Please Please Please can anyone help me diag this noise!

First off...when I start up the car in the morning, and drive 10 miles...its Quiet

Then...I wont notice it (or it isnt making noise) going down the highway 65 mph.

When I go to slow down/stop---- I hear this click click click noise. Similar to the noise a bad cv joint would make, however Im certain its coming from the driver side rear tire...and Im going straight.

Its definitely a metal sound, like something hitting something. I dunno what it is causing this.
I pulled the wheel, pulled the drum brake and everything looks ok with the braking system.

Now I cant tell if this is braking related, but the noise is only noticable when Im crawling along...under 15 mph...and after that, I dunno if it goes away, or if I just cant hear it...
But getting it to slow down makes it louder or more apparent to my ears.

Any ideas? I dont think its suspension related, because I looked at everything, all looks ok, and then I gave her about 45 pushes on the struts/springs/etc and couldnt get any noises...

So, that leaves wheel bearing ( I think) and brakes...right? I changed the drum shoes in november of this year...and pulling the drum/ didnt see anything....pads look like they just came out of the box...

E brake works fine, as do the rear brakes.... checked them out..

Please....anyone?
Thanks in advance

 

Oh, I also...tightened the rear wheel...thinking maybe the drum was hitting the rim....
I gave her a few cranks...til I started hearing some noise from the studs/lugs....

I usually dont keep my lug nuts that tight....just a crank and a 1/2 more then hand tight...but this rim (driver side rear) is on there tight as can be without snapping a stud.

 

I just looked through my helms manual...and the only things really back there are the drum brakes...and the wheel bearing.

Now...wheel bearings usually make a whistling before they go...no?
They usually dont clank around...do they?

 

to tell if it a brake related problem it will only make the noise while braking(99% of the time) if it only does while braking it a brake problem...
a wheel bearing noise will be a constant grumble noise usually at all speeds (depends how worn the bearing is)

 

Yea...its more then just braking...
damn, wheel bearing it is I guess then.

I thought they "whistled" when they went bad.....mines more banging...however, the only 2 parts moving in the rear besides the bearing is the brakes...so Im pretty sure Im buying a wheel bearing. I guess I should just get the hub/bearing...and change her out tomorrrow...

eh, what a way to spend a hundred bucks..

lol...better then the pounding noise though.

 

check the trailing arm bushing if it completly worn it will bang again the chasis check the control arm bushings too

 

thanks 95...I will check em tomorrow..

all the bushings are OE...so probably a good time to change regardless...

 

You should use a torque wrench on the lugs to avoid warping things. When I torque my lugs to spec its surprising that they aren't really that tight. I suspect most people routinely over tighten their wheel lugs severely.

I would imagine the bearing/hub will only make a squeeling noise if they are seized or have a cracked race and turning on the spindle, in which case replacing the spindle is likely called for.

Try removing the hub and see if it feels solid and turns smoothly. If so look elsewhere.

I've seen wheel bearings with red rusty dust coming out that were still silent.

If you don't have a torque wrench invest in one (or two - inch and lb ft).

 

Yea, I agree....people over-tighten much everything... from lug nuts...to oil filters and everything in between. I used to work at a shop...and they'd use a torque wrench...thats when I noticed lug nuts arent on that tight, so I always try to emulate that, I hand tighten them down, then give her a turn with the wrench..and call it a day.

As for the spindle....and excuse me for my ignorance here, but aren't spindles on the axles? In the rear, I dont have an axle...

Or do you mean- the part that is sticking out? in the below photo?


When I pull the brake off...pull the dust cover, pull the hub/bearing off.....all thats left is whats above. and then behind that is the lower control arm and various bushings. I want to say that it has to be specific to the wheel hub/bearing though because its only happening when the car is rolling.

With the bushings...I feel like I could get a squeak...rattle...bang...something by rocking the car with it stationary. I push on the rear struts (i.e. pushing down on the trunk lid etc) and its quiet as a peep. Thats the only reason I sorta feel like its probably bearing related.

The other thing I noticed is.....where the bearing is....when I removed the dust cap...I found a small gob of grease there..... could that mean that it is bad?

Tonight after work, I plan on jacking the car up and giving it the tire test...pushing on the wheel to see any play in it...

 

Take the front of the drum off and recheck everything in there to see if the shoes are making contact with anything. We had a car the other day in my shop that was making a noise at random times and it was the shoes hitting something inside. Adjusted the brakes and all is well now. Good Luck.

Usually a bearing will only make noise when changing lanes etc. unless its really bad.

 

Update.......

Just got done working on the vehicle.... lol.

Bought a hub/bearing, breaker bar, 32mm socket...and a few cans of PB blaster and a torch.

Ended up....ripping the brakes apart... (pads were brand new in november) so I just took them all apart...cleaned everything with brake cleaner, reinstalled it all.

Checked my hub/bearing. No play in tire at all (pressing left to right and up and down) check the bearing with the drum off as well as the tire. Felt as smooth as can be. no grinds, no noise, no nothing.

Ended up concluding to myself that it was the rim. Went to the junkyard and grabbed a steelie to replace that one...for the bargain price of 40 bucks Then took the car to a tire shop and had them switch a roo the tire on to the new junkyard steelie.... and 25 bucks later....

No thump thump thump..... I think it was the rim somehow got bent.... and wasnt running in line. Thus creating a thump thump thump...

That or cleaning the brakes did it like EGgmann said...

Either way, I have a full sized spare out of the deal, and the thump is gone. So, Im happy...and I returned my hub and bearing so....ended up costing roughly the same, and I got some new tools out of it! lol.

 

UH OH!!!

The picture above shows one of the Inner Races of the Hub/Bearing Assembly fused to the Spindle... Here is a pic of a bare Rear Disc Brake Spindle...
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/7104/si851483.jpg

If the base of your Rear Hub/Bearing Assembly looks like this, then it has been "damaged"...
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/806/si851587.jpg
If you remember what the base of the new Rear Hub/Bearing Assembly looks like, you'll see that the Inner Race has pulled from the Bearing and got stuck on the Spindle. Exposing the Ball Bearings and Grease risks contamination... I would get that H/B Assy back and replace it.

This is what often happens in the Front when pressing the Hub from the Knuckle, as the Front Hub is actually pressed into the Bearing, then the Bearing gets pressed into the Hub. I have, only once, removed a Front Hub from the Knuckle/Bearing assembly while the Bearing remained intact... rare.

By placing the edge of a Cold Chisel into the little groove between the Spindle base and Inner Race, you can wedge the race outward, eventually being able to get a Bearing Splitter or gear puller under it, if it remains stubborn... BE VERY GENTLE when "persuading" the race out. and naturally PB/WD/3-in-1 that thing to hell.

The rear hubs can be rebuilt/reman'd/recond'd...

Best of luck! Careful while you're out there!
JasonGhostz

 

Lol....
Thanks JasonGhost...

However, the picture I posted, was just found via google search for "rear hub honda civic"
and I snagged it, to get an idea of what we were talking about. Its not my actual vehicle.

Lol, the very next picture was of the owner with a chisel knocking the bearing loose...