rear noise diagnosis

[Deleted member 8987]

Absolutely.
Now, if brakes are dragging or hanging up, maybe two hands, but you should be able to rotate the shaft, neutral, e-brake off, wheels at lease .002" off the pavement.

If you cannot, stick a big screwdriver through the space in the u-joint/yoke to pry it over.
Then see if it's stiff 360 or just a little.

 

[lbc_newbie]

We don't want to give you the Darwin Award, be careful. My money is on the pinion bearing!

 

[jvandyke]

Absolutely.
Now, if brakes are dragging or hanging up, maybe two hands, but you should be able to rotate the shaft, neutral, e-brake off, wheels at lease .002" off the pavement.

If you cannot, stick a big screwdriver through the space in the u-joint/yoke to pry it over.
Then see if it's stiff 360 or just a little.

Finally got back to this. Car on all four jack stands. Drive shaft spins easily by hand, no "grinding", only slight, very slight "popping" sound. Will now check all securing bolts on suspension.

Went through nuts and bolts tweaking them all, nothing screamed "I'm the cause" rotated wheels. Only time for one quick test drive but, while still present, the grinding/rubbing is 10% of what it was. I will test more later. If it really is lessened significantly I suppose something is loose and I helped it a bit with a "snug up"? Drive shaft has no play and only wiggles a tad "rotationally" No slop otherwise so I assume u-joints and pinions to be good or at least less suspect.
Did I mention how unbelievably fun this thing is to scoot around in. Wow.

snuck in another test run, sounds the same after all, very weird
What does a bent half shaft sound like? Or do they just break? Maybe something like that qot tweaked over a bump (occasionally I hit some bad ones).

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Bent halfshaft will probably take your fillings out at 36MPH indicated.

 

[jvandyke]

Bent halfshaft will probably take your fillings out at 36MPH indicated.

Not that then.