I noticed a noise (possible wheel bearing)

[sandawgk5]

I think my wheel bearings are chirping on my front end. So not to sound like a total cheap **** these things have only been in for maybe 2000 miles over 2 years. Has anyone had luck with cleaning inspecting and filling with grease then retorque or do I need to replace the bearings and races? It has only been making the noise for probably 20 miles I just noticed it. I think it is wheel bearing as it stops when I use the brakes or when I turn on way or the other.

Thanks

Ira

 

[4xcrazy]

"chirping" ? is it only when you are NOT on the brakes, does the sound go away when you apply the brakes?

may be low on brake pad, and the noise you are hearing are the little warning tabs.

 

[readymix]

Could be brakes. I would repack the bearings anyway.

 

[sandawgk5]

I did not think about the pads. They were brand new when the 60 went in but it could be. It stops when I brake and when I turn the wheel you know as you are going straight you turn left then right (almost a slight swerve if you will) and it will stop then also. That is what made me think wheel bearings. I gotta pull the calipers to get to the wheel bearings I will check the pads.

Ira

 

[sandawgk5]

I just wanted to make sure it was not taboo to repack and reinstall old wheel bearings if they started to chirp.

Ira

 

[readymix]

Mine have been repacked 3 or 4 times by me and are probably at least 10 years old.

 

[sandawgk5]

Mine have been repacked 3 or 4 times by me and are probably at least 10 years old.

OK a repack will aleast last until I get back from truckhaven. I will obviously check them out and if they look scored or burnt they will get changed. I do not forsee any problems with reusing them as they just started the noise.

Who knows it might only be pads.

Ira

 

[4xcrazy]

Never heard of wheels bearings starting to chirp, i have heard some dying, and when they do, they let out a very loud scream/screeching/squeeling noise. If ya don't get stopped soon, then they tend to fall apart and maybe burn stuff up from heating up the greese.

Not pretty, had one break a long time ago on my car, snapped the tip of the spindle off with it.

Most likely your brake pads telling you that they are running low on material.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Chirping is usually the first sign of a U-joint going bad. Don't rule it out just because it sounds like the noise is coming from somewhere else. Noise in driveshafts can travel and sound like it is coming from elsewhere.

 

[sandawgk5]

Chirping is usually the first sign of a U-joint going bad. Don't rule it out just because it sounds like the noise is coming from somewhere else. Noise in driveshafts can travel and sound like it is coming from elsewhere.

I have heard ujoints going out and it is a different sound this is from the front tire area. The ujoints I have heard failing do it under power this noise is a chirp chirp chirp that changes with speed and occurs all the time. It is not the consistent squeek I have experienced in the past with brakes. I will check the pads and wheel bearings this week before I hit the desert on Saturday.

Oh ya I just put a new to me front driveshaft in and changed the ujoints so they are new.

Ira

 

[sandawgk5]

I think I got it fixed. I did not have time to test drive afterwards to listen but. I took the hubs off and inspected and greased the wheel bearings. The last time I did the bearings I did not torque the outer nut more than 50 ftlbs (I did not have the book with me ).

Well when I took the outer nut off, and the inner for that matter, I got them off with my 12" long ratchet . The bearings and races are fine no galling or scoring so I repacked them put them back in and retorqued everything. This time I torqued the outer to 160 ft-lbs so we will see how things go.

Oh the brake pads had about 1/2" to 3/8" of friction material left on each pad so they were not the problem. From past experience I am sure I lost the bearing pre-load and the bearings started to chirp.

Ira