Clicking noise as the wheel spins

zaid3ssaf

Original poster
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Jan 1, 2020
151
Midwest
I'm not sure what it is but whenever I go 35-40 mph and then come to hard stop, the front wheels make clicking noise (see video) that lasts for maybe 10 minutes and then goes away. Greased the glide pins and the hardware with brake grease but the issue came back a month later. Maybe it never went away but it started to get warm so windows are rolled up. Any ideas? I have slotted rotors if that helps.

 

zaid3ssaf

Original poster
Member
Jan 1, 2020
151
Midwest
Turns out to be the wheel bearing making the noise. Does anyone know if our wheel bearings can be lubricated?
 

gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
How many miles on the vehicle? Have you done any recent service to the front end before the noise started? You could have old brake hoses that have collapsed on the inside which keep the caliper pistons from releasing all of their tension right away after braking.

The bearings usually start with a noise that resembles driving on mud tires and tends to change pitch or disappear when the wheel is turned. Also in the early stages of the hub bearing failure, it's hard or usually not possible to feel any movement in the bearing.

If you can raise the wheel off the ground and detect looseness in the hub, then it's far gone and needs to be replaced ASAP.

If any brake service has been done, check the pads and/or the thin metal shims in the caliper bracket at each end of the pad.
 

zaid3ssaf

Original poster
Member
Jan 1, 2020
151
Midwest
I have replaced the hubs last year along with the rotors and the brake pads. I got one of the cheap ones off ebay, but it had good reviews so I went for it and I put 5000 miles on them before the driver's side hub failed. I took the hub off and it clicks when I spin it, but it still feel pretty solid, almost like a new one.

 

gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
I couldn't imagine the CV joint being so worn that the OP's clicking noise would be that when driving straight, but anything is possible. Generally they click when worn but under load and when turning.
 

zaid3ssaf

Original poster
Member
Jan 1, 2020
151
Midwest
I couldn't imagine the CV joint being so worn that the OP's clicking noise would be that when driving straight, but anything is possible. Generally they click when worn but under load and when turning.
Sorry I didn't mention that I don't have CV axles. I took them out and disabled the transfer case. BTW how do you know that the brake lines are collapsed. After heavy braking, I would hear the pads touching the rotors for a little bit. The problem was alleviated by lubricating the glide pins and the brake hardware, so i'm just asking out of curiosity.
 

gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
how do you know that the brake lines are collapsed.

When the hoses are real bad inside, one sign is when you apply the brakes, if we are referring to the front hoses, the steering wheel will momentarily pull to one side then begin to brake more evenly.

One reason is the caliper won't retract fully and heat the pad, resulting in slight fade. That symptom can also mimic sticking pins or pistons.

It's not unnatural to hear the pads scraping, but you can tell if they are grabbing as opposed to rubbing.
 

mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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The Single BIGGEST Problem with suffering from Asymmetrical Braking resulting in the Steering Wheel Pulling either to the Left or the Right occurs when any type of Brake Lube is mis-applied in the WRONG Positions. So besides thoroughly cleaning and re-lubricating the Caliper Slide Pins... the same Quality Brake Lube MUST be applied BEHIND the Stainless Steel Brake Pad Inserts,

This should be done only AFTER the Cast Iron Caliper Brackets are either treated using a Wire Wheel or by Sand Blasting to Remove the Build Up of Thick Rusted Oxidized Material and NOT IN FRONT on the S/S Friction Reducing Inserts . Those Stainless Steel Inserts NEVER require Brake Lubrication on their exposed "Face Up" areas where the Mild Steel Rectangular Brake Pad Guides make direct contact and hold the Pads in the confines of the Bracket(s).

The reason for this is because over time, exposure to Road Salt, Snow and Water Submergence... the areas in between the S/S Inserts and the Cast Iron Carrier Brackets WILL Rust and Flake up over time. This means that gradually the Ferric Rust expands OUTWARDS and puts pressure on the undersides of both S/S Inserts.

This pressure can increase, such to the extent as to Squeeze Down on the Mild Steel Brake Pad Rectangular Ends and BIND the Brake Pads solidly against the face of the Disk Rotor, either on one or BOTH sides, but generally more on one side than the other.

With each incidence of applying the Brakes... the Pad on the side suffering with the greatest amount of close contact WILL remain in there as the Friction increases between those areas. This causes over-heating and the premature wear of the Disk surface(s) and the Brake Pads... again...tending to be more on One Side than the Other. Thus the Binding Brake ALWAYS Grabs and resists the Disk Surface FIRST each and every time the Brakes are applied. Naturally, the Steering Pulls in the direction of that friction of the "stuck" Brake Pads.

This "Rust Swelling" problem can become so extreme as to require that the Old Brake Pads must literally be Hammered loose. The Attached Disk Brake Exemplar Image below Illustrates precisely WHERE to apply the Permatex Extreme Ceramic Brake Lube marked with GREEN Arrows... versus... and contrasting those point where this material should NOT have that Lube on the places marked with Red Arrows:

WHER2PLACETHEBRAKELUBE.jpgPERMATEXCERAMICBRAKELUBE.jpg

You can watch how Eric "O" from The South Main Auto Channel Re-Builds the Front Brakes on a GM Truck from the point where he deals with this issue at 20:45 into this 40 Minute Video.

Please note that he is also using the
Permatex Ceramic Extreme Brake Parts Lubrication and explaining the CORRECT Brake Component Locations for its Proper Use during this Repair:

 
Last edited:

zaid3ssaf

Original poster
Member
Jan 1, 2020
151
Midwest
That's pretty usefule

This "Rust Swelling" problem can become so extreme as to require that the Old Brake Pads must literally be Hammered loose. The Attached Disk Brake Exemplar Image below Illustrates precisely WHERE to apply the Permatex Extreme Ceramic Brake Lube marked with GREEN Arrows... versus... and contrasting those point where this material should NOT have that Lube on the places marked with Red Arrows:

View attachment 95894View attachment 95895

You can watch how Eric "O" from The South Main Auto Channel Re-Builds the Front Brakes on a GM Truck from the point where he deals with this issue at 20:45 into this 40 Minute Video.

Please note that he is also using the
Permatex Ceramic Extreme Brake Parts Lubrication and explaining the CORRECT Brake Component Locations for its Proper Use during this Repair:

This is pretty useful, actually. I used to lather the hardware on both sides as well as the plates of the pads with brake grease.
 
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