Carrier bearing/rear diff/pinion noise?

Okay guys two weeks ago or so I got caught in a flood and my truck was floating around the road (literally) and ever since ice had this grinding noise that comes from the mid to rear of the truck sounds like metal on metal... Like a stuck brake shoe in the drum brakes. So Idk where to start looking? Trans? Carrier bearing (which has a torn boot thing) or rear end? I'm not huge into driveline stuff I haven't done any trans or rear diff work ever... Any help would be great,




Fred

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Well first off i'm gonna say that this comes from my experience mudding and fourwheelin mudholes, now it may not be the case here but here goes.

Now whenever we gp through deep mud pits or are stuck in one for an extended period of time. i've always been told by my father whom i'd trust with anything an everything, that you should change the grease in your differentials ( hogshead) and whatever can be greased especially after being submerged for any long time. As well i'd probably g ahead change my u-joints and the carrier bearing as well, you never know what it could have clunked on or such. Not sure if the carrier bearings are readily avaliable on these trucks ( i picked up one for a 73 f-100 no prob_) So they shouldn't be.

Second i'd pull my brake hubs in the rear and check for major rust spots inside the shoes themselves, they may be just need replaced. They could have picked up a rusty spot during that time and are only now starting to hit on that causing that sound.


Also what in particular causes the sound the most? Gearing down? Accelerating heavily? or just normal driving and it happens? any special point it starts grinding metal to metal? Also I remember in one of my posts you said that your u-bolts occasionaly come loose, have they done this causing the blocks to rub on your axle?

Thanks for the reply, and the noise starts at like 5 mph and increases with the speed of the truck not the motor. I'm gonna drain the diff today I think and see what I find and a carrier bearing is available but for like $150 and I'm getting pretty broke... Thanks again,


Fred

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No problem but trust me i feel ya there, and that def sounds like your diff or the carrier bearing forgive me if i sound stupid here, but it may help to go ahead and bleed your clutch lines as well, you never kno if water may have gotten in there somehow? Not a huge transmission guy sorry can't say anything for sure on that but it can't hurt especially if it was literally floating around.

And i feel ya on being broke, i'm replacing my cam seals atm and someone gave me info and i found a nice cam just to broke to do it so be a project later.

Its very hard to narrow down where a rear end noise is coming from sometimes, start with changing the diff and tranny fluid since that's the cheapest thing and water most likely got into both of them. If that doesn't stop the noise, jack the truck up and spin the rear tires by hand and see if you can hear or feel any roughness when they spin because that would indicate wheel bearing or brakes being the problem.

I changed both fluids today. Sounds a little better it made the grinding noise into more of a low growl now... I spun both back wheels and didn't have any roughness or anything. I know for sure I need a carrier bearing at some point but that's not what's making the noise... Idk I hope it isn't too serious. I can't afford any more big repairs... The noise isn't coming from the trans (it doesn't seem anyways. Also there wasn't really any metal flakes In the old diff oil and it didn't look like there was water in it either...




Fred

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The next thing I would check would be the u-joints, take them out and spin the bearing caps and see if they feel gritty.

Idk I replaced all the u joints less than a year ago. I'm leaning more and more towards carrier bearing. And maybe even front breaks for some of the noise I too a look at them this morning and they could use a change... Lol

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lol, well never hurts, i love how cheap brakes and rotors are for these trucks, i'm picking a set of drilled and slotted rotors for 108+ whatever shipping is, but at the same time im ordering some oem replacement powder coated calipers lil bit later down the road, as both are brand new right now and would be a pointless change at this time. But even if the U-joints are new say even replaced day before that happened, you never know what may knocked into your driveshaft or carrier bearing while it was floating.

Also is there any play when you try accelerating like a sudden jerk or dropping and a kinda clunking sound ( sorry for shitty description) but if so this would be indicative of u-joints and carrier bearing. and your brakes unless horribly pitted and almost on metal to metal wouldn't whine and screech at any real speed. just my oppinion on the brakes.

No its not u joints. I had one blow out on me before and trust me I now know the warning signs... Lol
As for your description of the sound it's spot on! For real that's exactly how it sounded before I replaced the u joints. I'm almost positive they are fine now.

here's a pic of the uj in question...



It was pretty bad thankfully it was the rear most uj and I wasn't going very fast...

I'll double check them tho and they're the kind with grease zerks so I'll just fill em up!


Thanks for all the help bro,



Fred
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