Date:         Mon, 14 Mar 2005 16:48:45 -0500
Reply-To:     Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Subject:      Re: Squealing Through Curves
Comments: To: Michael Knight <vwdormer@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY22-F228B9C581F551DE2FCFB97CD560@phx.gbl>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Failed rear wheel bearings generally produce a low frequency rumble, not a
squealing (like road noise, but with the volume turned way up... and lots
of bass). I heard this from list wisdom, then experienced it myself last fall.

I'd check that rear brake first... last time I had a noise there that went
away when braking, the problem was in the brake. You may have a cracked
brake shoe, with some small bits getting stuck between the shoe edge and
the drum.

In my case, it wasn't squealing, it was a pinging... from droplets of brake
fluid (leaking from the wheel cylinder) mixing with brake dust and adhering
to the inside of the drum... when I rolled, these drops were 'pinging'
against the edge of the shoe When I stepped on the brake, the full contact
of the shoes with the drums silenced it.

YMMV, but I would definitely pull the drum and see if all is well in there.

Tim




At 02:45 PM 3/14/2005 -0600, you wrote:
>I have noticed that I have an intermitted squealing coming from my
>driverside rear wheel when going through curves. Hitting the brakes makes it
>go away occasionally. It mostly happens on right hand curves, rarely on the
>left. What gives am I going to be replacing the bearings soon?
>
>
>
>Michael Knight
>'77 Westy Deluxe, "el Verde"
>'85 Vanagon GL, nameless
>http://photos.yahoo.com/electrictrain@sbcglobal.net