My left rear wheel is clicking
 

So I was on my way to a junkyard in downtown Austin when I noticed I kept hearing a faint clicking noise on my 91 300E.. I thought it was coming from the front of the car but I pinpointed it from left rear wheel.

I know it has something to do with the moving of the wheel because the clicks match the rotational speed of the wheel.. I took the wheel off and inspected and didn't see anything wrong. I looked at the axel boot and it looked dry and has lots of those super tiny cracks but I didn't see a huge crack or anything in it, but I'm starting to think the Axel may be going. Anyway to check to see what's going on? Can I take the boot off an inspect the axel or is that a no no? I've noticed the clicking has gotten louder since I first heard it. What should I check?

In the case that the axel needs to be replaced, how crazy of a DIY job is it?

Are you running stock wheels and lug-bolts? Longer bolts (or thinner rims) will hit the parking brake spring.
Just a thought.

On my daughter's '87, it was a broken parking brake pad making the clicking noise on rear left wheel.

A broken spring in there will do it also.

I had a wheel weight rubbing on the tierod in the front of my wagon, since they put weights on the inside of the rim. Not sure it could rub on anything in the back, but worht a look. Also possibly be a rock in the brakes, or the half shaft.

stabilizer link
 

Check the stailizer link, it is behind the rear wheel.

Thanks for the replies, I did take the wheel off, but it was raining and around 32 degrees outside so I did a half fast check, today is clear and sunny and I'll pop it off again and give everything a good look over.

It's weird, sometimes it's really loud and other times it barley clicks. It defiantly sounds like something it in there like a rock or something. I'll keep y'all updated

Have the wheel bearings checked.

Add some heavy oil lubricant to the cv joint on that side. Simply loosen off the clamp on the small side of the boot on the outer axel joint and squirt some heavy oil in. Then apply a clamp. some use turkey basters for this. As long as the noise is not there all the time this should work. At least 75 percent chance the cv joint is the issue by your description.

Alright so I was finally able to get some time and pull the boot off and put more lubricant on the cv joint, I put it back and test drove a good
15 miles and all seemed fixed until right before I got back home, that dreaded clicking/clacking sound came back. If I jack up the car and spin only that rear wheel and keep the other on the ground it seems to prevent it from clicking temporarily but then it'll start up again, I've looked at everything with the wheel off from under the car and I see nothing wrong, no broken pieces or anything. But the clicking can get so loud! You can just about feel it too while riding in the car, but other times it's quiet... If I'm making a right turn where the cars weight is on the bad side it clicks loud but making a left turn it's silent. I'm stumped!

I'm starting to wonder if this is my culprit, how did you diagnose it?

take off 2 lug nuts, and drive slow speeds (don't be stupid) and see if it clicks "less". If it does, its because there are less lug nuts hitting the parking brake.

Its not going to be unsafe driving slowly on 3 lug nuts as long as you don't do anything silly.

You should be able to do this without driving though if you spin the wheel fast enough.

This happened a few month's ago on my 89 300e, when I removed the rear disc a couple of springs fell out on the floor. The handbrake shoe retaining springs had broken allowing the shoes to lean on the back of the hub. ;)

Alright so I still had my clicking problem which was getting really loud but my tank kept leaking gas so I ended up just taking it to a mech and had him put on my center support for the driveshaft since mine was shot and causing a vibration, well wouldn't you know it..This was more than a month ago and I haven't had an issue with clicking at all! I don't know how this fixed it but no more clicking! So if anyone has clicking like I did and the above advice from others doesn't work, change out your center support! Cause for some reason that fix my clicking! :eek: :confused: