Propshaft - a problem solved.

[Tanuki]

For some months I've been getting a strange combination of creaks squeaks groans and clicks from under my 90TD5; the problem was noticeable only at really-low speeds when going on or off the throttle at a couple of MPH.

The problem went away if I drove with the diff locked, though sometimes I could provoke it to creak when parking: applying the handbrake then releasing the footbrake would occasionally produce a loud CLICK! I had visions of a bill for a new rear propshaft, assuming that after 100,000+ miles the UJs and/or the splined slip-joint were worn-beyond-repair.

But - crawling around underneath, I noticed 'dusty' fretting-type rust-stains on the back of the handbrake-drum, radiating out from where the drum is sandwiched by the propshaft flange. Exploring the tightness of the four nuts holding the prop-flange to the drum, I managed to get 3 or 4 flats-worth of rotation on each. And now after a test-drive I'm happy that the creaky-clicky noises have gone!

Must admit though, I'm minded to wait until spring and then strip the drum/drive-flange to check that there's no damage to the unthreaded parts of the studs from the repeated movement of the flange against them: surface damage to heavily loaded things like studs can produce 'stress-raisers' and result in catastrophic failure under load. Having seen what happens when a propshaft gets-loose at high speed [driver-fatality] I'm just a little paranoid.

[western]

get in there as soon as possible, last thing you want is the front end of rear prop digging in the road it'll act like a pole vault & seeing the trans brake drum overtaking you on the road as it leaves you behind in a big heap of trouble.

make sure the 2 drum to hub screws are intact too.