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What's the symptom of a failing REAR axle bearing....?

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Old 08-10-2013, 12:26 PM
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Default What's the symptom of a failing REAR axle bearing....?

I have a Strange 12 bolt.

When I drive straight I hear nothing. But when I slightly turn the wheel to the right I start to hear a tick-tick-tick sound coming from my left side. Sounds like the left side rear. It increases and decreases with speed of the car. As soon as I straighten the steering wheel and go straight, the ticking sound stops.
So it seems like side loading makes it tick........

Lugs are all tight
Brakes are good
Nothing caught in any of the treads

What is that sound.....?

.

Last edited by LS6427; 08-10-2013 at 12:32 PM.
Old 08-10-2013, 01:09 PM
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What differential do you have? Ticking is a common complaint with the torsen as well as detroit lockers.bearings normally present as a roarin noise that gets louder as speed increases
Old 08-10-2013, 03:13 PM
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Originally Posted by nomasterase
What differential do you have? Ticking is a common complaint with the torsen as well as detroit lockers.bearings normally present as a roarin noise that gets louder as speed increases

All I know is its a 33 spline posi rear end.

I've had this Strange rear end for 11 years. Never heard a peep from it. 100% silent. This ticking just started suddenly.

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Old 08-11-2013, 05:50 AM
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Sound like this? Had to replace the diff. Started on gentle turns....

Old 08-11-2013, 12:48 PM
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Originally Posted by LPE 403
Sound like this? Had to replace the diff. Started on gentle turns....

trutrac noise
Not really, no. It's more like if a penny was glued to the tire and it would smack the ground on every revolution of the tire.

But again......it only happens with a side load while turning to the right. It even makes the ticking sound while at idle speed, as long as the steering wheel is turned to the right. As soon I straighten the wheel it goes away completely. Does not happen at all if I turn to the left.

But I'll have my car in the air on Tuesday getting some stuff done.....I'll see what happens when I spin the tires while its up there.

.
Old 08-29-2013, 01:16 AM
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So I had the car in the air today.....spinning the tires so everything turns in the axle, differential and drive shaft. No clicking sound. It's silent.

No leaks at the seals. Everything is tight when wiggled and moved.

But it's still clicking while moving when driving. Worse when I turn to the right. Sound is at the left rear. Put new rotors on today hoping maybe that fixed it in the process of just putting new rotors on.

Can it be the axle bearing on that side? The bearing in the end of the axle near the wheel.

.
Old 08-29-2013, 07:57 PM
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This is what the axle (bearing area) from my son's Crown Vic 8.8" looked like after getting stranded 450 miles from home. It was still driving, but he had no idea how bad it was until trailering it home and tearing it down. He found out after hearing a clicking noise and seeing gear lube spewed all over the side of the rear fender. The axle was pushing the seal out of round. A 12-bolt will be very similar to the 8.8"...
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Old 08-29-2013, 08:05 PM
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Originally Posted by S10xGN
This is what the axle (bearing area) from my son's Crown Vic 8.8" looked like after getting stranded 450 miles from home. It was still driving, but he had no idea how bad it was until trailering it home and tearing it down. He found out after hearing a clicking noise and seeing gear lube spewed all over the side of the rear fender. The axle was pushing the seal out of round. A 12-bolt will be very similar to the 8.8"...
Would I necessarily have gear lube leaking out if the axle bearing is going out.....?

Because everything is dry as a bone. Nothing leaking.

.
Old 08-29-2013, 08:13 PM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
Would I necessarily have gear lube leaking out if the axle bearing is going out.....?

Because everything is dry as a bone. Nothing leaking.

.
No, just showing you a worst-case scenario. Once the bearing starts eating the axle, it goes pretty quick. Keep watching for the lube ...
Old 08-29-2013, 09:27 PM
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Originally Posted by S10xGN
No, just showing you a worst-case scenario. Once the bearing starts eating the axle, it goes pretty quick. Keep watching for the lube ...
So you think it's my axle bearing too....?

