Scootin159

Ok, I've got two noises I'm trying to nail down, and looking for some opinions.

Noise 1: "Click, Click, Click" only while coasting. Can't hear under power (maybe exhaust is drowning it out), but goes away instantly with the slightest touch of the brakes. Is directly related to wheel speed, and only happens at speeds of at least "2nd gear". Has been there for over a year (when nearly all suspension components were replaced), and hasn't gotten better or worse. Seems possibly related to left vs. right turns.

Noise 2: Grinding/humming sound at high speeds. Don't hear anything until about 60mph, but at that point it sounds like I'm driving on grooved pavement everywhere. Seems to be getting worse with time. Seems possibly related to left vs. right turns. Started happening several months (& track events) after Noise #1.

I can't tell wheel or direction with any of the sounds.

Now for the evidence:

1) When the car is in the air, I get 0 sound, and no play, from any of the four wheels no matter how I shake them. Maybe a little play/noise in front, but hard to distinguish from the steering wheel just moving.

2) A little play in the 'cup' that the inboard driver's side CV bolts to the transmission. I can move this 'cup' relative a cm or so relative to the transmission (in & out).

3) 0 noise or play in the rear wheels while weighted

4) I can reproduce the clicking sound by shaking the front wheels (12 & 6 o'clock) on the ground. Some play, but hardly any - might just be tire sidewall flex.

Now for the diagnosis:

1) I thought it was CV's at one point, replaced exhaust side CV (sounded worse on that side), but 0 change in either sound. Will probably do passenger side one soon anyways as a precaution.

2) Could it be as simple as front wheel bearings? Noise #2 & play in front wheel when on ground seems to indicate it, but why can't I do it while in the air? Noise #1 seems weird for CV's though. Anything else to look for?

3) Could it be ball joints? They were replaced when noise #1 started happening. Seems weird for a ball joint noise to be related to wheel speed.

4) Could it be the tie rod ends? They're pretty old...

5) What else should I check?

Mighty Shilling

Wheel bearings for the grinding sound at 60+. I'll bet they're too tight and you've burned out the races and the bearings. been there, done that.

the clicking sound I'll bet is the CV Axel. replace both and call it good.

potent951turbo

+1 on the CV axles for the clicking sounds. Mine was doing the same thing a few years ago.

Keithr726

As stated the humming is probably wheel bearings. Take a hard turn and get the rear end loose, does it make the same humming noise? If so, most likely the bearings. Perfect time to clean and regrease the CVs which will most likely stop the clicking.

knfeparty

I had a front brake caliper that was kissing the rotor in one spot, so it would click/ "wheet" when you loaded that wheel for example on a turn, and you got some flex. Taking the caliper off and putting on a rebuilt paragon one fixed it, although I'm betting taking it off and putting it back on would with some care would have fixed it too.

Scootin159

Could you expand on this? It seems to make sense with the clicking that I think I'm hearing in the front, and definitely matches with the fact that even the slightest touch of the brakes makes it go away. High loading flexing the spindle enough to let the caliper move also seems to match what I'm hearing. How did you 'confirm' your theory? Was there rub marks on the caliper? On the rotor? Just spin the wheel while it's in the air?

knfeparty

For me it, it squeaked when I turned one way, and when I backed up the car. There was undeniable evidence once I got the caliper off- there was a polished high spot on the rotor, and likewise a little polished spot on the caliper. It was not on the braking surface, but on the outside edge of the rotor.

When we were remounting the new rotor, we found that the floating design floated a bit too much and if you weren't careful with how you put it on, it would touch the rotor.

It's definitely worth a look to just pull your wheel off and spin the rotor, looking for any polished spots on the outside of the rotor. Wouldn't really need to take anything else off.

Mine didn't really "click" though, it was more a squeak.

Luis de Prat

CV joint(s).

Rear wheel bearings.

Unless you want to keep guessing, why not replace or repack all 4?

The play can be corrected by tightening the front bearings just enough so that the wheel spins with minimal effort.