weird noise...

superdan · Post by **superdan** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 4:56 pm

I am honestly not even sure if this is the correct section for this so mods move if you feel necessary.

About a week ago I lowered my car some more and I would say about a day later I started hearing this noise. Sounds like it is coming from the front passenger side. It sounds like something is rubbing or dragging. I looked under the car and nothing is dangling so its not that. Its just what it sounds like. At first the sound kind of had a rhythm to it. Like a certain area of the suspension or of the sort is coming in contact with something. Now its become more constant and its really starting to worry me now. Also I should mention it randomly wont make the noise when I turn only when going straight. Like I said though it doesnt always go away when I make a turn. Sometimes when I push the clutch in the noise will quiet down, I dont know if its just a coincidence or if its relevant to what is making the noise, just thought I would throw that in there.

Also when I slowly come to a stop the noise dies down slowly until I stop. When I let off the brake pedal a little to let the car creep it makes a cracking type sound.

I know this is all very vague and probably hard to tell without hearing the noise in person but im just looking for some suggestions as to what you guys think it may be. I will try and get a sound clip of the noise as best I can.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:00 pm

Off the top of my head, I would say wheel bearing.

superdan · Post by **superdan** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:01 pm

thanks for the quick response john.

thats what I was afraid of :/...

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:06 pm

Eh, it's not a bad job really. Juan and I have it down to 30 mins for the entire job

superdan · Post by **superdan** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:09 pm

dont you need a press do the front wheel bearings?

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:19 pm

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:47 pm

^So how'd you do it in 30 min? Mine are bad on both cars.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:47 pm

With a lift, a press, and mad skillz

superdan · Post by **superdan** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:14 pm

welp looks like my car is off to the mechanics then lol

xbrandonx · Post by **xbrandonx** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:36 pm

usually the wheel bearing will be a humming, and from experience the sound would get worse when turning one way over the other... sound about right?

superdan · Post by **superdan** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:14 pm

yeah its a humming noise, but it seems to go away when i turn lol its the loudest when going in a straight line

Mopar00Neon · Post by **Mopar00Neon** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:33 pm

When my wheel bearings went bad, it felt like the floorboard of my car was giving you a foot massage. The noise was horribly loud, and it generally pissed me off. It was always quite on turns however.

Both of my front hub bearings took a shit, and were horrible. I have vids of them, turning them by hand out of the car, and they were making a horrid grinding noise. They were also severely discolored from the heat.

superdan · Post by **superdan** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:57 pm

^^ could you possibly post the videos you have so i can compare.

this is also vibrating the floor as well as everything else on the car and its just getting more annoying. I actually dread when I have to drive somewhere

Mopar00Neon · Post by **Mopar00Neon** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:00 pm

Ill have to find them on the other computer... but Ill get them up.

From your description, I feel confident in your problem being the wheel bearings though. I got them (hubs and bearings, as they are pressed together in the knuckle) from the former Fenton Dodge (not sure if they are still around)... was about $250 shipped for both sides.. and I installed them myself.

superdan · Post by **superdan** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 12:44 am

hm thats not a bad price, although I dont have $250, seems like it would be cheaper doing that than paying for labor and getting the bearing pressed in the hubs

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 7:49 am

Danteneon wrote:With a lift, a press, and mad skillz

Lol yeah... i thought this was a job for dad.

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:54 pm

A bad CV joint in the half shaft will make a clicking/cracking sound at low speeds also. But humming at speed, maybe not. The half shaft would be cheaper/easier, so it is guaranteed not to be that.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:22 pm

Wheel bearings tend to make noise in a straight line and quiet down on turns. CV joints tend to be the reverse.

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:40 pm

The offending wheel bearing(s) can also be louder on the side that is loaded in a turn. (The opposite side from the direction of the turn.) That was always the dead giveaway on the Omni.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:42 pm

This is true. My Omni did the same thing

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:48 pm

See, the L bodies served very well, as educational tools.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:56 pm

I learned a lot from my Omni. It was the stepping stone to where I am now. For better or worse

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:50 pm

on a possibly related note...

I notice this when the front suspension compresses like if I hit a sewer grate in the road with the right front wheel I get a vibration type noise that sounds like the tire rubbing the inner fender liner but I know it isn't. It's like a vibration/washboard sort of noise. I don't know if this is axle related or what. I do know I have at least 1 bad wheel bearing up front that I need to replace.