ticker Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 (edited) Hello, I noticed recently that the pathy is making an intermittent squeaking noise. It sounds almost sounds like rubber, well rubbing. It usually occurs after I have stopped and begin to go but once it starts it will some times be continuous at low speeds, i.e. driving through a neighborhood. It seems to happen when its warmer, although that might be that I notice it more with the windows down. It doesn't change when i apply the brakes, or the e-brake but it will usually stop if I turn the wheel to the left or top 20mph, and it only occurs when I am in motion. It did it a few weeks ago then stopped until yesterday, and now today it seems to be constant. I'm going to take it to the shop next week because I'm worried it may be the brakes, and I really enjoy stopping when necessary. I'm wondering if anyone has had this problem, or has an idea of what to look for. I'd like to go to the shop with some sort of idea as to what it may be. thanks Edited July 7, 2006 by ticker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mws Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Squeaks are so much fun. Almost as much fun as intermittent electrical problems! You're definitely on the right path by monitoring exactly when it does it. When it is squeaking: Is it a continuous "squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek", or a periodic "squeak squeak squeak", that varies with wheel or engine speed, or an intermittent squeak, nothing, squeak, nothing, nothing, nothing, squeak that seems to vary with bumps in the road? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mws Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 If it is the brake pads hitting the wear limit "chirping" material, you'll be OK (if not annoyed) for a few more weeks so no need to panic yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
513yj Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 possibly brakes yes, but if you gently put on the brakes when you are going slow and the noise stops, then it's probably a u-joint on the back driveshaft, as u-joints make more of a chirping and brakes more of a squealing. jack up th back end and check driveshaft for play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 (edited) have u cranked ure t bars?...if so then ball joints put it in neutral and have some1 push it or find a slight hill and walk on the outside and see if u can get a listen of a general area of where its coming from...just dont put ure ear up there and get run over Edited July 1, 2006 by unccpathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ticker Posted July 2, 2006 Author Share Posted July 2, 2006 thanks for the input. Right after I posted I had to drive up to my father in-laws house which is about fifty miles away. I used the drive to try to figure out when and where it happens. Here's what I observed It does not go away when the brakes are applied. It does however stop when the steering wheel is turned to the right and only the right. Even just a little bit. It only happens at low speeds, about to stop or getting going from a stop. The sound is related to speed, higher pitch and faster squeaking as speed increases. It is not a continuous noise rather a repetitive squeak. Bumps have no effect. Brake pads, front changed about 20,000 miles ago. Happened the entire ride yesterday. Completely quiet on the way back tonight. 50 miles each direction. Frustrating because you know if I take it to the shop it will refuse to make the noise for the mechanic. T-bars are mildly cranked, would ball joints be a continous squeaking noise? Yesterday I thought maybe a bad wheel bearing but, I've never heard what that sounded like. I'll take a look athe the drive shaft and ball joints tomorrow. thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 i cranked my t bars a lil bit enough to level out the front and back and keep the flares from rubbing and i notice when i back in and out of the driveway i can hear a slight squeaking but wheelmans were crazy loud B4 we changed his balls (hmm that doesnt sound right) but they were really loudand when he turned i noticed it silenced...im not really sure how u could tell if it was wheel bearings and/or ball joints b/c i believe the diagnosis process is the same...jack up the car and try to move the wheel with a rotation normal to the axle (push on the top and bottom of the wheel in the opposite direction of its spinning direction)... it could be quite possible to be the wheel bearings if they were pulled (rotors changed) and weren't packed properly and/or should have been replaced.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kn0xville Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 i have the EXACT problem. ive pretty much decided its my wheel bearings and JUST posted on AC about it. haha. Also, carquest seems to be the cheapest place ive found for new bearings, seals, races. just to let ya know if you have to replace em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 i've been to napa and advance and autozone and i have yet found any1 that has the right ID therefore they would not go over the spindle...so if some1 finds them could i get a name of the store and the part # Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ticker Posted July 3, 2006 Author Share Posted July 3, 2006 (edited) Haven't had a chance to check anything yet, as we had some visitors from out of town. I just wanted to point out that it only makes the noise SOME OF THE TIME. I don't know if that rules anything out or in. Its been quiet for the last two days. And I think Ive ruled out the brakes because squeaky breaks have a different time of noise. Its definitely a rubbery squeak. Not that I'm saying its rubber it just has that kind of noise. I'll keep you posted, It looks like rain for the next two days and the garage is full of another (home improvement) project at the moment. How would I go about check the drive shaft? I looked at it for any thing obvious, the only thing I noticed was that it looked newer than the other parts down below. happy fourth Edited July 3, 2006 by ticker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 I'd inspect the brake calipers to make sure the slide pins aren't sticking. A off-and-on sticking caliper might do that to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ticker Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 I read the write up on the slide pins so hopefully I'll be able to check that out tomorrow. If it was the slide pins would the noise go away once the brakes are depressed? Do problematic ball joints squeak with forward/reverse motion or up/down motion like when you hit a bump? I was looking at them and can't figure out how they would cause a repetitive squeaking with just forward motion. thanks for all the input so far, I'm motivated to fix things just need a little guidance sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_C Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 It's your wheel bearings...I just replaced and repacked both sides with new inner and outer bearings, grease, etc...and the problem stopped. Also, the gas mileage got noticeably better. I had the same exact situation with noises from my front end that you had...replace your bearings, you'll be glad you did...about $100 for the whole job, and you can do it yourself within a couple of hours...it's really not that hard to do. My bearings were scorched from heat from being worn, and the grease that was left in them was an almost solid, black, mucky/sticky substance...not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ticker Posted July 21, 2006 Author Share Posted July 21, 2006 (edited) So I finally moved enough of the other projects we had going on in the garage so I could squeeze the pathy in there. The squeak is definitely coming from the passengers side seemingly toward the front so I jacked up the front and tried to move the wheel back and forth to see if there is any play in the hub. It didn't feel loose at all so I moved on to the brakes. My brakes seem to always be barely touching the rotor, but the brake pads look pretty good(20,000miles). The slide pin on the bottom moved around pretty good. The top one seemed kind of stiff. I pulled it out and it was dry and rusty. Unfortunately I was not really prepared to do this job. I cleaned it off with some wd-40 and a light brushing and cleaned out the hole the best I could. I didn't have any brake grease and the bastards at the auto store closed 10 min early. So I just cleaned every thing up and put it back together, I'll do it properly this weekend. Its definitely better and at least all that dry rust is out of the socket so that the pin can at least move. Hopefully after I properly clean and lube the pins the squeak will go away. Thanks for all the input. Now I just need to find some time to zap the rust spots, install my L&P center link, and replace a CV boot, not to mention finish the bathroom remodel we started a few weeks ago. Thanks again :bow: next day...After thinking about it I think the brake bads were touching because i had my foot on the brake when I shut the car off. I also had a really detailed dream about going to the auto store and looking for brake grease. Edited July 21, 2006 by ticker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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