High pitch whine sound from driver rear tire area.... help

[JPDC]

High pitch whine sound from driver rear tire area.... Sound started a few weeks ago. Very intermittent. It has become a common sound now. It goes away when I hit the gas or let off the gas. It is very strange and I need a little "online diagnosis" before I bring it to my guy.

Gotta get it fixed asap. Bearings? or some other part that needs greasing?? again, the only place the sound comes from is that drivers rear tire area....

Any help is appreciated

 

[MuleMac01]

can you tell us does it happen at 50+ mph?

 

[rnd-motorsports]

Does it change when you hit the brakes? real hard to answer without hearing it ! I would think maybe Brakes , Brake hardware part or Wheel bearing. A rear gear bearing or pionon bearing could also be in the problem. Hope its the brakes will be cheaper Let us know!!

 

[davidkroberts]

have you gotten someone to drive you around with you sitting in the passenger seat and again in the back so you can try and pin down if it really is on just that side. The pinion bearings are what usually seem to go out on these axles more than anything else. what your describing seems to be bearing noise the coming and going is normal with loading and unloading the axle. A little bit of whine while not normal seems to be common in the m1009's ive ownded. sometimes it can be reduced by flipping the rear driveshaft 180 degrees but that isnt what you are describing i think.

if it is the left rear tire only i would replace the bearings and races on that axle just to be safe. Dont replace just that one side though. Anyone who has ever had a tire pass them on the road can tell you about proper bearing maintinance. Mine little incident was in a hummer in western iraq while on a mission and it ended up being a huge pain in the butt

 

[JPDC]

It is not brake related(at least from the standpoint of me hitting brake and sound stopping/starting). It stops when I put any torque on it (step on the gas) or if I let off the gas. If I am cruising (30-60 mph) it happens. Step on gas, noise subsides. Let off gas and cruise a bit and the noise reappears. Gotta be a bearing or some grease point issue.

I rode in the truck last week while a buddy drove and definitely pinpointed it to the drivers side rear tire.

Worried about driving this too much until I figure it out.

 

[davidkroberts]

Pull the tire and repack your bearings if they look good go to the carrier bearing inside the pumpkin. If those are good go to the pinion bearing. Not a huge job and pretty straightforward design. Get your TM and go to work. Bearing noise doesnt necessarily mean failure is right around the corner but it doesnt mean it isnt either.

 

[DokWatson]

It probably is the brakes. I've had the brake shoe retaining pins break inside the drum, and the spring went for a ride inside. Would squeal intermittently.

Bearings tend to groan, but I guess its possible they will squeak.

 

[JPDC]

OK boys....It was the U-joints. One was cracked and causing the sound. Replaced both on the rear drive shaft and now she is perfect again.

Except for the 1-2" sag on the passenger front leaf spring. I got a price from a really good spring shop here for $550 installed for two new sets for the front axle.