Rear wheel clicking noise

Kurt K

SCCoA Member
OK, I've had this clicking noise coming from the driver's side rear wheel area for a while now. It clicks while driving and the clicking stops if I'm applying the brakes. I know it's not the half-shaft as I've had 3 different ones in there.

Suggestions?
 
Your going senile in your old age. Next, you’ll be telling us that your transmission is just fine. :)
 
OK, I've had this clicking noise coming from the driver's side rear wheel area for a while now. It clicks while driving and the clicking stops if I'm applying the brakes. I know it's not the half-shaft as I've had 3 different ones in there.

Suggestions?

Wheel bearings??????? Based on your extensive list of mods they have not been replaced.....just a thought.
 
Without having to pull out the manual, are the rear wheel bearings pressed in?

Yes they are pressed in. I just replaced mine a few weeks ago so if you need any help let me know. The bearings are $35 a piece from Napa, my wholesale cost for the american made ones.
edit: ahh ya beat me to it!
Chris
 
Kurt,

Didn't we install those new halfshafts that were completly assembled with knuckles, hubs (and new bearings) about 3 or 4 years ago ?

David
 
Kurt,

Didn't we install those new halfshafts that were completly assembled with knuckles, hubs (and new bearings) about 3 or 4 years ago ?

David
Yep, we sure did. It even yielded one of the better photoshops of you. With all of my transmission issues, I bet there's definitely less than 10,000 miles on them.

I'm not doubting the wheel bearing possibilities, but what about the brakes making the clicking noise?
 
Yep, we sure did. It even yielded one of the better photoshops of you. With all of my transmission issues, I bet there's definitely less than 10,000 miles on them.

I'm not doubting the wheel bearing possibilities, but what about the brakes making the clicking noise?

The brake pads on my brothers Cougar make clicky noises. For some reason there is enough play in the seat for the pads, and enough run out on the rotors to make them kinda click against the calipers.
 
How long do rear wheel bearings last?

I have 111,000 on the SC and for about the last 10,000 to 15,000 miles I have noticed a slight vibration around 70MPH. Almost like a roar. Considering normal ware and tare, approximately what mileage do y'all see rear wheel bearing failure showing up? I had the U joints replaced 25,000 miles ago. I have 3.73 gears and I just attributed the vibration to a slightly out of balance drive shaft. Is my problem rear wheel bearings? Any thoughts or suggestions?

ED
 
I have 111,000 on the SC and for about the last 10,000 to 15,000 miles I have noticed a slight vibration around 70MPH. Almost like a roar. Considering normal ware and tare, approximately what mileage do y'all see rear wheel bearing failure showing up? I had the U joints replaced 25,000 miles ago. I have 3.73 gears and I just attributed the vibration to a slightly out of balance drive shaft. Is my problem rear wheel bearings? Any thoughts or suggestions?

ED

If you have 3.73's and the stock style driveshaft, I'd look at replacing it pretty soon.

Also, depending on how you drive the car. (rough, highway, city, etc etc.)
I had the passenger side rear go out in my old cougar a litlte over 100,xxx
 
Get creative. Take a laptop and a microphone with a long cord. duct tape or wire tie the microphone close to the wheel end and run the cord into the car. Go down the road and set the recording levels so you don't peak it out. then record when the noise is occuring.

Then take the microphone and move it towards the diff end. Do the same recording there.

Then for giggles, stick it closer to the pinion end of the diff. Record there.

Pull the recordings into some shareware recording software and cut the frequencies that are not the clicking. Then try to see where the noise is the most. Then you have the area to focus on.

If it's a bearing, you could also get a IR thermometer and check the hub/bearing temp after a drive. If the bearing is making the clicking, it should be quite a bit hotter on one side or the other.

Could do the same with brake rotors if you have a rotor hitting , it should be hotter than the one that isn't.
 
Couple things I've seen. Make sure the dust shield is not touching the rotor. I worked on a car once that made a clicking noise every time the brakes were applied. The sound deadner piece on the back side of the pad was held on by two rivets and was not a flat fit to the back side of the pad. Made a clicking noise every time the piston would come out to stop the vehicle. Almost as annoying as Jim Carrey's impression of "The most annoying sound in the world" on Dumb And Dumber.
 
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