Yesterday I noticed a "wobble" or vibration coming from the rear end & looking to see if anyone has any insight before I start diggin' for the problem.

I've had a "squeek, squeek, squeek" for sometime now that I believe is coming from the rear. I initially thought it was brake related but still have the noise after a complete brake replacement front & rear. The noise seems to coincide with wheel/ tire rotation and not driveline. Driveshaft U-joints seem good as there is no play in them whatsoever. During the alignment this past Monday (2 days ago) they installed the camber/ castor bushings up front and did a tire rotation. When starting out from a stop now it almost feels as if something is "out of round" as the whole truck has a slight wobble. I adjusted the pass side mirror down this morn to view the rear tire on the way to work and there is a definate wobble in it. This wheel/ tire was previously on the passenger side front and seemed fine (no wobble in the truck). With the squeeking going on and the new wobble in the pass side rear could this infact be a bad wheel/ axle bearing? The squeeking is consistent (slow at low speeds, faster at higher speeds) & does it while in drive or coasting w/ trans in neutral (E40D). I haven't jacked it up yet or pulled the diff cover and I don't seem to get any lateral movement out of either rear wheel while rocking them with weight on the truck. Rear is the stock 8.8" w/ 3.55 LSD.

Thanks for any insight you guys might have in helping me trouble shoot!
Fungus

 

How did you check the u-joints for play? If the truck is parked and there is any tension at all in the driveline it will feel completely solid regardless of how bad the u-joints are. You're going to have to jack the truck up and figure out what's loose. My guess is a u-joint. As for the wobble, is your truck lifted? Oversize tires? Why did you need new camber/castor bushings?

 

Yeah it was parked. I need to jack the rear up and really take a good look at things!

No lift on the rear. Camber/ Castor bushings went in because I swapped MOOG CC844 F-250 coils into the front and it lifted it 1.5" to level it out. They were needed to get it aligned properly. Tires are 32x 11.50x 15s so slightly oversized but not gross.

 

It does sound like a bad bearing or even a bent rim. A bad u-joint would make noise, but it wouldn't make you wobble. You should also make sure the shop you took it to put the wheel on correctly. I've worked at tire shops, and they do make mistakes.

You'll definitely get a better idea once you lift it up. Let us know what you find out.

 

Well, guess I should've taken a little closer look at it before I opened my "mouth". Rear pass tire is totally screwed all of a sudden! Completely out of round. Jacked the back end up and wheel is perfectly straight but tire is warped bad. Wouldn't have ever suspected it with as good of shape as their in.

Couldn't duplicate my squeek with rear end in the air. Driveshaft joints still seemed fine w/ tranny in neutral and tires off the ground. Wouldn't make it on the way back to work after lunch either. Maybe it got wise to me and decided to shut up!

 

Sometimes u just gotta scare em.

 

universals will not make any noise when you jack the rear up.

i bet if you take the driveshaft out you will find the rear universal has no needle bearings left in it.

 

The only thing scarier than a new noise, is a noise that suddenly stops.

 

Man, I'm callin' BS on all you guys about the driveshaft Ujoints. I'm positive these are good 100% original joints and they're only 17 years old w/ 140K on them! Oh, alright, maybe it's time to change'em...

Right! Like when that pesky leak you've had for YEARS suddenly stops leaking?...

Post some pics up tomorrow of the new meats in my thread. It was hardly more expensive to buy 4 NEW 31x 10.50x 15s than try and source 2 new 32x 11.5x 15s out here so that's what I did. Decided to try some Kelley (by Goodyear) TSR radials. Pretty aggressive AT/MT hybrid & getting some good reviews. All 4 mounted, balanced and down the road for $758. Not bad by Hawaii standards. That size should be a tad more friendly w/ my 3.55 gears and E40D.