Daxbrandon

08'MustangDude

No matter what you have done, it's still there. Did ya replace the axle bearings?
They're harder to do than fronts. You have to remove the axle to replace them,
and the seals.


Here is how to replace them:

Daxbrandon

Dino Dino Bambino

The problem is more complex than you think. Firstly with the axle that far offset, the panhard bar is almost certainly bent and will need replacing Secondly, the upper control arm is likely to be damaged so that'll also need replacing. Thirdly, I'd closely inspect the lower control arms and the mounts for possible damage. Finally, the axleshaft on the noisy side could be slightly bent causing the recurrent grinding noise you described.
Sounds like you've got your work cut out to fix this problem. Good luck and keep us updated.

bl817

Ontop of what has been said, if your rear axle is that far off, the pinion flange is likely rubbing against the exhaust over-axle pipe, causing the erratic grinding that changes with speed. check the panhard bar and other related control arms. good luck

Daxbrandon

lenko

I'd be opening the rear end and see what the heck is going on in there. You have to do that anyway if you want to pull the axles shafts off and check and or replace the differential and rear wheel bearings. For the wheel to be out that far there had to be some event as mentioned by Dino Dino Bambino. I would also be checking the C clips (that hold the axles in place), to see if there is anything amiss in there. While apart it would be advisable to check the rotation of the pinion and pinion preload ( inch pound torque wrench) to make sure that is within spec. Good luck

Peacetaker

Back in Nov, I bought a 2014 GT Convertible, had some "crickets chirping" sounds (sounded like front left) along with what sounded like a grrrr sound and front end was misaligned. Dealer said the steering column just needed a re-centering and he'd do it except it was almost the holiday (right before Thanksgiving), so I bought the car.

Had front end realigned, $85 if I recall. Brake pads are practically brand new - WHAT?

So I figured someone heard the chirpchirp and replaced the pads. They dust a lot so I guess they got the cheapest ones.

Then someone said my LR wheel was wobbling.

Sure enough, it was a bent axle. Got that fixed yesterday (new L axle, bearing, seal, diff cover gasket, etc), and the rotor needed replacement as well (that was the chirping) and the wheel rim is slightly bent (more cosmetic than anything else). I talked to the mechanic, showed him a similar offset to the right as OP describes, and he lifted it up higher again and looked. That Panhard rod is BADLY bent. No kidding, it was touching a part of the undercarriage while the car was lifted. I can see the UCAs and LCAs look fine, and the sway bar is fine (though it is shifted about 1/2-4/4" based on the wear of the bushings). I ordered a Panhard from Amazon (an adjustable one) and the mechanic will put it on for me pretty reasonably. I simply don't have the facility to do that, and besides, I'm very concerned about lifting the car, then taking loose that Panhard rod while the suspension springs are pushing that hard on them (will point out and warn him, as the sudden release could be really dangerous).

The grrrr sound is still there, thinking it's a front wheel bearing, since whomever smacked the curb may have done the front as well because that rim has a nick in it.

I bought a SWEET car that has a few previous owner's issues, and I'm pretty sure I'll be eating all this cost simply because someone was a goon and romped on something they weren't responsible enough to fix. Should be really nice soon, but dang... had I known, right?

Agacerie

In my experience with a car that old and that many miles, you're better off in the long run getting another rear-end out of a salvage yard. They aren't expensive and can be swapped out in a few hours. The time and effort to open up the rear-end to check everything out can be spent replacing it. A good visual inspection of a low miles unit at a reputable bone yard is typically good enough. You'll get better gears, bearings, and a spare set of rotors and calipers.

Peacetaker

Bent Panhard rod.