind of way.
Which means they have a finite life expectancy and, in our case on our vehicles, it’s about 100,000 miles or 40 years.
Both of you which are usually well exceeded by now…

So while it does not actually sound like a bearing problem, unless the bearing has literally come apart, it is still worth checking them while you’re looking at brake parts.

 

[SteveL]

I had that but it was a long time ago. I think it was in the driveline. Might've just been a u-joint that had gone dry making powder of the needle bearings

 

[okie4570]

Dry ujoint squeak imo.

 

[Slowleak]

Yup… U-joint. Squeak sounds too fast for the slower speed of the wheel. Put it on jackstands and you can tell real quick.

 

[DirtDonk]

And that’s when you’ll find out that a busted muffler hanger is holding your parking brake cable up against the driveshaft and u-joint yoke!

 

[Rustytruck]

Pull the rear driveshaft properly grease it and inspect the centering ball in the CV Joint. check for red rust lines around the u-joint caps before you grease. run the truck with the driveshaft out in 4wd with the front hubs locked and see if the noise is gone. Be very careful removing the drive shaft so the truck doesnt roll over you. with setting the parking brake or chocking the tires ists free to take revenge on you once the driveshaft is disconnected.