Bad creaking sound from rear end: loose rear wheel bearings?

[RacerAV]

So my 2022 single cab short bed 4x4 now has an ''old door creak' sound under load or over bumps [Think: moving an old heavy creaky door back and forth really fast].

The rear wheel bearing feels loose: I put the truck on stands (under the rear axle), removed the wheel and brake rotor, and I can shake the studs/hub up and down, in and out. I know, in and out is normal a tiny amount, but up and down? That's not right. Dealership blamed it on the aftermarket suspension (Ridetech 3/5 kit)... I don't think it is to blame though. Sent a video of me shaking the rear hub up and down (probably a 1/16' or so movement) today. No hopes of hearing back before they close.

They already had the truck for a few days and called to say, come get it, it's done, problem is with your suspension.

That's where I'm at now. My DIY SuperSnakeSport is already frustrating me. And here I thought the worse part was waiting 6 months to get the truck after ordering...

Thanks for reading!

Sponsored

 

[Fordphanatic]

They would need to prove your suspension caused it. Assuming you do have a bad wheel bearing.

 

[Graygoose2021]

It may be suspension. Can you get it to squeak with truck parked, grabbing the bed and shaking the truck from side to side, or jumping on rear bumper?

 

[RacerAV]

It may be suspension. Can you get it to squeak with truck parked, grabbing the bed and shaking the truck from side to side, or jumping on rear bumper?

I've put all my 200lbs into jumping on the bumper, the bed, bedsides, moving it side to side, nothing. The main noise happens when from a stop, I gas it enough to cause the rear to squat, not punching it, just a little gas. I can avoid it by taking it really really slow and easy. So it seems like the rear axle doesn't like being under load. It goes away after the axle and truck kinda match speed/load, like just maintaining speed, if that makes sense.

Ford dealer called, they watched my video and said bring the truck back in. Fingers crossed!

 

[brad65ford]

any update on your wheel bearing, my 2023 with only 1k miles has a lot of lateral play in the rear left axle bearing. Dealer doesn't want to look at it since i have lowering kit, same as yours.

 

[RacerAV]

My dealer ended up opening up the differential, checkin the axles, bearings, found nothing wrong. IIRC the play was still there, the creaking is still there, but I think it's more something in the RideTech kit, when it rains, it goes away, I'm thinking water acting as lubrication between leaf springs or two other metal bits eases it... I think I kinda forgot about it for the most part. I don't drive the truck much. My dealer definitely didn't mind the suspension changes... really they shouldn't, doesn't touch the wheel bearings, axles, etc... Maybe check with a different one?

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

Bumping this up as I have the same issue on mine, but it's actually causing a clunk over bumps, especially during tighter turns. Both rear wheel bearings are fairly loose as I can push both wheels up and down (not in and out) and get it to clunk on the hoist. I didn't figure it was the suspension because it didn't do it for over a year after the suspension was installed, and you couldn't get it to do it jumping on the back bumper with a ton of weight. The axle itself had to be loaded/unloaded to get it to make the noise. I thought about taking it into the dealer and having them see if it would be under warranty, but at this point I don't want to deal with the usual "it has aftermarket suspension and diff gears." I'd rather just pull the shafts and do it myself, especially because the bearings and seals are cheap.

EDIT to add: Before I installed the Eaton TruTrac, I had a howling from the rear end, and decided I would just do a gearset change with the LSD. Took care of the howl and was great for a long time, but then this issue popped up. I'm assuming I should have just done the axle bearings then too, and probably why they are crapping out finally now.

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

Wheel bearings, especially rear axle. Wheel bearings are not gonna be worn out prematurely with a suspension lift or lowering kit.

Wheel spacers could possibly create more of an issue for the bearings as can extremely offset wheels. But simply raising or lowering suspension, will not affect bearings

Some of these dealers are just absolute pieces of shit

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

Wheel bearings, especially rear axle. Wheel bearings are not gonna be worn out prematurely with a suspension lift or lowering kit.

Wheel spacers could possibly create more of an issue for the bearings as can extremely offset wheels. But simply raising or lowering suspension, will not affect bearings

Some of these dealers are just absolute pieces of shit

I'm assuming mine probably died as a result of the initial diff failure if I had to attribute it to something.

Sponsored