So recently I have been getting what I can best describe as a creaking noise from the drivers rear of my 67. I believed it to be my rear drums as they were shot. I put all new shoes, drums, hardware and wheel cylinders on the back along with some new 275/60/15 tires and I am still hearing the creaking. While I had the drivers rear drum off I noticed the axle has about 1/4 inch of play pushing and pulling it out and some up and down. So the bearing is most likely shot. Would a bearing make this creaking noise? Also it only happens under load, if I lift it on a rack and put it in drive or just spin the wheels there is no sound. Seems to happen under 40mph but that could mean I just don't hear it after that. Any help would be awesome.

 

It's probably the bearing as you suspect. The noise going away above 40 mph doesn't say much as the road noise and the frequency of the creaking both get too high to hear the sound.

When you hear the sound, step on the brake. If the sound disappears or changes in any way, the bearing is suspect as you are changing the load on it.

 

My answer is the same as jauntys' . I had a 68 442 that did the same thing. Right rear wheel bearing was shot.

 

I figured it had to be the bearing. I just thought it would squeal or be a little more high pitched not this weird creaking noise. Worried that bearing has possibly grooved the axle though. Dont want to put too much money into this 12 bolt considering Ill be changing it out anyways.

 

I had this problem with a '64 Jetstar 88 I once owned, and by the time I diagnosed the problem and checked the bearing, the axle on that side had already been damaged. I was fortunate to find another '64 J-88 in a nearby junkyard and took the axle off of that one. This was almost 25 years ago now.

 

Bearings usually emit a rumbling type noise. Not usually a creak or a squeal, but hey anything is possible. They don't usually eat the axle as there is an inner and outer race. It could also be a ujoint.

 

You actually may be right, just looked for some videos online of what a bad ujoint sounds like and found this


Sounds almost identical to what I'm hearing. Like a door that creeks when you open it.

 

I had a similar creaking sound like a door hinge on my 64 F85 years ago. Not really a high pitched squeal, mre creaking. The bearing had seized up and the inner race (pressed on type bearing) broke loose and the race was basically riding dry on the axle. Ruined the axle needless to say.

 

Inspect the u-joints closely, you are probably going to see a fine red powder around one or more of thr u-joint seals. This is evidence that the needle bearings are dry/rusted and grinding themselves up.

 

new U-Joints is easy and always beneficial anyhow.

I'd pull the axles and at least inspect the bearings.

 

When my rear axle bearing failed, it made the same creaky noise at lower speeds that you are describing. On the highway, I couldn't hear anything, but then again, those Flowmasters probably had something to do with that.

Take a quick look at my thread on the topic, the bearings are easy to check.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...see-video.html

 

If its NOT a bad u-joint pull the axles and inspect the outer bearings. If you let axle bearings go too long it will damage the axle. X2 what oldcutlass and all say...Either way purchase USA high quality parts for either. Spicer for the u-joint. For rear axle bearings contact BDI Inc. for guidance as they can be hard to find. Ask for USA not offshore. For some reason they offer up the offshore first. Sometimes the USA bearings are actually cheaper.

 

Perhaps you are hearing a squeak from a body mount bushing or control arm bushing.....

 

Check the brakes as they shift and in forward they will shift to the usually driving forward wear pattern.

That is my best guess parking brake etc. Good luck. Jim

OR

Check to see if something is rubbing on a wheel or drive shaft if it lays on the shaft it will not make noise...but in reverse it will hit a sharp edge from going in reverse causing that squeak noise. Jim

That's all I got.

 

You guys know you're addressing a thread that's almost a year old?

 

Gas-X.



- Eric

 

^^^^ LMAO good one!^^^

 

Well you never know if someone Google's noise issues it still might help...LOL.
GAS - X is a good one