I am hoping it is nothing to do with the prop. I do still have alot of wurring noise going on. I guess this is most probably the rear wheel bearings as my Mechanic figured.

The mechanic is sure it is a rear wheel bearing. I am not convinced though as I am not sure that this would cause vibrations through my seat? Anyone had vibrations like this from worn wheel bearings?

When it comes to diagnosing defective parts in any drive-train system a good diagnostic road test should be performed before dis-assembly occurs.

Changing lanes may cause the noisy bearing to either increase or decrease the noise level. An example is if you are in the center lane and you move to the left lane.

Axle shaft bearingnoise

These vibrations, do they occur mainly between 30 and 50 mph ? This wurring sounds like mine, defintely metallic, not wheel bearings, I had all my wheels balanced, still the vibration.

Generally speaking front wheel drive vehicles have rear sealed hub bearings. they often contain ABS wheel speed sensors and can be expensive.

Even a noisy tire with choppy tread can be mistaken for a defective bearing. This article talks about rear axles, seals and bearings. Not to be confused with a standard hub wheel bearing that a rim and tire attach to.

Feeling it through the seat a give away and also a new gearbox mount would make the angle of sag worse on a sagged centre bearing than before the gearbox mount was fitted.

With the axles removed as described above you can perform a visual inspection of the shaft bearings and look for scoring, burn marks or even pitting or chips on the individual rollers.

I seem to have the same problem but it is really noticeable at about 80mph especially when lifting off the gas. Prop shaft bearings?

I have visited my local mechanics and he thinks it might well be a rear wheel bearing as the vibrations don't get any better when the car is put into neutral and no vibratations could be felt when I put my hand on the transmission tunnel.

With the C shaped clips removed they will easily slide out of the differential housing. When replacement is needed, often the axle bearings are pressed onto the shaft using special equipment and holding fixtures.

Making drastic lane changes could be considered reckless driving and an accident is highly possible. It wouldn’t make any sense to wreck a perfectly good vehicle just to find out what bearing is noisy.

In many Ford applications you will see bolts that hold a flange against the differential tube. Removing these bolts allows the axle to slide out. On GM vehicles it is more common to have the shaft retained in the differential carrier.

Axle shaft bearingreplacement

Many auto parts stores will provide this service for free if the replacement parts are purchased at the store. You should also replace the axle seals at the same time. The parts store shouldn’t let you walk out the door without new seals.

Additional weight is put on the right rear. An increase of noise from the right rear during that lane change may indicate an inspection of the right side is necessary.

Front DriveAxleInnerShaft Bearing

On these types of set ups you have to remove the differential cover then remove the pinion shaft. Next push the axles towards the center to reveal and remove a C clip retainer.

Cant see a rear wheel bearing causing this - one of mines on its way out, and its a bit noisy - but thats about it. What about rear diff or prop shaft bearing? Although having said that my prop bearing was shagged when I got my car and it didnt make the seats vibrate....

Regardless of the type utilized the main function is to support the vehicle’s weight, reduce rolling friction by allowing the wheel to spin freely.

This can often point you towards a suspect part. It may also eliminate other items that can be mistaken for axle shaft bearing noise. Bad axle bearings often make a growling or rumbling sound at highway speeds.

There are three major bearing designs used in cars and trucks. There is a ball type, straight roller and a tapered roller style.

Axle bearingvs wheelbearing

Most often when lack of lubrication causes bearing failure you can actually see heat damage in the form of bluish or purple marks on the rollers.

Luckily diagnosing axle shaft bearings does not come up very often, because the sounds they make can be mistaken for other drive train problems.

These types of lane changes and diagnostic methods should only be used in a safe manner. Preferably on a quiet road way with no other traffic around you.

I think Jeff at Zedworld charges about £280......bearing itself costs a bundle, probably £160 just for the bearing. Check his website, http://www.zedworld.co.uk

I was also told that I had had a new gearbox mounting bracket. Something else I know can be a cause of vibrations. This surely eliminates a dodgy mounting bracket though?

I have the "typical" Z vibration in the seat at about 30 - 50 mph, especially when cold. I replaced the rear gearbox mount, which did nothing to eliminate the vibrations. I compared the new gearbox mount to the old, and frankly, the old looked as good as the new, no sagging, no deterioration of the rubber. I doubt in your case that its the gearbox mount. Several people on this forum have replaced the gearbox mount and found it did not solve the vibration, which was only cured when the prop shaft centre bearing was replaced. Mine will have to be done soon.

A visual inspection of the bearing in most cases is not possible until you slide the axle out of the differential housing. In some cases its obvious how the axle is held into the differential housing.

Feeling it through the seat a give away and also a new gearbox mount would make the angle of sag worse on a sagged centre bearing than before the gearbox mount was fitted.

RearAxle Bearingand Seal Kit

My rtracking is ever so slightly out aswell. Guess this would not help matters. If I get the wheels tracked will I need to have a complete 4 wheel track seeing the Zed steers with all four?

Rear wheel drive vehicles with pumpkin style differentials and solid axles have axle bearings. They are inexpensive but labor intensive to replace and diagnose.

RearAxle Shaft Bearing

There is an easy test for this mate! It sounds like your mechanic is right. If you want to eliminate anything transmission related (i.e. rear mount, propshaft, etc), just put your foot on the clutch! If it's still there, it's nothing to do with the transmission. If you want to eliminate anything from the engine backwards, turn it off! You'll obviously lose power steering, etc, so make sure you're safe and ready to bump start it again.

These vibrations, do they occur mainly between 30 and 50 mph ? This wurring sounds like mine, defintely metallic, not wheel bearings, I had all my wheels balanced, still the vibration.

In this perfect world they should experience long life. The few times I have replaced an axle or their bearings was because of insufficient lubrication.

I think personaly that it is something like the prop. I just don't want to do the prop then find out it was something else. I guess if it had a new gearbox mount then it might have meant that extra strain was put on the bearing whilst the old mount was making the prop sag?

If the prop centre bearing is original then it will be well sagged and the rubber mount persished. Search on it here - loads of opinions. Certainly got to be a favourite and if its been gone a long time then the actual universal joints on the shaft could also be on the way out too.

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Periodic inspection of your rear differential and checking fluid level is a good maintenance routine to get into and can save you a lot of trouble as the automobile ages.

When axle seals begin to leak the heavy gear oil can be dispersed onto your rear brake shoes or pads and rotors or drums. This can reduce braking efficiency as well as create noise and possibly a burning odor.

Many vehicles go to the junkyard with the original axle shafts and bearings. If the rear differential is serviced properly and the fluid level is maintained, this will in turn lubricate the bearing.