Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:32:01 -0400
Reply-To: "kenneth wilford (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "kenneth wilford (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Rear wheel noise... can't be good 1000 km from home :(
In-Reply-To: <5260D07C.40803@williamsitconsulting.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Steve,
Jack up the rear wheel and try to see if there is play in it. It could be
the rear brakes as I have seen them installed improperly more times than
not. If your ebrake isn't holding then that is a sign that they are either
worn out or not installed properly. If you check for play in the wheel
(grab it and try to rock it from side to side and then up and down), and
you don't really find any (a small amount can be normal) then it is either
the brakes or the cv joint. Usually if the joint is worn out you can grab
the axle with the van sitting on the ground and pretend you are revving up
a motorcycle. If there is play in the axle you should feel it by doing
this. If that feels tight then it is the brakes. You can visit a brake
shop and have it checked out without breaking (ha, ha) the bank.
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
On Fri, Oct 18, 2013 at 2:09 AM, Steve Williams <
steve@williamsitconsulting.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm on a bit of a road trip (2500 km so far), currently in Washington
> State (Bellingham). I'm 1000 km from home still (Calgary, AB). I've
> pulled more sustained hills on this trip than ever before, even going up
> to the "Windy Ridge" lookout on Mt. St. Helens.
>
> Not that it's very relevant, but I drive very gently, never "flooring"
> the gas pedal only pressing down on the gas the while the vehicle will
> accelerate. If it won't accelerate/sustain, I let it slow down & grab a
> lower gear. I keep the "working" RPM's in the 2500-3500 rpm range.
>
> I have a very strange noise coming from the rear drivers side wheel. It
> almost sounds like squeaking rubber, it's hard to tell because it
> doesn't happen until 45 km/hr. My gut" feeling is that it's got to be a
> CV joint, but I thought I'd get some list wisdom.
>
> It only happens under "medium" acceleration. When the noise starts,
> backing off on the throttle or flooring the throttle will make it go
> away. I had lots of time to experiment on the Mt. St. Helens road, 16
> km uphill in 2nd or 3rd gear (steepish, windy road). It either subsides
> or the road noise overpowers the noise as the speed increases above 55
> km/hr.
>
> Happens between 40 & 55 km/hr with some sensitivity to going around
> corners. It seems to be quieter when making a left corner, though the
> size of parking lots that I can find to test in limits this test a bit.
> Does **not** happen in neutral or when going down a hill.
>
> I have been monitoring it all day (I had a meeting in Bellingham that I
> had to get to). The hub is not getting hot driving sustained highway
> speeds, so I don't think it's wheel bearing.
>
> Additionally, when coasting (engine off, neutral) in the parking lot on
> a gentle downhill in a parking lot (with me walking beside the vehicle),
> it sounds like there is something rubbing on the brake drum for part of
> the revolution of the wheel. This noise doesn't happen in reverse.
> Part of me wants to blame the brakes for this one...
>
> Once, when I parked & forgot to put the parking brake on & it rolled
> ahead, I got a little "tick tick tick" out of the wheel for about every
> 6 inches it rolled ahead.
>
> I have tightened all the lug nuts.
>
> I'm in Bellingham, Washington with a bit of a flexible schedule... I am
> going to call around tomorrow (Friday) and see if anyone can have a look
> at it. I'm pretty sure I'm limited to what I can do with the tool box
> that I have, and my spare alternator isn't going to help in this case!
> lol.
>
> What's the list wisdom on what this might be?
>
> Thanks,
> Steve W.
>
--
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
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