I have a 94 chevy silverado ext cab 2wd. I bought it used and the rear end has had a roaring noise since I bought it. Reciently it has developed a vibration. Its a fast vibration like driving on pavement with over inflated mud tires. The faster i drive the faster the vibration gets. And when i go thru a right curve the noise the vibration stops until i get back straight again and the roaring and vibration returns. it feels and sounds like its coming from the rear driver side. Ive thought about maybe a bad axle bearing. The truck has 227k miles. Any info will be of help. Thanks in advance.

 

Inspect your u-joints on your drive shaft, pop the diff cover and inspect the gears. A shop might have to look at the mesh of the gears. Could be bearings, but it's hard to say.

 

ive thought it might be a bad u joint. or a bad hanger bearing maybe. but would going around a curve make those quit vibrating? i jacked it up last weekend and checked my drive shaft and yoke and it was all good and tight. no excessive play. I took the tires and drums off and discovered a leaking axle seal ive got to fix. i tried to move the axles but there was no excessive play in either one of them. My friend seems to think i have a bad tire but i checked those and theres no knots or bumps on either of them. I guess im going to have to take it apart until i find something.

 

It could very well be a tire. Rotate your rear tires to the front and see if it changes - simple test.

 

yesterday i put the rear of the truck on jack stands and had my friend run it up to around 60 mph while i listened. i have alot of roaring noise coming from the driver side and the passenger side i couldnt hear any roaring. so im leaning toward a bad rear wheel bearing. I checked and it has some up and down play. the passenger side hardly has any play. All of my u joints are fine, no play in them what so ever and the hanger bearing has no play in it either nor does the output shaft. I really hope its just a bearing and nothing more serious.

 

Unless it's your brakes grinding, then if you hear the noise localized in one spot, there's only a few things it can be. It is most likely a bearing.

If I'm not mistakin', you'll have to pull the diff. cover, the axle C-clips, pull the axle out and pull the bearing out like that. Also, I highly suggest you replace your axle seal while the diff is empty and the axle is out.