2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission could my rear axle be gone?

[rKortan]

I have been listening to a sound that I was told is coming from my tires. So I had been waiting until they were worn out until I replaced them. This week the sound turned into a banging that gets louder when I accelerate and goes away when I coast. I got under my truck with the transmission in neutral and was hoping to fing some loose u-joints. When I move the drive shaft back and forth I hear a knocking sound that seems to be coming from the rear end and the u-joints are not loose. I can hear the chain in the transfer case but it doesn't seem that loose after 185k.

What do those of you with more experience in this area think I should do now?

 

[Cigar John]

A quick check that dosen't cost anything is to run a flexable magnetic parts retiever in through the fill hole. If you have serious problems you will pick up lots of shavings and/or chunks.

 

[B.G. Smith]

The sound you hear when you turn the drive shaft back and forth by hand is probably the normal backlash between the ring gear and pinion. Is the sound when you drive in synch with the rotation of the axle or is it faster like the rotation of the drive shaft. It could be a chipped gear tooth on the ring gear or pinion. bg

 

[rKortan]

I think the sound is in sinc with the rotation of the axle. That's why I thought it was tires until it started getting loud and sounding like someone is hammering the bottom of my truck. I am planning on taking it to my local transmission shop Monday if I can't find out what it is before then. I can't afford to have it down for very long because I use it for my work.

 

[CMckee]

hate to be bearer of bad news but mine would howl and whine when i let off the fuel at highway speed and then there came grinding noise and my ABS light came on.

i pulled out the speed sensor on top of the diff and it was chewed up. so i pulled the cover off and the whole ring assy was floating i could move it with my hands. the axle bearings in the diff unit had worn out and wore into the diff unit, so $1600. 00 later i have new rear end! i bought the truck with 180,000 km's on it ( 112,000mi) this happened around the 220,000 km's (136,000mi).

CHRIS

 

[rKortan]

I hope mine isn't that bad. I only get the noise upon acceleration.