Rear popping noise

Here's one for yous all....

I have a 2001 1.8 hippo and she's driving great. Engine runs smoothly, cruises along quietly, and I reckon I'm getting decent mpg from her. However I've noticed a sort of rubber popping noise from the rear after stopping, more so when I have stuff in the boot or passengers in the back.

Can't see anything obvious when I look. It seems to be like rubber 'releasing' so after say, a dozen pops it's finished and quiet.

Anybody else had this? Any ideas?

Never noticed it on my 04 1.8, might be exhaust cooling, have you checked all the hangers for it?

Eggsause cooling is normally a ticking sound. Is it more of a tick than a pop?

Sorry to reply so late, house move and all that......
It's definately not the exhaust. It sounds like when you try to twist a bar inside a tight rubber bush, but twisting in pops rather than a single smooth twist.
It's only when I come to rest and not necessarily caused when people exit the rear of the vehicle.

Could it have anything to do with the rear diff seals? Just checked them earlier and there's a leak....

Unlikely to be the diff if it's happening loudly *after* you stop.

When you pull up open the fuel cap and see if you get a massive inrush of air.

Could be the fuel tank collapsing if the breathers are screwed.

Registering my interest in the thread more than anything! but...
Fuel tank/cap/breather sounds like a good suggestion.
Could it be (partially) blocked diff breather?
As all things Freelander come back to the VCU, its not the VCU 'slipping' retained wind up from the journey? If you've got a dodgy recon one installed, might be the custard settling, or they made a rookie mistake and filled it with Rice Crispies!

I don't think it's the fuel tank B34R as the popping can happen after a relatively short journey but always sounds the same, I checked anyway however!

What you've said Grumpy has got me thinking though, it definitely sounds like something "releasing" in stages and I didn't realise the VCU could do that, sounds promising though.I'll climb underneath tomorrow and have a good look, and check the diff breather too while I'm at it.

If it were something like VCU wind-up, do you reckon there's a way of marking it or something to find out? I'll not rule out a dodgy recon VCU (it's a Freelander sure) but going by the work done and care taken with the rest of it, I just can't see the previous owners skimping on this. As I say though, I'd rather make sure for myself.

Thanks for the ideas, it's a strange one!