[MADMANx511]

Hey all,

Lately, my Vitara has developed an issue where a metal-on-metal grinding-ish-like-noise is coming from the left side wheels (sounds to me like it's the rear left wheel).

At first I thought it was a bearing issue, however talking to my mate he says it could be that my brakes aren't releasing fully on that wheel and they're rubbing.

The sound is more audible after long-ish periods of time with the brakes on, but when I am breaking the sound goes away which is making me think (and hope) that's it's the brakes and NOT a bearing.

Until next pay I don't have the money to get it in to get checked.

Any thoughts?

Cheers.

[royce]

safely jack it up, wobble and twist and shake wheel, if its solid pull the wheel and look at the brakes

[MADMANx511]

royce wrote:

safely jack it up, wobble and twist and shake wheel, if its solid pull the wheel and look at the brakes

Ok. I'll buy jack when I can, I currently don't have any.

[Scrawny]

Wheel bearing

[royce]

Suzuki thoughtfully put a jack under the drivers seat of every Vitara

when you buy a jack, get stands

[MADMANx511]

Just checked - yes there is a jack, for some reason it's rusty... O.o I just spoke to my housemate who is a 4x4 nut (driver's a Pajero... The wanker ), he says he'll lend me his jack and give me a hand with checking out the wheel.

I know what I'm doing tomorrow haha.

[coily96]

would a wheel bearing stop making noise when the brakes are pressed? My sierra does this too. Also lifting the handbrake up a few clicks makes the noise stop.

[MADMANx511]

coily96 wrote:

would a wheel bearing stop making noise when the brakes are pressed? My sierra does this too. Also lifting the handbrake up a few clicks makes the noise stop.

That's what I thought too, if it were the bearings the noise would still be there when brakes are applied.

I'll have to try this handbrake method you speak of, however wouldn't this wear the handbrake and brakepads out?

[Jezza86]

i just fixed the exact same problem in my ford telstar with a rear right break. there's 2 splines the caliper float on, one is a bolt you can undo, then you lift the caliper off the disc, and slide the caliper off the second spline (if your break lines are long enough). anyway pack as much grease into the space in the caliper (where the spline was) and inside the second spline as possible (if the spline is hollow) and then refit the breaks ensuring the pads are in the right place. as these splines wear from the piston movement, the metal on the calipers and splines get thinner and it vibrates, and sits on a odd angle causing odd wear patterns on the pads. the pads drag all the time where there is serious wear, and packing heavily with grease puts off replacing the entire break assembly.

[MADMANx511]

Jezza86 wrote:

i just fixed the exact same problem in my ford telstar with a rear right break. there's 2 splines the caliper float on, one is a bolt you can undo, then you lift the caliper off the disc, and slide the caliper off the second spline (if your break lines are long enough). anyway pack as much grease into the space in the caliper (where the spline was) and inside the second spline as possible (if the spline is hollow) and then refit the breaks ensuring the pads are in the right place. as these splines wear from the piston movement, the metal on the calipers and splines get thinner and it vibrates, and sits on a odd angle causing odd wear patterns on the pads. the pads drag all the time where there is serious wear, and packing heavily with grease puts off replacing the entire break assembly.

Awesome, cheers mate. I'll give this a go soon!

[Scrawny]

This would only apply if it had discs on the rear, in this case it's drums

[MADMANx511]

Ah. You have a point there...

[MADMANx511]

Ok, so my mate went with me for a drive today to get his opinion on the noise. It took about 10 minutes for the sound to start, he says that the sound is actually coming from the front left wheel - not the rear. He also says it doesn't sound like a bearing, haven't had time to check out the wheel today, hopefully Monday.