Front bearings....

[unity]

Quick question. When one applies the brakes with bad wheel bearings, does the squeak stop?

I just replaced mine maybe two weeks ago cause I was chirping like heck and had a random pull.

The passenger side was shot, but the driver's side, which was the most audible, was fine but I replaced it anyway.

Right away the chirp was still there and now its driving me nuts. I think its not the new bearings, but I cant figure out what else it would be since the entire front end is only about two months old - everything was replaced BUT the bearings which I just did.

Any ideas? I think my next step will be a silicon spray soak down but like I said, it stops if I hit the brakes - even a little - so I dont think things like the control rod bushing would be making the noise. Brake pads are all new too.

 

[The Reaper]

Bad wheel bearings typically emit more of a hum than a squeak.

The hum is more pronounced when turning towards the side of the bad wheel bearing. In other words, if say, you have a bad right side bearing, the hum would be more noticeable when turning to the right, and vice versa.

You may have a sticking brake caliper. It may be sticking just enough to create some pad/rotor friction, but not enough to pull the car to one side or the other.

Another thing to look at is the dust shields. Make sure they're not rubbing against the backside of the wheels.

But if the squaek stops when you're applying the brakes, my money's on the sticking calipers.

 

[unity]

Well I will have to look at them again. When I had them off I installed new slid pins and lubricated them. They should be sliding free. The dust shields are fine but I will check them again too. Thanks.

 

[The Reaper]

Or, you can just tell people that yo have High Performance pads and rotors, and they just squeak by design. :lol:

 

[Aquabrit]

Reaper, i always thought it was the opposite reference bad wheel bearings due to the car leaning and transfering load to the opposite side? if ya get what i mean... But yeah a squeak does sound like something other than bearings.

 

[Psychostang]

I used to have a chirp. I cleaned the antiskid wheel and sensor, which were full of carbon from the brakes. NO more chirp. Try that and see if it helps.

 

[The Reaper]

Reaper, i always thought it was the opposite reference bad wheel bearings due to the car leaning and transfering load to the opposite side? if ya get what i mean... But yeah a squeak does sound like something other than bearings.

On the 95 I bought from mike, it would hum when I would turn right (typically, hard curves on the highway). The right wheel bearing went a few thousand miles later.

 

[unity]

From what I have read and experienced, the hum and chirp can be indications of a bad bearing. I have had it happen before.

As for the sensors, I have none installed to clean.

 

[mespock]

I've never had a chirp or squeak on any of the wheel bearing that I have replaced. The hum yes...

Only thing that I had squeak were the ball joints but I'm guessing you are havin a different squeak then the squeak after any bump as you are going down the road.

 

[Brozly]

I would suspect the pads dragging lightly on the rotors...

 

[unity]

Ya, the more I listen the more I think its the brakes. I will take the calipers off this weekend and take a look. I wonder if its just he outer pad bouncing around. I will lubricate the backs of them, inner also.

 

[chicken]

also when you have the pads off, deglaze them with some sandpaper, the squeek is "semi metaliac brake noise" since they cant use asbestos in brakes anymore they use small metal chips, which sometimes end up with a point scraping the rotor causing your chirp, and it going away when you check your brakes just confirms it. hows your rear pads?