Help diagnosing rear end vibration

[FI994k]

I picked up a half-shaft and hub assembly from Mazda heaven yesterday. But not sure it will help me at this point. Once I got home I jacked up the car, put it in drive and let the wheels spin while in the air. I noticed a light clinking or clicking sound coming from the right rear of the car, could this be a bad half-shaft?

I also can visibly see the wheel, bobbing up and down as it spins. I decided to mark the ‘high’ spot while it was spinning. After doing so, I removed the wheel, turned it 180 deg clockwise and remounted it. This way I figured if the hub/axle was bent, the new marking would be on directly opposite (top/bottom) of the tire. Well, while spinning I marked it again, and the marks were in the same spot as the first go around. This makes me think the tire is worn unevenly and ‘bent’, somehow.

Next I marked the relationship of the tire markings to the hub and proceeded to move the driver side rear tire (#2) to the passenger rear hub to check if and where it would ‘mark’ while spinning. This wheel/tire while spinning has a less severe rotation flaw. After checking the very small mark on tire #2 to the mark on the hub, I noticed that they do not line up, but are off by about 30 degrees.

After this test I checked the hub for any ‘play’ and found none.
Other than the clicking noise coming from the right rear, I cant see anything wrong with it.

Maybe it’s the tire itself. Maybe its more than that. getting stumped here.

[jeepinbanditrider]

Have you checked the wheels (not the tires the wheels) already?

A bent half shaft shouldn't cause the tire/wheel assy to appear to wobble. A screwed up hub might. The clicking sound could be a bad CV joint but that shouldn't cause your wobble either.

I'm leaning towards bent rim right now.

[POS Racing]

How about putting the spare tire on it and see if the results are the same as they were with the other tire.

[FI994k]

i have already moved wheels around and the vibration remains in the same rear right corner. i have had the wheel examined, according to three guys at discount tire it is not bent.

the wheel is not wobbling left right, as in the case of a weak/broken hub, it is moving in a way that lends me to believe the tire itself has lost integrity and is no longer perfectly round.

[goofygrin]

I've seen tires with a steel belt that breaks in them. About the same sensation you're describing.

If you've swapped a front wheel to the back and it's still doing it in the rear then it's go to be something else.

[FI994k]

Took the wheel and tire back to have it pressure tested and balanced...it is fine.

I'm starting the rear hub swap tonight.

[FI994k]

replaced rear hub, which fixed the problem. old bearings were shredded and full of metal shavings.

[patf]

was this happening all the time? just under acceleration or cornering? i have a vibration from right rear but only when accelerating during a left turn.. when it does it shudders pretty hard. i was thinking bad shock...

[FI994k]

patf- my vibration was always there. if your problem was with a bearing, it would always be there and would fluctuate with speed, not with cornering.