Allright, bear with me. This is my first experience with anything with a 2 piece driveshaft, so i just want to make sure i didn't miss anything.

About a week ago the carrier bearing in my truck went bad. I replaced it and the frontmost u-joint. The truck hasn't been driven much in the past week or so since i'm still getting it inspected and waiting on paperwork to get it plated, but when it has been driven it makes a horrible metal on metal squeal.

I started by checking all of the brakes since it was speed related, but didn't see anything wrong. Then i drove around with a friend in the bed and he told me the squeal is coming from right where the cab and the bed meet, which is right where the carrier bearing is.

Anyway, before taking it all back apart for a "bad bearing" I want to make sure i didn't miss anything putting it back together.

The main thing i need to know is since this thing bolts into slots, is it important to have the bearing *exactly* straight (it is by eye) or is eye-balling it good enough?

Also, what would cause a metal on metal squeal in there besides the dust shield, and i know it isn't the bust shield riding on the bearing body.

Justin

 

It didn't squeal before you worked on the bearing. After that work, it makes the noise, so it's got to be something you did. Sorry, I have replaced them on old impalas, but never did one on a Ford truck. Just take it apart and do it over.

As an example, I just got done working on a 84 Buick, spending 4 days working on the rear brakes. All I did was replace the wheel cylinders, which on this thing is a job, since they don't bolt in, they snap in with a clip. After I got them in, the brake pedal was low. I bled and bled the brakes, never had a good pedal. Got to looking again, and it suddenly dawned on me I had installed the wheels cylinders upside down. That put the bleeder on the bottom, and the line on top. No way was I ever going to get the air out of the cylinder with the bleeder on the bottom. Dumb mistake on my part, but it happens more than I care to admit.

 

Well i tracked it down, wound up not being the carrier bearing but the u-joint at the transmission. I just started by getting the rear end up in the air and starting the truck, then i removed components one at a time until the squeal disappeared.

All is good now, except for the mouse that somehow got into my air cleaner. imagine my surprise when the truck stalled out and when i took the aircleaner stud out, lint came with it. . .

Sometimes i just wonder.

Justin