Ok, here it is and some may not like it......
Not the rear brakes, we checked them today, and all is well. Thought it might be the rear sway bar...Nope. Rear axle....nope.
Installed chassis ears*, drove around and we discovered an interesting thing; something we all know, but forget about...sound travels.
For some reason we don't know yet, when slowing down and suddenly stopping, and the trans downshifts into first, a metallic sound (sometimes a groan) is emitted from the transfer case and travels to the side, making it sound like the rear brakes are making a noise.
The vehicle is currently up in the air w/o a transfer case, waiting for a new one to be delivered. Once replaced, we will drive around some more to see if this is the noise.
If it was the noise, the case goes back to BW to root cause the problem...if there is a problem other than noise. This root cause will take time. In fact, it may take till next Monday to see if this solved the problem.
Now, was my noise the same as all other noises reported? Don't know, and really can't tell. I will say my noise this morning was more of a scrapping sound than a moaning sound, and that sound sure appeared to be coming from the t/case when using the chassis ears.
A regional rep has reported a groaning sound repaired on a vehicle by applying silicone lube to the stainless steel shims on the rear brake pads.
I'll keep you guys informed, but right now I have to suffer since the only vehicle available to drive was a yellow corvette convertible, and the temps are going to the 40s; so what good is it! I believe Friday I will switch it for a Crimson 2007 H2 that will be available that is in the test fleet, and they need more miles on it, plus some opinions on how it drives....
(Hear that DRTFYN?????)
(*A box with a rotor switch to tune into different circuits, has a head phone, and six leads that connect to different parts of the vehicle. So you can pinpoint a noise.)