i have this screeching sound in the rear of my 2000 4runner 4wd and the best way i can describe the sound is a rusty wheel. It resembles the sound of a tee-ter-toter when it tilts from one end to the next, but in this case it's a consistent sound...Here are the symptoms:

1) it is only audible at low speeds approximately up to 30 km/h and from 30 km/h back down to a stop.

2) it DOESN"T get louder when i apply the brakes

3) I'm getting a bit more vibration at higher speeds

i ruled out the brakes because if i know i have to coast to a stop sign i'll switch to neutral and come to a stop....doing that method eliminates the noise but when i put it into "D" and take off again the sound is there. The sound is there as well if i'm in "D" and slow down to a stop.

I'm guessing something to do with my driveshaft?? but what exactly could be the problem??

 

time for you to lube your shaft

 

what's involved with that kind of operation?? is there a grease nipple on it?? do i just apply it with my hands??

 

should be a zerk fitting or whatever they call it on the u-joint it looks like a nipple. might be 2 or more front and back of the shaft. I think

 

There are grease fittings for a grease gun on the drive shaft, a total of like 10. At each u joint there are 2 on 1 of them and 4 on the other i think and a few more on teh shatf itself. Just get a grease gun and pump grease into all of them that you can find.

 

 

i'm done exams now so i'll be looking for some pink tacos to do it instead

 

Ha Ha Ha...good one!

 

I don't know if a driveshaft would make a consistent screeching sound like you describe. I'd also look at the wheel bearings and *cringe* rear diff. I had the same symptoms a while back and it turned out to be a bad pinion bearing. Luckily fixed for free by the dealership, but I had to fight for it having only 400 miles left on the warranty.