technical help needed

2009 Tacoma 4x4

Yesterday when backing out of a parking stall on an incline, I heard a nasty sound. Then when driving, it started to get worse and worse. I thought it was the rear left brakes, that's where the sound was coming from. I took the wheel off but couldn't get the drum open. I was going to try again today with jack bolts when I noticed what's in the picture I've attached. There seems to be oil all over the left axle.

The sounds are different when in forward or reverse.

There doesn't seem to be any loss of power. There doesn't seem to be any loss of braking either. Just horrible sounds.

Am I causing further damage by driving like this? What do you think it is?

I'm going to get the drum open today with jack screws, or should I even bother with no loss of braking power?

 

Yes take off the drum and look for axle leaks, judging by the picture the shock is pretty wet too it may be leaking also which could cause a noise going over bumps.

 

I should also mention the sound kinda goes away during acceleration and comes on strong during coasting. And it's a different nasty sound in reverse.

 

Yeah the sound is definitely not shock related

It's wheel-turning related

I guess I really need to get the drum open and see if there's any broken stuff inside

Is there a guide on here anywhere to change wheel bearings?

 

So when you say horrible noise can you more accurately discribe that.
Is it a grinding, skretching, clunking,banging.etc
And yes when ever there is a horrible noise you most likely are doing damage if you continue driving.

 

Sounds like the bearing, looks like the shock. May be 2 things going on here. The shock shouldn't be that wet from the seal leaking (not impossible though)

Are you positive the oil wasn't present before this?

 

Major grinding when coasting
Major grinding with some banging when reversing

Not much sound at all when accelerating

 

I'm not positive at all. Could be a coincidence.

If I jack the truck up and turn the wheel, should I be able to hear it if it's a bearing? I'm really hoping it's just broken springs or whatever in the drum brake.

 

Does it make the noise when you turn the wheek by hand when the wheel is jacked up in the air?

 

shock has likely been blown for awhile. Let's hope that somehow created an issue with the brake -it's better than a bearing IMO

 

I'm going to buy jack bolts and jack the truck up and turn the wheel by hand and report back

 

I agree with 58 siesta 2 things. When an axle seal goes up usually get gear oil in the wheel and down the tire. But if the bearing was bad id say u would have that.
I think the oil is the shock, and the noise is a spring in the brakes broke and shit is rolling around in the drum.
Get that drum off pronto.

 

Axle seal blow out? Definitely need to pull the drum in order to figure out what is going on, because it probably won't heal itself.

 

One other piece of potentially useful info

The noise started happening *suddenly*

As in, everything was fine and I parked the truck. I went inside somewhere for 10 minutes. Came out, backed out of the parking spot on a slight incline. Heard a weird bang while I was traveling about 3 kph. Then all the noises started as I previously described. Never use the parking brake ever.

Wheel bearings don't suddenly go like that do they?

 

Well when I have had bad axle seal/bearings there is gear oil everywhere and it's always in the lip of the wheel unless u gots major offset.
The truck is kinda rusty. And it makes since cause the wheel cly would still apply the breaks. But the shock bushing looks bad that would be the banging/oil.
Noise I'd bet is a spring.
No telling until getting drum off.

 

My money is broken spring. I'd say the cost of your repair depends on how soon u get in there. Could just be a spring kit but if u continue to drive stuff could get gouged.
The shock could wait that is a ride quality thing.
Brakes are important lol

 

I think you'll find minor carnage in the drum from a broken spring. Time for new shocks too. Brakes first though.

 

Another thing that helps getting the drum off is tapping and spinning it.
Ware hearing protection and don't hit to hard. I bent a drum once.