Grinding Noise - Can't Diagnose

Great vehicle.


Recently did a Tranny filter and tranny cable change.


Took it on a long drive. Made it fine, no problems, although running a little hot (it was hot out too). At the end of the drive I got into town, slowed down, and on slow left turns I heard a bad grinding sound, coming from under me and just to the right I think. I also heard it going straight and right but mostly left.


Changed a wheel bearing, u-joint, checked the others, removed the front driveshaft. Figured I was good. Drove home (6 hours). Made it fine.



Got into town, turned left. Grinding.


Now it drives fine but the grinding is more subtle, but happens after just 10 minutes or so of driving. Don't notice it at highway speed, but maybe something feels a little friction-y.


Front brakes are new and close to the rotor but braking doesn't make it worse/better.


Really can't figure this out. Would love your thoughts (so long as those thoughts aren't useless like "you should take it to a mechanic." )

Tranny cable change, is it adjusted properly?
Is your fluid level correct?
Ive had both cause uncomforting sounds after a motor swap.

I also had a grinding noise. Right turns would make it almost go away, straight or left turns it got worse. I figured it was the right front hub bearing, but I wanted to change them both so I bought 2. Thankfully I did, because the right front wasn't it. After I changed the left front it was very apparent that was the culprit. I've never experienced a bearing that got quieter when loaded up like that, but oh well. At least I have 2 new front hubs.

I concur with Agreen. Years ago I used to re-bearing my hubs; a real PITA. Then Timken came out with complete hubs with Timken bearings installed for about a $100/ea. That's all I use now. In my view, the Timken hubs are fast to change-out and they're the best quality hub out there.

Best regards,
CJR

I've been rolling on a pair from Detroit Axle for about 2 years now. I've seen bad reviews, but I wonder how many of those are due to improper installation? Torque the axle nut properly and you won't have any issues. My set cost $60 for the pair.

If I remember correctly, "typical" hub bearings are essentially two(2) ball bearings, side-by-side, and inside one(1) outer race. Likewise, typical ball bearings are designed to take a specified lateral load. Timken tapered roller bearings can typically take much higher lateral loads and have longer lives.

Everytime you make a turn, a lateral load/centrifugal force is applied to the hub ball bearings. "Torquing the axle nut properly" doesn't allow a ball bearing to now take a higher lateral load.

Best regards,

CJR

CJR said:

If I remember correctly, "typical" hub bearings are essentially two(2) ball bearings, side-by-side, and inside one(1) outer race. Likewise, typical ball bearings are designed to take a specified lateral load. Timken tapered roller bearings can typically take much higher lateral loads and have longer lives.

Everytime you make a turn, a lateral load/centrifugal force is applied to the hub ball bearings. "Torquing the axle nut properly" doesn't allow a ball bearing to now take a higher lateral load.

Best regards,

CJR

Click to expand...

The ones I've pulled apart are actually two tapered roller bearings, so it can take a side load. They are back-back with a spacer, and the preload is set by the geometry and not the torque on the axle nut. Sometimes, an old-school guy does the snug and back 1/4-turn and wonders why they self destruct quickly.

I've had poor luck with the off-brand unit bearings barely lasting a year. Even the big name brands value lines are cheap chinese parts now.

Currently I'm helping my son replace hub bearings on a different brand large van, and these bearings are double ball bearings inside one race. What I've discovered, over the years, is that a lot of the imported non-American Company bearings are precisely ground and visually look wonderful. A credit to CNC precision grinding equipment used. Unfortunately, the metals/heat-treatment used in these bearing are crap. Result? The bearing balls/races surfaces quickly "Brinell", i.e. microscopically developed flat spots/skid marks and start to "hum" and deteriorate quickly. In the USA, when you buy a particular metal alloy-that's what you get along with chemical analyses and physical strength/hardness certifications. On some imported bearings, you don't know what material you are getting.

Years ago,in the USA, we had the biggest scandal of "imported counterfeit bolts" to ever happen. These inferior counterfeit bolts got into tanks, trucks and aircraft and it was a nightmare to clean-up. But apparently, uncontrolled foreign overseas manufacturing is a cultural thing and to be expected. Hopefully a lot of US companies, now manufacturing overseas, will bring their manufacturing back to the USA. Hope springs eternal!

Best regards,

CJR

Yeah I think I've been had. I googled Detroit Axle and found that they're actually IN Detroit and they claim to have their own manufacturing facility there. The box I got said Made in China. It was $70 for 2 hubs, and I still have a good spare so I can't be that mad I guess. Hell, most parts are made in China anyways. And while most chinese parts aren't the best, not all are bad.

Still, I wish I hadn't been duped like that. I thought I was getting American made hubs.

Agreen,

Typically many US firms, using overseas manufacturing, are "shell companies". These "shell companies" are manned by phone operators and packaging personnel. Typically, they have no technical US personnel, i.e. Quality Assurance(QA)/Quality Inspection(QI) services, engineers, etc. Likewise, they place no American inspectors in the foreign manufacturing plants to insure their parts are being made to their US engineering standards. Why? Because it costs $$$$$ to staff the foreign manufacturing plants. Likewise it's easier and cheaper to just exchange parts that have failed in the warranty period. So a US perfectly designed part that is fabricated in a foreign country, with NO QA/QI there or in the USA ends up being crap. Does this scenario sound familiar? That's where we're at in the USA. Hopefully this will change in the future as more US companies return to manufacture in the USA!

Best regards,

CJR

xjismydd said:

Great vehicle.Recently did a Tranny filter and tranny cable change.Took it on a long drive. Made it fine, no problems, although running a little hot (it was hot out too). At the end of the drive I got into town, slowed down, and on slow left turns I heard a bad grinding sound, coming from under me and just to the right I think. I also heard it going straight and right but mostly left.Changed a wheel bearing, u-joint, checked the others, removed the front driveshaft. Figured I was good. Drove home (6 hours). Made it fine. Got into town, turned left. Grinding.
Now it drives fine but the grinding is more subtle, but happens after just 10 minutes or so of driving. Don't notice it at highway speed, but maybe something feels a little friction-y.Front brakes are new and close to the rotor but braking doesn't make it worse/better.Really can't figure this out. Would love your thoughts (so long as those thoughts aren't useless like "you should take it to a mechanic." )

Click to expand...

What year are we talking about?

Agreen said:

Yeah I think I've been had. I googled Detroit Axle and found that they're actually IN Detroit and they claim to have their own manufacturing facility there. The box I got said Made in China. It was $70 for 2 hubs, and I still have a good spare so I can't be that mad I guess. Hell, most parts are made in China anyways. And while most chinese parts aren't the best, not all are bad.

Still, I wish I hadn't been duped like that. I thought I was getting American made hubs.

Click to expand...

They're a "global distributor" buying and reselling Chinese (re)manufactured parts. The two hubs I bought from them for a Ford Focus were both bad within a year. Their warranty dept told me I'd have to ship the failed bearings back at my cost, then they would inspect for manufacturing defects and then credit me for another one. So yeah, that lifetime warranty is useless.