Hi to anyone reading this.  I recently purchsed my second 2002 Camaro.  It has the same rear axle noise as my first 2002 Camaro.  

When I removed the axles, I found the metal had flaked around the bearing surface making quite a noise when driving.  I am replacing my second set of axles.

Are all 2002 Camaro's having this problem?  My 2001 Camaro is fine as well as any other Camaro I have driven.  

Or, am I gifted in finding 2002 Camaros that NEED new axles???  

 

It might be a factory issue. I know the carriers in the half ton trucks for a while had issues with gnawing on the axle ends.  

Yes, I do feel it is a factory issue on these axles.  Or, rather was a factory issue.  The axles are "flaking" metal off only at the roller bearing.  I can think of two possibilities.

The first would be to use a ball bearing so there is no "knife edging" on the axle.  I am not sure how long cars have been using roller bearings.  The second issue must be in the heat treating.  

I can't imagine Chevy using different types of steel on the 02 axles, only.  I think they may have skipped some quality checks or cut time in the heat treating dept.   It's $250 to buy new axles and swap them out.  Since I have done this twice, I am pretty good at it!!    

Doesn't matter the steel used, if the heating treat on metal isn't done properly, then the metal will usually be soft or brittle, and will suffer from premature failure.