Topic: Clicking/knocking from rear differential?

[PeterPaul383]

Hey guys, so another thing on my truck has broke or is about to break  . Right when I got my truck back up and running, I started to get this knocking/clicking noise from the rear axle. I noticed a faint clicking noise before about 2 weeks ago but my fuel pump broke so I forgot about it while I was fixing my fuel pump. So after I got it towed home and fixed the fuel pump, I went to go drive it today and now it is making a bad clicking noise from the rear end. I lifted the back end up and spun the tires to see if I could pin point the area the noise was coming from and it seems to be coming from the rear diff. The clicking gets faster the faster I spin the tires. Any idea what it might be?

[redneckcustoms13]

Could be bearings, could be a broken gear (spider gear or ring/pinion) have you checked the u joints for slack? Might get lucky. Also does the pinion have any slack in and out or up and down? If so you will need to have that diff rebuilt.

[PeterPaul383 [OP]]

I tried to wiggle the drive shaft but it was pretty solid. It only spun. I will check tomorrow and see if it moves in and out.

[jimbo74]

is it possible something near the fuel tank is loose, or hitting the driveshaft? I know sometimes I have been working on something else, get it back together and have a new problem, but it was jsut a loose skidplate or something that I forgot (or a backing plate on the brakes that got smacked or something and now rubs)

[redneckcustoms13]

How far did the drive shaft turn with the truck in gear?

[PeterPaul383 [OP]]

I haven't checked how far the drive shaft spun in gear. I will have to check that tomorrow as well as whether the pinion has any slack. 

[Bent 85]

Heard funny noises coming from mine, tore it down and found a chipped ring and pinion. Cost me but now it's fixed.    Hope you find better things in yours.

[Plainview]

I had your exact symptoms and found this today...

DSC_1403 by Will Baker, on Flickr

DSC_1400 by Will Baker, on Flickr