grinding noise coming from rear passenger wheel

[thegipper]

Couldn't he pull the ABS sensor and see if there is oil all over the ABS gear?

Sometimes the seal is leaking but not bad enough to get all over the drum/wheel.

 

[cccolin]

Then the leak is old. Take some brake cleaner, and clean the old fluid off so you'll know if you get a new leak. You may also want to jack up the rear, and rotate the wheels. Give the wheels a spin, and you'll hear the grind if that's where it's coming from.

i've already spun the wheel. I can't hear or feel anything over the brake drag, on all 4 wheels. it seems like maybe the problem wheel is a tiny bit grindy, but I really can't tell any difference.

 

[Jetcycles]

i've already spun the wheel. I can't hear or feel anything over the brake drag, on all 4 wheels. it seems like maybe the problem wheel is a tiny bit grindy, but I really can't tell any difference.

I couldn't hear or feel anything either, for the record. I ended up paying $725 to the local dealer for the repair as I did not have the desire to tackle the job myself after reading about it here.

 

[MStudt]

Couldn't he pull the ABS sensor and see if there is oil all over the ABS gear?

Sometimes the seal is leaking but not bad enough to get all over the drum/wheel.

You can, and that may also give some insight into the bearing. If the bearing is bad enough the magnet at the end of the ABS sensor will be full of shavings.

 

[MStudt]

i've already spun the wheel. I can't hear or feel anything over the brake drag, on all 4 wheels. it seems like maybe the problem wheel is a tiny bit grindy, but I really can't tell any difference.

If it were me, I'd pull the drum off to have a look. If the inside of the drum it wet then you have a bad seal again, and most likely a bad bearing too. If this is the case have both bearing replaced at the same time. Also replace the seals again, and the o'ring that goes between the flange and the tube.

Getting the shafts out is easy, but you'll need to take them to a shop to have the press work done. Unless you know someone who can do the rear bearings.

 

[cccolin]

If it were me, I'd pull the drum off to have a look. If the inside of the drum it wet then you have a bad seal again, and most likely a bad bearing too. If this is the case have both bearing replaced at the same time. Also replace the seals again, and the o'ring that goes between the flange and the tube.

Getting the shafts out is easy, but you'll need to take them to a shop to have the press work done. Unless you know someone who can do the rear bearings.

there is oil in the drum. again, I don't know if the PO cleaned it out from the previous seal change.

 

[cccolin]

I couldn't hear or feel anything either, for the record. I ended up paying $725 to the local dealer for the repair as I did not have the desire to tackle the job myself after reading about it here.

oy. alright. thanks for the info. I will prob do that, as I dont care to try my luck with a cutoff wheel on the axle shaft.

 

[MStudt]

there is oil in the drum. again, I don't know if the PO cleaned it out from the previous seal change.

How much fluid is in the drum? When my driver side went my drum was soaked, and I ended up having to replace the drums and shoes. The easiest way to find out if the fluid is new or old is to check the level in the differential.

You can pull off the fuller plug, and stick your finger in. If it's full it'll be right at the filler plug.

 

[cccolin]

How much fluid is in the drum? When my driver side went my drum was soaked, and I ended up having to replace the drums and shoes. The easiest way to find out if the fluid is new or old is to check the level in the differential.

You can pull off the fuller plug, and stick your finger in. If it's full it'll be right at the filler plug.

the rear diff is full with rather clean looking fluid. the passenger side rear drum is full of oil. brakes totally saturated in oil. interior of drum covered in oil as well.

there's no play in the wheel.

 

[thegipper]

Sounds like that seal shit the bed.

 

[MStudt]

the rear diff is full with rather clean looking fluid. the passenger side rear drum is full of oil. brakes totally saturated in oil. interior of drum covered in oil as well.

there's no play in the wheel.

You're not going to get much play in the wheel while it's bolted to the vehicle. Mine didn't have much play either, but once the shaft was removed it had more than an inch of play in any given direction. The shaft is held in with 4 studs, and that'll keep it from having much play.

If your seal is leaking there's an underlying reason. If the person you bought it from already replaced the seal there's a reason it's leaking again.

 

[cccolin]

You're not going to get much play in the wheel while it's bolted to the vehicle. Mine didn't have much play either, but once the shaft was removed it had more than an inch of play in any given direction. The shaft is held in with 4 studs, and that'll keep it from having much play.

If your seal is leaking there's an underlying reason. If the person you bought it from already replaced the seal there's a reason it's leaking again.

I dont know that it is leaking again. there's no new oil on the back of brake cover or tire. the oil inside the drum looks old. I asked the seller if he cleaned the oil off when he changed the seal and he said no. The fluid level in the dif is fine. All I know is there is a cyclical pulsing sorta-grindy noise that seems to be coming from the passenger rear. None of my testing and prodding and spinning wheels has come up with anything as a cause.

 

[MStudt]

I dont know that it is leaking again. there's no new oil on the back of brake cover or tire. the oil inside the drum looks old. I asked the seller if he cleaned the oil off when he changed the seal and he said no. The fluid level in the dif is fine. All I know is there is a cyclical pulsing sorta-grindy noise that seems to be coming from the passenger rear. None of my testing and prodding and spinning wheels has come up with anything as a cause.

Like I said, you're going to find much with the shaft bolted to the axle. When the seal starts leaking 9 times out of 10 the culprit is the wheel bearing. If the bearing is indeed going out the seal will start leaking again.

If it's grinding as bad as you make it sound you'll have shaving attached to the magnet on the ABS sensor.

 

[cccolin]

Like I said, you're going to find much with the shaft bolted to the axle. When the seal starts leaking 9 times out of 10 the culprit is the wheel bearing. If the bearing is indeed going out the seal will start leaking again.

If it's grinding as bad as you make it sound you'll have shaving attached to the magnet on the ABS sensor.

gotcha thanks.

 

[cccolin]

fwiw, it was in fact the wheel bearing.The sound got much worse and started doing the clicking and popping that I know is bearings going. found a local place to swap out the bearing and do the seal for around 3 bills, not as bad as I thought it would be, would have had them do it sooner if I knew it would be so painless.

 

[Webbuff]

Be aware of the bearing cup. I rebuilt my axle once then had to do the passenger side again cause the seal leaked again. Turned out the bearing cup on that side was worn and the bearing ended up just spinning around inside it.

I also had a grinding noise on that side before the last rebuild.

 

[TRDrew]

Seven years later I’m about to take mine into the dealer for the exact same issue. Pretty sure it’s rear wheel bearing on mine - a familiar sound.