I've posted on this topic before, but until tonday I haven;t had the chance to implement any testing procedures. Just to refresh memories, I get some odd "rumbling" noise from the rear of the car. It appears when I get the car into the upper two gears and continues even if I take the car out of gear. Seems to be speed related and not a problem with the transmission (which was replaced when I got the car home about the same time as the noise 1st appeared.

Background: I drove this car 650 miles w/o 1st gear and loaded up with spare parts, including a spare engine. It was a bear to drive. I lost 2nd and 3rd gear about 150 miles from home and it was towed the rest of the way. 800+ miles total.
A new gearbox was put in at home and I've driven it off and on since. The rear-end noise appeared when I started driving it.

I had been thinking that it was rear-brake related, so I put the rear on jacks and removed the wheels and hubs. I put the car in 4th and let it "cruise" at about 35. the noise was still there - though I can't quite pin-point it. I did however notice that my rear axels each have a slight "wobble" to them and the noise seems to be concentrated around the axels. The rumbling seems to resonate through the whole driveshaft, differential and axels. With engine noise I can't get more specific.

I'm presently suspicious of the wobble in the axels, but wonder if it might be the rear bearings - just behind the wheel hub.

I have two spare axels, but installations looks "involved" so I hesistate to just swap them out. Maybe I just need to grease the thing up? I Dunno.

Any thoughts?
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1967 P220 Amazon, 1972 145S, 1976 245 DL, 1983 245 GL, 1986 745 GLE, 1990 745 GL, 1995 945....
You mean to tell me that Volvo makes cars that are *NOT* Wagons?!?