Hello all,

I?m have a problem with the rear end of my ?86 245. I drove to DC from Pittsburgh last weekend, and as soon as I got to my destination I made a 3-point turn and as I backed up, the car started making this dragging, scraping, metallic sound. At first I thought I sounded like a P-brake shoe was rolling around in the drum or something. I did a little diagnosing the next day? 1) There?s nothing wrong with the brakes (that would be too easy), they are fine on both sides. 2) The right side seems to be the source of the noise. 3) There is about 1/8 to 3/16 inch of movement on the right axle (after you take the brake caliper off) when you push it in and pull it out? this may explain some of the noise since the rotor would be subject to this movement inside of the fixed caliper and thus intermittently drag and give. 4) the left rear axle only has about 1/32-1/16 inch of movement in its length. 5) the right side axle doesn?t feel the same when you spin the wheels backward (more intermittent resistance) as forward (pretty normal resistance).

So I?m thinking there?s a problem with the rear axle bearings. However, I just paid Peter?s Auto Works in Portland, Oregon $500 last August to replace both sides? bearings when I was stuck there on a cross country drive. My left side bearing had failed (really loud, but not yet seized), and as a logical preventive measure, I okay-ed their suggestion to replace both sides.

I really don?t want to think that they either did a bad job, or no job, but the problem certainly seems to be in that area. Is there something else that it could be? Could it be something with the differential? My car is still at my friend?s house in DC, and I?m going back on Sunday. Should I get someone down there to look at it/fix it? Drive it back to Pittsburgh (about 250-275 miles) and take it further apart? If I find that it is a problem with the bearings what do you think I should do about Peter?s? I obviously cannot take my car back to portland. do you think they would help pay for the cost of having it fixed again? Getting those bearings changed last summer was the only thing I have ever had someone else do on the car.

Thanks for any advice you can offer...

colbi cannon