Hi,

I have a 96 F150 with a squeaking rear wheel, drivers side. The squeak is intermittent (sounds like the springs on an old bed!) squeak...squeak...squeak... .

I took the tire off this morning, and didn't see anything obvious. But when I spin the tire while on a jack, there is no squeak. I think it is within the drum brake. I didn't take (or would know how to) the drum apart.

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks,

Rob

 

well.... I kind of learned things the hard way. The mystery squealing noise was an indicator of a failing universal joint. The drive shaft dropped out of the truck. Once I went through the turmoil of getting the vehicle to the garage, arranging alternate transportation, imposing on many friends and family, my truck is once again running fine.

Total Cost: 2 hours labor @ $75
Universal Joint $25
Clamp $20

Getting my truck back.... priceless.

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, but you might want to check your u-joints.

 

Sounds like his muffler bearings are shot


Seriously, I don't know how this post got so completely overlooked, but given the description of the problem, no one would have been likely to come up with the answer.

 

I'll bet a beer it was a ujoint

Adrianspeeder

 

I can't believe the u-joint was so wore out it dropped and the OP didn't say anything like, gee, when I accelerate or let off the gas, I hear a clunk, or at least feel a vibration that gets worse the faster I go.

 

op?

Sometimes it is better to walk the walk. I will have other questions, and hope to draw upon your expertise.

Rob

 

OP = Original Poster

My point was that a U-joint on the verge of failure generally will exhibit more symptoms than a squeak. When the bearings start to go, it usually throws the driveshaft off center which results in the driveshft vibrating noticeably, especially under acceleration or down shifting. I've never had one go bad that didn't at least make a clunk caused by the play in the joint.

 

"I can't believe the u-joint was so wore out it dropped and the OP didn't say anything like, gee, when I accelerate or let off the gas, I hear a clunk, or at least feel a vibration that gets worse the faster I go"

I just did the joints on a 96 that had no wierd symtems or noises. Yet the rear joint was so wasted there were no needle bearings left and the cross had started to wear down. I only found it by turning the drive shaft by hand while doing the rear drums.

I know you said rear, but I've had the strut rod bushings go on several trucks now causing a squeek like that

 

My spare tire can squeak sometimes....just shove it a little while still in its bracket. Seriously give it a look...

oh i guess i should read all the posts..since he said it was his u joint..nevermind.

 

I have been enjoying an increasingly loud squeak induer my '96 150 also. I just did the rear u-joint, and it was definately making noise, but that noise was obvious because it happened at the rpm of the driveshaft. However, the squeak I am getting now is at the rpm of the wheels. I did the front brakes 6 months ago, so I am hoping it's not them. When I press the brakes, it has no effect on the squeak. Any ideas? Turning heads should happen because the exhaust sounds good - not because it sounds like Sanford and Sons...

 

This whole thread reminds me of a noise I had that I couldn't find for years. It was a random rattle that happened whenever the truck was rolling, under power or not. It sounded kinda like the way an empty beer can sounded if you dropped the pull tab inside it (for those of you old enough to remember those. lol). It drove me crazy for 2 or 3 years. I finally found that it was one of the bands that wraps around the leaf springs was just loose enough to rattle.

 

i was going to say leaf spring too...i had a bad squeak in my 95...top spring broke in half and was rubbing back and forth...drove me nuts trying to find out what it was...