What is actually clicking anyway....?

....weird thing is....it doesn't make a sound when I spin the tires and rear end with the car in the air.....

.
Old 08-30-2013, 01:45 PM
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Sorry to ask a dumb question .... but have you swapped tires front to back to make sure that it's not the tire?
Old 08-30-2013, 07:25 PM
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Originally Posted by billscamaros
Sorry to ask a dumb question .... but have you swapped tires front to back to make sure that it's not the tire?
No. But what part of a tire can make that kind of noise....?

The tire looks perfect all the way around. Had it off the other day.
Old 08-30-2013, 08:43 PM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
So you think it's my axle bearing too....?

What is actually clicking anyway....?

....weird thing is....it doesn't make a sound when I spin the tires and rear end with the car in the air.....

.
The roller bearings ride directly on the axle on this type of rear-end. The clicking could be excess clearance caused by the rollers eating into the axle. On his car, we could jack up the rear axle, grab the tire and move it up and down 1/4". All this clearance caused the seal to fail and dump the lube...
Old 08-30-2013, 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
No. But what part of a tire can make that kind of noise....?

The tire looks perfect all the way around. Had it off the other day.
I'm far from a tire expert, but I'd take the 10 minutes to swap the tires just to make sure.
Old 08-30-2013, 10:04 PM
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Originally Posted by S10xGN
The roller bearings ride directly on the axle on this type of rear-end. The clicking could be excess clearance caused by the rollers eating into the axle. On his car, we could jack up the rear axle, grab the tire and move it up and down 1/4". All this clearance caused the seal to fail and dump the lube...
I see.

When my car was on the lift the other day.....that tire was rock solid. Zero movement in any plane......

.
Old 08-30-2013, 10:05 PM
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Originally Posted by billscamaros
I'm far from a tire expert, but I'd take the 10 minutes to swap the tires just to make sure.
I'll throw my donut spare on it and check that on Sunday....see if the noise stops.

.
Old 08-30-2013, 10:12 PM
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With the car parked and sitting on the suspension as normal, open your hatch and grab the inside of the fender so you can rock the back half of your car from side to side. If it clicks... check your PHR. I see you have an aftermarket bar. Is it adjustable? Be sure ALL nuts (adjusting ones too) are tight. Clicking when your turning gave that idea to me. Ask me how I know. I've looked stupid TWICE chasing a "clunk" while turning. My friend found it within 2 minutes BOTH times.

Last edited by juSStin4171; 08-30-2013 at 10:12 PM. Reason: typo
Old 08-31-2013, 04:33 PM
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A rock or screw in the tire will cause that noise. A bad axle bearing could too. Are you axles bolt-in or c-clip?
Old 09-02-2013, 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by juSStin4171
With the car parked and sitting on the suspension as normal, open your hatch and grab the inside of the fender so you can rock the back half of your car from side to side. If it clicks... check your PHR. I see you have an aftermarket bar. Is it adjustable? Be sure ALL nuts (adjusting ones too) are tight. Clicking when your turning gave that idea to me. Ask me how I know. I've looked stupid TWICE chasing a "clunk" while turning. My friend found it within 2 minutes BOTH times.
My PHB is adjustable. I'll check the nuts on it......

.
Old 09-03-2013, 11:50 PM
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Holy ****......the sound may be coming from the front drivers side tire.

Today I opened my drivers door while moving about 25mph because I heard the clicking loudly because it was echoing off the cement wall I was next to. When I opened the door I put my head down near the door sill. When I opened the door I expected it to get louder, but the noise was less. Shut the door and it got louder. Open it and it was less.
So I guess opening the door blocked the intensity coming from the front tire........

I'll have to get someone to lay across my hood, then lay across my hatch while moving down the street.......to see which is louder.....

Lol

.

Last edited by LS6427; 09-04-2013 at 04:20 PM.


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