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Horrible sound!

simpzimmer

Senior Member
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I was on my way to work this morning when I suddenly heard this awful sound roaring from the rear-end. I just finished putting a new U-joint in the rear axle which cleared up the knocking sound while coasting. Since then, there has been this high-pitched whining coming from the rear-end during acceleration, but its been rather quiet /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif. This morning it increased a few hundred thousand decibals and caused me to go home and change cars. It kind of sounded like a skill saw cutting through sheet metal. Does anyone know what this may be? If so, I would appreciate some input...I'm figuring at worst, rear end; at best, wheel bearing...but I really don't know.
 
It could be one of many things, but I'd be willing to bet that you have a trail of metal shavings that are probably being spun off an axle in a lathe type affect. I'm guessing, but the pitch of the noise more than likely changes to a louder more intense sound with an increase in speed, does it not?
 
Hard to say, but I'd double-check that new u-joint, but also check the oil level in the differential, and spin the wheel to listen for bearing noise(s). Have the rear hubs been greased recently? Seems to me that the wheel (hub) bearings don't usually produce the sort of noise you describe; that sounds (sorry) more like differential.
 
Always suspect what you just replaced, seems awful cooincidental that the rear or axle brg would go right after you did the u joint.

Got this from my IT guy at work. When something is broken the first thing he asks is "what did you change?"
 
[ QUOTE ]
When something is broken the first thing he asks is "what did you change?"

[/ QUOTE ]

It's really "what did you LAST change?" and go back in time from there. I worked in (IT)systems support for overy 20 years and usually the reported system bugs are the result of a users own change. Same with the DPO.
 
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