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Funny front end noise

chips34

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July 21, 2013
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Year, Model & Trim Level
1999 mountaineer
Hi , I have 1999 mountaineer....AWD V8.......a few months ago i put in new brakes & rotors ,sway bar links and someone thought i have a bad hub bearing so since it had a lot of miles on it i changed that also...
But just a few days ago after driving on the highway for a 1/2 hour when i got off to the side roads when making a right turn i heard a sorta grinding noise!! But only when making turns and ONLY after about a 1/2 drive on the highway...........
Normal driving around town its perfect.....no noise at all.....

here is a little video from my dashcam.....next time i will put a little camera in the wheel well to see if i can catch something better....
 



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First I'd pull the wheels and do an inspection. Unfortunately it seems to happen when it's hot... not the ideal time to be messing with the brake/hub area. Does it seem like it's coming from the right side or whichever side has the new hub?

I'm wondering if the brakes are dragging or the hub is poor quality and after driving the extended period, it heated up and the associated expansion puts one or the other out of tolerance. I couldn't make out a lot on the video but it did seem as though the noise somewhat corresponds with each rotation of the wheel.
 






First I'd pull the wheels and do an inspection. Unfortunately it seems to happen when it's hot... not the ideal time to be messing with the brake/hub area. Does it seem like it's coming from the right side or whichever side has the new hub?

I'm wondering if the brakes are dragging or the hub is poor quality and after driving the extended period, it heated up and the associated expansion puts one or the other out of tolerance. I couldn't make out a lot on the video but it did seem as though the noise somewhat corresponds with each rotation of the wheel.
 






The hub is a TIMKEN and its been on there for a few months without a problem..........and really i didn't make any changes to it since i did work on it in Sept....
I had made a 700 mile trip in early Oct and back without any problems....just a few days ago this noise and vibration happens on when i make a turn....driving down the highway no noise or vibration...
as you turn even very slow it seems to happen on each revolution of the wheel.....
 






If you don't see an abnormal wear pattern on the brake pads or rotors, I'd guess the hub (or did you press out the bearing alone to replace it?) is defective or improperly torqued so it wore out rapidly.

Happening with each rev of the wheel, it seems like it would have to be either one of those two or the CV axle, but CV axle is usually more of a ticking rather than rubbing type sound.
 






I didn't have a chance to pull it apart yet because of work but i'm plan on taking a good look at it tomorrow.........It was a whole new hub bearing....just 3 bolts to put it on......
It sure sounds like when you have worn out pads...like metal on metal grinding noise.....
If i can't really find anything i do have another hub bearing thats good that i can out it on and test with......
I think Sat i can put a gopro camera inside the wheelwell to see if i can get something......
But funny only when you make a turn.......in a way i hope i see a mark or something on the rotor....
 






I suspect it may be brake related. I had a terrible grinding noise on my daughter's '00 Mountaineer after installing new brake pads and new brake hardware. The grinding noise would only start after driving for about 30 mins on the hwy. It turned out that the brake hardware (AKA anti-rattle clips) were slightly off center and apparently the rotor expanded with heat just enough to rub on one of the clips. The noise from this was amazingly loud and there was no visible evidence of what was causing it. I had to remove the wheel two times and closely inspect clearances to locate the source. I centered the clip on the caliper bracket and the noise has never reoccurred.
 






Yeah.....funny thing its been over 2 months and 3K miles till this started....checking rotors out tomorrow....
 






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