alaska_guy

Symptoms
Rear end noise at basically any speed
If I get the car up to speed... say 30mph and coast I can still hear the noise.
Its LOUD.
Sounds makes a noise then stop then noise than stop, but does it fairly fast, there is a pause between the noise is the best way I can explain it.

Testing
Drove car 300 miles home and then felt the wheels and none were hot. I know with bad hubs the wheels will be really hot when they go out.
Jacked the rear of the car up, put the car in neutral... Spun the passenger tire and it makes a weird noise that sounds like it may be the pause and stop noise?

Drivers side tire sounds like the pad is rubbing against the rotor, it also makes a slight noise.

Original owner said he thinks its wheel bearings. My experience with wheel bearings is if you swerve from one side to the other the noise should decrease. Don't really think its a wheel bearing...?

Car makes the noise on decel/coasting. Pinion bearing?

Car only has 78k miles on it and is entirely stock besides a magnaflow cat back exhaust. I swear I was hearing a thumping noise every once in a while and what I thought was the exhaust rattling at idle. I crawled under and the exhaust is not loose in any way.

Glad to have a TA, just looking to fix the rear end noise as its driving me nuts.

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

rear end doesn't have hubs,bearings are pressed into rear end housing and axles ride in them.

"Sounds makes a noise then stop then noise than stop, but does it fairly fast, there is a pause between the noise is the best way I can explain it."
the noise has a cycle/rhythmic ? If the noise is in time with one wheel rotation,could be carrier bearing(s) and/or axle bearing(s). If the noise is in time 3-4(ratio of rear end gearing) times faster than tire rotation,culprit would be pinion bearing(s).

alaska_guy

Here is a video inside the car...

I tried to explain it the best I could to a gear shop over the phone... All they do is differential type work. They said it sounds like the pinion bearing is shot. But wouldn't know for sure without hearing it in person and ripping it apart. They want $1300 to fix..

dailydriver

For $1300.00 they should be replacing EVERYTHING except axle shafts and diff, and setting it up to PERFECTION!

alaska_guy

Yeah, that sounded super spendy to me... It was a total rebuild. But still, spendy... I went ahead and bought SKF bearings for the axles along with the seals and Royal Purple Gear oil. Figured I would do those first and see what happens. For $100 I figured it was worth a shot.

jaxcam02

iTrader: (1)

it might be the axle shafts

https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...l#post19268258

alaska_guy

Thanks,

Do I just remove the bolt with the arrow pointing towards it, push the axle into the diff housing and remove the c clips?



I am confused as this does not look like a stock rear end with the bolt that you remove and then remove a rod. The gearbox where the screw is in, is stamped "Torsen".

I removed the bolt and the axles came right out after removing the C clips.

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

1998 and earlier had Auburn posi,1999 and later had Torsen 'posi'.

How do the axle surfaces look in the areas that ride in the bearings ? pics of both axles in those areas.

alaska_guy

Axles look fine... No grooves and no pitting... Getting them axle bearings out is another story. I went and rented a rear axle bearing tool and a slide hammer... Yeah, no dice. Thing is in there good.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Hit em for a minute or two with a small propane torch and try again.

alaska_guy

I think its this small 1.5lb slide hammer... I called around everywhere and no one seemed to have one or they were all rented out.

Gonna try again tomorrow after I find a 5lb slide hammer.

alaska_guy

I had to go in to work for an hour late tonight and managed to pick up a slide hammer. 5 wacks on each side and the bearings were out.

Put the new bearings and seals in...

Not sure it's supposed go be this loud?

alaska_guy

Bolted up the diff and filled with fluid. Spun the axles a few times before putting on the rotors and pads and it was a little quieter. I then used 220 grit sand paper to clean up my axles and rotors where there was rust. After putting the rotors on it sounded like the drum portion is rubbing against the rotor as its making a scraping sound much like pads do on a rotor when you spin it. I continued to bolt everything as there isn't much I can do now at this point. I have to add 1 more qt of fluid to the diff and then I will take it for a test drive.

alaska_guy

So the noise is still there... It did get rid of some noise replacing the axle bearings though. The passenger side felt loose for sure and needed replacing. rotating the tires it sounds like the rotor is scraping metal on the "hub" or whatever you want to call them drum looking pads... I am almost certain that's the issue. What are those for?? The ebrake? It sure looks like an Ebrake drum pad setup. I am going to see if I can adjust them and fix that noise.

alaska_guy

Ok, I think I found the issue... So the shoe for whatever reason is not adjusting right. I am just pulling it for now.

alaska_guy

Pulled the shoes, mounted the wheels back on and its still making noise. this is driving me nuts. Sounds like metal on metal.

alaska_guy

Ok, took everything off but the axles and then put it in gear and revved up to about 1500rpm. Clearly something in the diff is bad... Guess I am calling around shops tomorrow to get an estimate.

ramairetransam

iTrader: (18)

if they want 1300 to fix it or whatever your better off taking your time and finding a used 12 bolt for 1800 ish .

alaska_guy

Yeah, I called around at local salvage yards and they don't have any 10 bolt rear ends that will fit my car in the state... So looks like I need to get it rebuilt or a 12bolt when money allows.

I know this is not a chevy instructional, but its the best one I could find online with easy to understand steps. So If its just the carrier bearings I could just remove the end caps, pull the carrier out of the housing, remove the old carrier bearings, press on new carrier bearings and put it back together? I have a magnetic dial indicator, calipers, etc. My buddy has a 12 ton press like they are using in the video. I know ideally I should replace the pinion bearing as well but every video I have watched it looks like a pain to try and get it crushed and set correctly.

Just don't want to ruin anything by driving it even more if the carrier bearings are bad. Previous owner said he drove it 2 years the way it is now...

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Theoretically yes you could do that. That by itself should not alter anything enough to matter on a worn in set of gears.