alto works: grinding noise

[gilly]

Just noticed this tonight - it was that bad that I had to turn around and go home.

Its quite a loud high pitch grinding or screeching noise, when the car is in motion. It makes the noise when the car is in gear, out of gear, braking - just doesnt make it at 0km/h. The noises change slightly when turning and braking.

The sound doesnt seem to be coming from any particular side.

I first thought brake pads are worn - but there has been no screeching up until tonight. Took the wheel off and the pad looks fine - so does the rotor.

I did notice the rubber boot thing around the axle (as it enters the engine bay area) looked as though it has cracked. Could this be it?

Ill take some photos, as I could be describing the wrong parts!

After a search on here, it sounds as though it might be the wheal bearings??

Other than the noise, the car seems to be running perfectly.

Thanks in advance.

So the first photo has circled the rubber boot thing around the axle. The photo doesnt show it, but this is split. Not sure if that would be a cause of any major problems?



The 2nd thing I noticed when having a look - the brake pad seems to cover over the rough surface area of the rotor. It seems to be about 2-4mm over (if that makes sense). This photo tries to show this, but its not overly clear.

[greenzook89]

i would take a guess and say wheel bearings. mine was making a similar noise and while i never got a chance to fix it i'd bet money on the bearings. exact same symptoms as you describe

[Brayden]

Easy way to find the problem. Jack up the front end on stands so both front wheels are off the ground. Start the car, put it in gear and find the source of the sound.

[gilly]

thanks for the tips - I've never really liked the idea of starting a car up, while on jack stands, but I guess it has to be done.

I have added some photos and extra comments above if you wouldnt mind taking a look.

Cheers guys.

[ike849]

probably wheel bearings...just jack up the car put in neutral and rotate the wheels if your not comfortable starting the engine. you should be able to feel and hear a slight grind if its them.

I would however take your car for a short drive & turning the car with the steering wheel to full lock left and right, if you hear a loud clicking noise, your cv's are gone (the joint under the split rubber boot). You can get them reco'd, as i know alto parts are hard to get.

If they don't click i would be buying a new rubber boot and cv grease as the split one will allow the joint to run dry as the grease is flicked out when your drive and ruin your cv's.

to check your pads, just undo the bolt that allows the brake caliper to swing out. check you have all the retaining springs in there. from the sounds of it your pad is able to 'float' around which maybe causing the noise also???

[gilly]

ok so an update.

I rotated both wheels and the griding noise was coming mostly from the right hand wheel. The left hand wasnt so bad - this was the one that I noticed the buggered axle boot.

I wasnt able to remove the wheel nuts on the RHS - they were simply on too tight and I dont have a breaker bar.

The cv joints are probably on their way out - they do click a bit when cornering, although its not too loud.

So it could be any one of these 4 things:

- bearings
- the split axle boot
- cv joints
- brake pad touching the rough surface of the rotor

im probably just going to take it to a tyre/suspension place tomorrow and get a pro to look at it (and remove those bloody wheel nuts)

[Brayden]

If the noise is coming from both sides then it could be a buggered diff bearing or something else in the gearbox. Worth getting checked out ASAP.

[gilly]

Brayden, looks like you were right.

I took it to a place this morning and they said it was a bearing in the gearbox, on the diff side of things (the type of bearing started with a C, cant remember what it was now!). They used a stephoscope to find the noise (strangely the noise wasnt that bad today). They had the front wheels off the ground while they ran the engine to listen for the noise.

So looks like I am going to have to have the gearbox rebuilt, which doesnt sound like much fun.

[ceej]

So looks like I am going to have to have the gearbox rebuilt, which doesnt sound like much fun.

Yeah, but much more fun than if you left it any longer and it let go!

[gilly]

yeh hopefully its not too badly damaged inside the box.

I remembered what bearing it was today - its the Carrier Bearing.

I guess I should start a new thread on rebuilding the gearbox (ie what parts I need etc). (I will ofcourse search first, but I imagine the topic would have been covered for Mightboys, but not an alto works.

[Brayden]

From memory an Alto Works specific gearbox rebuild has not been covered on the forum.