2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Early Signs of a Wheel Bearing Failure???

[MStearns]

I wanted to see what everyone thought. Perhaps I am being to particular but I like for fix squeeks and squeals. The Left front brake on my truck squeals when I turn left and once in a great while when I turn right. My brakes are fine and I understand that sometimes brakes squeal BUT... something is allowing my brake rotor or wheel assembly to flex when I turn to the left. I have jacked the truck up and checked Ball Joints and the Wheel bearing for slop and all is tight. I know these sealed wheel bearing units can fail with very little, if any, notice and I am wondering if this might be a sign of that wheel bearing going bad.



I have 150K on the truck and it runs great. Perhaps I am letting this bother me a little to much. It has done it so some extent for the past 25K miles. After replacing the passenger side ball joints, I was backing down my drive way and turning when the truck bucked a little. Seems the 4 wheel shift collar on the passenger side axle was not completely disengaged and there wasn't enough "slip" on the concrete. I pulled forward and it seemed there was no harm done but the left wheel has squeeked at least intermittently when turning left ever since. I have looked and looked for a culprit and am now beginning to wonder about the wheel bearing. Any thoughts?

 

[VolsFan]

Mine went out on me a month or two ago on the drivers side. I noticed that my brake pedal was getting spongy. I jacked the truck up and ended up changing the front pads and bleeding my brake fluid, and on the drivers side the hub had some play in it. This was my warning sign that I ignored. It went out on me a few miles from my house, put a whole new hub assembly on from Napa.

 

[MStearns]

Well I just can't think of anything else, besides maybe the ball joints, that would allow the rotor assembly to flex just enough to let the brake drag and squeak.

 

[TboneMan]

Watch for your ABS/brake light. Both times my bearings failed the braking system was effected.

 

[BHubbard]

If you replaced the passenger side ball joints,what makes you think the drivers sides are good?Replace all 4 at once,same with the wheel bearing assembly,when mine fails I will replace both sides or install the dynatrac manual hub kit.

Remove the brake caliber on the side in question and spin the wheel,check for rumbling sounds and play,the play could also be the ball joints you did not replace,check those too.

 

[KHelfrich]

i don't see how ball joints could effect the brakes at all since the brake calipers are mounted on the knuckle and so is the wheel bearing then the ball joints can do whatever they want and should not effect the brakes the ball joints will effect the steering and handling but not braking... or maybe I'm wrong but thats the way I see it

 

[Batphreak]

Could just be the little clips that hold your brake pads onto the caliper. I have had some squeaky front pads for a couple years now, just because the clips on the inside pad won't hold into the piston anymore and the pad just lays against the rotor a little. It isn't causing any pre-mature wear on my pad so I haven't bothered with a real fix yet.

 

[BeefDoc]

I would agree with Batphreak, check the little clips that hold the caliper/pads in place. It fixed my squeaking problems.

 

[jelag]

By some chance this couldn't be a u-joint that makes noise as you turn and not the brake. . as you turn you put the u-joint into a tight angle where it might make noise and might not going straight... .

 

[MStearns]

If you replaced the passenger side ball joints,what makes you think the drivers sides are good?Replace all 4 at once,same with the wheel bearing assembly

I know the driverside ball joints arre still good because I checked them. Having spent my earlier years as an ASE mechanic, I am not a believer in fixing things that are not broke. When the driverside ball joints go out I have some ready and waiting. Otherwise it would be like pulling a tooth before it had a cavity

 

[MStearns]

The clips are a great idea. I hadn't thought of that. They would allow the brake pad to shift and rub as the wheel turned. I'll check it out... in the end the simplist answer is usually the right one.

 

[MStearns]

By some chance this couldn't be a u-joint that makes noise as you turn and not the brake. . as you turn you put the u-joint into a tight angle where it might make noise and might not going straight... .

The drivers side u-joint was one of the first things I checked out. I actually just recently replaced the u-joints on both sides this summer due to visible dust falling out of the end caps but the squeak remains.



I'm beginning to think the most like cultprits are the brake clips. Just as soon as it warms up outside I'll check them out. Currently the thermometer is showing 1 degree and the radio is saying the wind chill is 25 below so it may be a month or two before the old truck gets tore to far apart.