Odd noise after wheel bearing re-torque

[SeventhDurandal]

Hello all, I did some searching and couldn't find a similar post.

I just re-torqued my front wheel bearings per the FSM. Drives great, feels smooth as always. But now when breaking on a downhill, as I pass from like 20 down to 10 mph, I am getting this weird groaning and subtle vibration from up front. Sounds like a windshield wiper rubbing on a dry windshield. It does not happen at low speeds, below 10 mph; and I need to be breaking somewhat strongly like on a downhill.

This almost seems like a sticky caliper, but why only at those speeds and conditions? And the wheel is not pulling, so it doesn't seem one-sided. I was paranoid and thought the snap rings had popped back out (they were a bear to get back on) but my axles have no play. My driver's side wheel bearing had some play in it before the re-torque, could this be the pads reseating on the rotor?

Any ideas?

Thanks all.

 

[2001LC]

To many unknowns.
Wheel bearing, FSM is concerned with breakaway preload.


Is Hub seal in correctly.
Were axle needle bearing and brass bushing lubed.
Was the runout rotor and parallelism of rotors, within spec.
Are pads, shims, fitting kit, anti rattle spring, pins all in place and OEM.
Are FDS (AKA CV) in good condition and OWM.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Feel anything in the brake pedal?

 

[nissanh]

Perhaps the previous wheel play might have cut a groove and after the retorque, it is now running off that groove and make that noice. Usually most sounds can be heard when spun at low speeds such as bearings, engine etc., so it might be your bearings.

 

[SeventhDurandal]

To many unknowns.
Wheel bearing, FSM is concerned with breakaway preload.

Is Hub seal in correctly.
Were axle needle bearing and brass bushing lubed.
Was the runout rotor and parallelism of rotors, within spec.
Are pads, shims, fitting kit, anti rattle spring, pins all in place and OEM.
Are FDS (AKA CV) in good condition and OWM.

I only went in to re-torque the preload, nothing beyond that was disassembled. I checked the breakaway per the FSM with a fish scale. I went in because the drivers side has some very slight play in it, no to other noises or problems that I noticed.

Side note, I've been reading your posts and watching your videos looking for info. Just like a lot of your customers, some hacks have been in here before me. Chisel marks on the lock nut, no flange seal, and lock washers/grease caps that have clearly been reused many many times.

No other parts were touched this time, and their provenance is unknown. At some point I will do a full hub rebuild per the FSM with new everything, but for now I'm just going to check for play regularly and re-torque every 5000 miles or so (that's about a year for me)

Feel anything in the brake pedal?

Maybe? it was pretty subtle. Going to drive more today, and check the hub temps with my thermal camera.

Perhaps the previous wheel play might have cut a groove and after the retorque, it is now running off that groove and make that noice. Usually most sounds can be heard when spun at low speeds such as bearings, engine etc., so it might be your bearings.

You mean a groove in the bearing race? Or the rotor, from being able to move slightly before the re-torque? There was not noise when I was spinning the hubs around to check the preload.

--


I'm going to bring some feedback after driving it today. If there isn't excessive heat in the hubs I'll just drive normally and keep an eye on the hubs for a while.

 

[SeventhDurandal]

I wasn't able to do a ton of driving but I was unable to replicate the noise. I'll bring my camera to work tomorrow and check the temps after my 20 minute commute.

 

[nissanh]

I follow the instructions on preload setting posted in part 6 or 7 of a youtube video series posted by low range offroad on fixing a toyota solid axle. It is the same setup as IFS 100.

 

[SeventhDurandal]

I follow the instructions on preload setting posted in part 6 or 7 of a youtube video series posted by low range offroad on fixing a toyota solid axle. It is the same setup as IFS 100.

I went by the FSM. I found that video, definitely the same.
---


Hub temps were fine this morning.

I think I figured out what the noise was.... probably the brakes slipping because I touched the rotors with my greasy paws! And I can't replicate it now because the grease has burned off. I will continue to monitor, but crossing my fingers I think I'm good!