Axles, wheel bearing, or what?

[The FNG]

I have had a terrible grinding sensation on the driver's side of my 91 Loyale pb 4x4 since I bought it. I assumed this was a wheel bearing since it went away or changed as I turned the car and I really wasn't worried about it. Then about a week after I bought it, I noticed the boot on the passenger side axle (the boot by the transmission) was flinging grease everywhere in the engine bay. I looked for a tear in the boot, but I wasn't able to find one, although I did notice that the boot was creeping up a little on the shaft. I left it alone and in the meantime replaced the belts, idler, tensioners, oil pump seals, water pump, camshaft seals, and crankshaft seals. Anyway, the grinding seemed to get worse on the wheel bearing and that maybe it also started to grind on the passenger side too. Then, yesterday, I was driving home and all of a sudden, the passenger side got this terrible squealing or screaming sound (rotating metal being forcefully scraped on another metal surface) that is somewhat intermittent and only happens while the wheels are rotating. when this noise is made, it seems like the grinding noise goes away. I really don't know where to start on this one. Is there any way to check my axles to tell if they are bad without tearing the car apart?

[Deener]

Not sure why you haven't had any replies yet but for what you describe you could start with brake pads - check them because you might be down to the wear indicators if you are getting squealing. If they are good (like have a goos chunk of meat left) then next check your wheel bearings - Jack up the car and with the wheel off the ground, hands at 12 and 6 on the tire or 9 and 3, check for any play. If theres any play there's a good chance the bearings are toast. Axles usually make more of a distinct 'click' on turns as opposed to the squeal you describe. There's a good USRM write up on how to do your wheel bearings if thats the issue.