so tonight i parked my runner in a kinda deep ditch. deep enough to get a tire off the ground when trying to get out in 2wd just for fun to see if it could do it. anyways when i had a rear tire off the groung it was spinning freely and making a grinding/scraping noise with every rotation of the wheel, it was obviously somthing in the drive line, but i dont know what it could be. do you guys have any idea what it could be? the left rear outer axil seal just recently went out and needs to be replaced and has ben leaking fluid but i have ben filling the diff as needed untill i can replace it.

 

normally for me anyways everytime i lose an axle seal the axle bearing has been to blame. lets hope urs is not but when the bearing starts to fail it allows the axle to ride differently, wich in turn allows the seal to leak.. that scraping noise is possibly swelled brake shoes from gear oil leaking on them in the drum.. happy hunting

 

i doubt your truck has the same issue as mine, but when its REALLY flexed out in the rear the driveline can rub on the gas tank skid plate... it creates a grinding or swirling sound... sometimes it sounds like a pod of killer whales..

 

lol since you mentioned it i tried to see if i could get it to do it again today and sure enough the pinion end where it bolts to the u-joint is scrapeing on the gas tank. thanks for the help Tofer

 

Yeah, its a very scary noise the first time you hear it. I pretty much pooped my pants the first time.

After about 5-10 times, the gas tank skid gets beat into submission by the U-joint and everything is OK. Or you can take a sledge hammer to it yourself.

 

nice glad you figured it out... but i am surprised it was the drive line on the tank...this is what i ment when i say i flex mine out..

 

thats sweet that is pretty dang flexed out. i wasnt nearly that flexed .ya it was scraping when my left rear was fully stuffed and right tire droped. is is stock with 32's and no sway bar. glad i know what it is now i was worried.

 

I have a 3" suspension lift on mine and now i have all these new creaking and clanking sounds. I am going to have my buddies dad build me a skinnier stronger drveline that won't let me rub as much on the gas tank its really bad right now. my front has been making the same sound too for some reason. maybe get the yoke extended?