That's about it - I thought at first that it was time to replace my rear brake pads (and hey, it might still be!) but this is happening without regard to my brake usage. No noise, or noticable whine at speeds above 15mph - but as I come to a stop it sounds awful back there.

I expect it's time to replace my universal joints this weekend; any other ideas?

 

Hmm...well, it could be your drive shaft carrier bearing. Also could be your rear end...While you're investigating, check your trailing arm bushings although they usually clunk, not really grind.

 

Did a little reading; my parking brake lever does not appear to be attached to anything any longer. As the grinding seems to be coming from the rear left, I wonder if the parking brake drum is siezing as I slow down?

 

Oh jeez, that totally slipped my mind. Sure..I bet that's it. But, it might be that the drum is dragging all the time and you only hear it or it is only noisy at slower speeds. What I've started seeing in the last few years is the cable connection where it is held by a nut under the brake...the shank has a square shank and the e-brake has a square hole that the shank passes through and then the lock nut. That hole in the e brake handle is getting reamed out and the cable is jamming. The e-brake cam at that point is pot metal. If that happens, the only fix I've seen is to swap in another. Or...something is going on in the drum itself.