Posted: Mar 26 2010 at 9:49am | IP Logged

hi there.  i've got a '06 LE King 4WD 6-sp manual with about 45k miles.  recently noticed a squeeking noise coming from the rear of the truck.  it sounds like a bird churping type of rubbing squeek noise.  this happens when the engine is under load to move the truck.  it doesn't happen while the truck is moving, but coasting - say while the clutch is in or with my foot off the gas.

the sound also doesn't happen while stopped - at idle nor while reving.  so i don't think its engine/belt related.  and although i can't quite pinpoint the exact location the squeeking noise is coming from, it seems like its from the rear of the car.  i can't tell if its from the front of the driveshaft or the rear axel area, but not the front engine area.

it almost sounds like squeeky susspension, but it happens when i'm going slow and smooth and doesn't happen when stopped and pushing on rear bumper flexing the susspension.  the squeek also speeds up with the speed of the car, but seems independent of the brakes.

i've given a quick look around under the truck and didn't find anything obviously rubbing against the drive shaft or in the wheel/brake rotor areas.  i also didn't see any obvious signs of fluid leaking from the rear differential or axle area.  before i got more involved in my searching, i thought i'd check in here and see if anyone had any suggestions.  any help would be greatly appreciated! 

Posted: Mar 29 2010 at 10:42am | IP Logged

i did not notice the squeeking when bouncing the suspension by standing/jumping off of the bumper, but i didn't try to bounce it from inside the bed.  i also haven't jacked up the truck yet, so i don't have an answer to that either.

i don't notice a correlation between when the squeek noice happens and going around turns or over bumps.  the only real correlation i've made is that it only seems to happen only when the engine is engaged to move the truck and not when it is coasting.

i have noticed the noise while in reverse though. 

if the noice persists over the next few days (when i can actually get time to do this) i'll look to drain and refill the rear diff.  if it persists past that, i think its off to the shop.