Front driver's side wheel squeaking non-stop- what is it?

[2talll]

The other night I was out shopping and when I get in my 99 Explorer Sport and started driving, there was a squeaking/rattling coming from the drivers side front wheel area. It starts out slow and gradually gets louder and faster and the car is going faster. The only time it stops is right as I engage the brakes- then it gets significantly quieter until the car comes near stopping when it starts getting loud again.

Any ideas what it is?

 

[steph8]

In my opinion, you have something robbing against the brake rotor either the guard or the pad. That happened on my fathers Camry.

 

['97 V8]

thaqt happend to me. I thought it was the wheel bearings. Took the tire off and looked between the dust shield and rotor and sure enough a rock was there. It had been polished.

 

[2talll]

OK, guess I'll hope the weather is good enough to take off the tire and check tomorrow after work. Or mabe I'l get lucky and be able to see without removing the tire- being sick and lazy I'm hoping it can be as easy as possible, lol.

My brother (who is a mechanic) is going to do some digging tomorrow and see what else it could be- off the top of the head he couldn't think what it was since he just replaced the brakes for me a few months back.

 

[No1dan2001]

I'd still take a look at the bearings...thats what it was in mine about 6 months ago..although, hopefully thats what it is cause its a fairly cheap fix...only about 20-30 dollars at autozone. best of luck

 

[Mattbuyshouses]

If a rock got up in there don't wait too long to get it out... if it's stuck against the rotor you could be looking at replacing the rotor should it get all torn up. That happend to me a few years back. If I'd have stopped and taken it apart right then I'd have saved the cost of a new rotor... as it turned out instead, I called a tow truck, plus $95 / hour for a mechanic to take apart the brakes only to find a stone had jumped in there and ruined the rotors because I didn't act fast enough. Oh, I drove on it for a couple of miles too while I was trying to figure out what just had happend.

 

[jimcom]

Sounds like bearings, mine does it too, I just turn up the radio.

 

['97 V8]

Sounds like bearings, mine does it too, I just turn up the radio.

if you know your bearings are going, i wouldnt sit there and do nothing about it. Its damn dangerous when they finally go. And you'll be on the side of the road waiting for a tow

 

[2talll]

How easy would it be to see if it is a rock between the rotor and dust shield? Of course it was raining when I got home from work and knowing how little I know about cars I wasn't about to get stuck screwing around in the rain for who knows how long seeing as I'm just getting over being sick.

If it's the bearings, I know you said it's a $20-30 thing but about how long does it take and is it too much work? My brother doesn't mind doing stuff on our cars for us- as long as it won't take to long or interfere with him watching any races on TV.

 

['97 V8]

Um 20-30 bucks....error lol. more in the nieghborhood of 160 bucks for a hub assembly. you see the bearings and abs sensor are all in one assembly.

As for the rock, with the tire removed, stick a light into the rotor and and umm look in there. The best tell tale sign is groves in the rotor.

 

[konaboy]

A hub assembly for $160 sounds like a good deal to me, where are you finding them for that? Locally at an independent parts supplier they run $225

 

[Mattbuyshouses]

I got mine last fall from Autozone for around 180 ea. I found one on O'Reilly's... Part No: 515003 $152.99. Searched on my own 95XLT w/ABS sensor, 4WD. Good price, only a 90 day warranty tho.

 

[2talll]

No1dan2001,
What were you replacing for only $20-30?! Got my hopes up, man!

Sure hope it's just a rock now- UGH!

 

[2talll]

Well I drove the 45 minutes to have my brother look at at work, and half-where there the noises just stopped. He took the tire off anyway and looked at everything and he couldn't find anything wrong- the rotor was perfect since he just replaced that a couple months ago, the bearings were fine. He thinks there must have been dust built up somewhere from me not driving much at all for nearly 2 weeks because I was sick, driving through construction where there's dirt road everyday on the way to work, and the fact that it was raining all day before the noises started. He said driving on the highway at higher speeds must have gotten rid of whatever was making the noise.

I found a TSB from another message board regarding the front halfshaft excluder (dust) seals, so I'll keep that info just in case the noise comes back again. THanks for the help!