1998 Jeep Cherokee has a loud "grinding" noise in the right rear tire/wheel area. If the tire is a 225 75 R 15 the noise goes away. When I put on the 235 75 R 15 the noise comes back. Only the right rear makes this noise.
Wheels have been changed and noise is still there. My mechanic has checked everything and is now at a loss.
Any ideas?

 

Are you swapping rims? Using the same one every time?

Ron

 

Have tried 3 different rims. 2 metal and 1 aluminum.

 

Both tires need to be the same size on the rear. Actually, they need to be the same size all the way around.

You only mention changing the size on the right rear.

 

If you put it up on jackstands and spin the tire with it in neutral does it still make the sound?

 

A bad wheel bearing will get hot. I noticed sometimes a shop has a tough time figuring out problems that involve much driving. You might try feeling around after pulling off the freeway. I assume he pulled the drum?

 

Thanks for all the input. Will try the advice and see what happens.
Yes, all 4 tires are the same size 235 75 R15 when the sound happens.
"Creaking" sound does not happen when the 225 75 R15 in on that wheel only. Usually shows up after driving 20 miles or more.
Also, only does the sound when I take off from a complete stop and goes away at about 15 mph. It is loud enough to make heads turn in a parking lot.

 

Well first, keep all the same size tires from now on. And you didn't say if you checked the drums...

That's all it could be is wheel bearings or the brakes. So if its not the brakes change the rear wheel bearing.

 

"only does the sound when I take off from a complete stop and goes away at about 15 mph" You might have put that in your first post.

To check the u-joints jack up a wheel and turn it forward and back while in park and look for play. If it makes a loud rhythmic squeak when you take off from a stop, you might as well take a wrench under there with you to remove your driveline.

 

Dude he said REAR right tire, you need to slow down

 

Try putting new high-quality lug nuts on the right rear wheel only and torquing them down properly.

Remember aluminum wheels take one kind of lug nut and steel wheels take another kind. How they mate up to the wheel is different.

Then drive it under the same conditions as when it does it now.

If it continues to make the noise, I think axle bearings are next to check/replace.

Then differential gears, pinion, and spider gears.

 

I went to the tire shop today to have it jacked up and see if the noise was still there when in neutral. Noise as very loud when I pulled in. A worker was able to hear it and wanted to pulled the wheel off to check it out. He thinks it is a broken tooth in the rear end. They are just a tire shop and don't do any mechanical work. He was interested because he owns a Cherokee.
Maybe he is correct, I don't know?

 

To check the u-joints jack up a wheel and turn it forward and back while in park and look for play.

Not hard to do, and something to check now and then anyway. You might have a worn one that's NOT your noise. I've heard them squeak real loud taking off. Dry metal and all that torque.....I don't get why the rear goes first, but they do.

EDITED. Whoops! When you wrote "Right rear" I heard left. While driving sound from the left could be tough to tell for sure...well anyway a U-Joint could make a noise like that, put probably wouldn't sound on the right.

 

Maybe you didn't see my earlier post?

Pull the differential cover and have a look around.