This is a very interesting story of your observations then locating the loose bearing in the axle housing.

The in and out play sounds a bit excessive to me too.

Scrapping sound?
A bad bearing is more like a roaring sound, IMO. I’m thinking along with the other posters and may like to add that it could be your driveshaft center support bearing. They can go out with a high pitch squeal or a grinding roaring sound. The turning and applying the brakes makes the whole axle shift. So, I see where the other posters are steering their thoughts.


If there is that much axle movement there, it must be effecting the location of the disk rotor to the insides of the rear caliper. This movement would relocate the rotor drum to the emergency brake mechanism also. The shoes of the emergency brake end up rubbing onto any grooves or internal face in the drum.

Since this is a parking brake for the most part there should not be much of a groove. There should have been some signs of it on the inside of the drum/rotor or on the shoes themselves. Only way I could figure scraping sound. You pulling on the brakes might center up the rotor. So would the use of the caliper brakes. Are there any scrape marks? Puzzling to say the least!

The axle floats on the spline in the center so the housing can grow in length as it warms up. The bearing has to be locked in place in the outer housing of the axle. It’s between the retainer and a shoulder in the housing.

I know you think the same way on this. It is the fit up in the housing you are after. The outer race of the bearing that you are describing is shifting or slipping. The bearing is tight on the axle.

It may be possible that there is a machining change/error on the depth to the shoulder inside the axle. Spacers are used for adjustment in the case of mistakes or accumulative length tolerances and to save the housing from being scrapped! Sometimes they are used to get clearance for the bearing to clear other obstructions near by. You may want to look for that too.

I think I would be like a dentist or machinist and do a measured filling.

Go for a 1/16" maximum total play to near zero. You don't want to buckle the seal/ retainer plate when bolting it back up.

Phil