Creaking noise when off the throttle

[skivittlerjimb]

The old girl is making so many different noises now it's hard to keep them straight, but the current noisiest offender seems
to be coming from the right front / center front area of the car when I hear it from the driver's seat. It's a true "creaking"
sound that sounds a bit like rubber on metal and is rhythmic with wheel/car speed. The sound goes away under throttle and
comes back when coasting. It occurs at any wheel speed but becomes most noticeable when coasting to a stop as the creak slows
down and becomes even more offensive and nasty-sounding. I'll try to get a recording, as I've never really heard a car make
this particular noise before.

It does seem to be getting more pronounced with time (~3 weeks). At first I was pretty sure it was front brakes, as the front
pads were getting pretty low and the aggressive pad compound had taken the rotors down to a pretty deep grove. Now I know it
wasn't brakes, as I swapped out the needed front rotors and pads (and, as it turns our, a LF caliper, too), and the sound is
still louder than ever.

When I had the car up on four jackstands and in neutral I tried to replicate it by spinning the wheels and listening for it
but nothing at all- just the normal scuff sound of the pads on the rotors. CV boots are clean and not split, no clicking
noises at all. The exhaust system and its hangers are not close to touching the driveshaft anywhere, as far as I can tell.
The tires are also not rubbing anywhere that I can find or see.

The car does not make any wub-wub noises on decel or accel for that matter, and it hasn't since a used driveshaft with new
Lobro joint was put on about a year and a half ago. However, that driveshaft that was installed had old carrier bearings on it. Would a bad
carrier bearing make this very rubbery sounding loud creaking noise? Any other ideas of what to check next?

-Jim B.
280/1000

 

[fivestardsm]

I was going to say that it could be the throw out bearing, but you should check your wheel bearings first. if they are dry, they will creak. Also, check the fluid in the transmission. I had a noisey one because a bearing was going out.

These noises will usually seem to go away under acceleration, which is why I suggest them first.

 

[skivittlerjimb]

Cool, I will check the wheel bearings, but I think it may be the tranny fluid, as I am concurrently getting an issue with grinding going into 5th gear after the tranny warms up that I never had before and just recently surfaced. I'll double check clutch pedal adjustment but the slave cyl., shift fork, pivot ball, etc. are all less than 3 months old, so if it's just low fluid level I'll kick myself for not having checked that sooner, top 'er off, and hope for the best.

 

[skivittlerjimb]

Beginning to think it is a dry/bad carrier bearing. Got rid of all the other irregular noises and got a better bead on the noise. It's clearly rubber on metal, not the grinding or roaring of a bad wheel bearing.

Will not make the sound when coasting backwards, makes no difference if the car is in gear or not, makes a ton of difference if the car has accel. load or none or braking load on the driveshaft. Makes some small difference turning left or right.

-Jim B.
280/1000