Rear Wheel Bearings

Luny421 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 07, 2014 11:47 am

Hey guys, hoping for some help. I just got done replacing the front wheel hubs assemblies as I thought for sure that was the source of the noise I was hearing (a hum/slight grinding that was directionally proportional to speed), but I've still got the noise. Now i'm wondering if it's the rear. My question is, is it just as easy to do the rears as it is the front? If not, what's different? Any special tools needed? If someone can point me to a how-to I would most certainly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

mawlkrawler · **Posted:** Thu Jun 12, 2014 4:18 pm

Is the noise a sort of squeaky/scraping/grinding noise thats proportional to your speed yet sorta random when you can hear it? Do you hear it regardless of accelerating or breaking?

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prplppleatr239 · **Joined:** Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:48 am **Posts:** 26

May want to check the e-brake. Mine was adjusted wrong, and caused a grinding noise that got faster with speed. It got worse on one side going around a bend too.

upnorthMI17 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 24, 2014 8:48 am **Posts:** 10

I am having the same problem in my '08 KK Sport. It sounds like it is coming from the rear left side and sounds like a squeaking every time the tire rotates and gets faster as I speed up. The noise seems to disappear when I start braking though. Is it a bearing or an e-brake problem? Any advice or how-to's on how to fix this would be an enormous help!!

lfhoward · **Posted:** Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:07 pm

upnorthMI17 wrote:

I am having the same problem in my '08 KK Sport. It sounds like it is coming from the rear left side and sounds like a squeaking every time the tire rotates and gets faster as I speed up. The noise seems to disappear when I start braking though. Is it a bearing or an e-brake problem? Any advice or how-to's on how to fix this would be an enormous help!!

Because it goes away when braking, it is probably brake-related. You may have dirt in between your pads and rotors (off-roading lately?) that you could hose out. You may also be missing an anti-rattle clip on one of your brake pads, so it rubs and squeaks as the wheel turns, but the noise goes away under pressure. The e-brake could be it, too, but I would doubt it if the noise goes away when you apply your regular brakes (the e-brake is a separate system).

upnorthMI17 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 24, 2014 8:48 am **Posts:** 10

lfhoward wrote:

upnorthMI17 wrote:

I am having the same problem in my '08 KK Sport. It sounds like it is coming from the rear left side and sounds like a squeaking every time the tire rotates and gets faster as I speed up. The noise seems to disappear when I start braking though. Is it a bearing or an e-brake problem? Any advice or how-to's on how to fix this would be an enormous help!!

Because it goes away when braking, it is probably brake-related. You may have dirt in between your pads and rotors (off-roading lately?) that you could hose out. You may also be missing an anti-rattle clip on one of your brake pads, so it rubs and squeaks as the wheel turns, but the noise goes away under pressure. The e-brake could be it, too, but I would doubt it if the noise goes away when you apply your regular brakes (the e-brake is a separate system).

Thanks a ton! I have been off-roading in very sandy areas quite a bit recently and I don't believe the noise was there until after my first trip to the dunes. I will give hosing it out a shot. Are anti-rattle clips easy to fix/replace?

lfhoward · **Posted:** Sun Jun 29, 2014 2:12 pm

I don't really know if they are easy to fix because I had a shop diagnose and fix a rotational squeak on mine one time. A missing anti-rattle clip was what they told me was causing the noise. In your case, my money is on sand from the dunes.

Brakes are a maintenance item I want to learn how to do myself, but haven't done yet because they're so critical to safety. I think I'd want to learn brakes with a buddy who's done it before so I know what I'm doing is right.

upnorthMI17 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 24, 2014 8:48 am **Posts:** 10

Well if hosing it out doesn't work, I'll know where to go with it next. I feel the same way about maintenance of my brakes... much more crucial and difficult than changing the oil. Hopefully I'll learn all about it here in the near future.

I will also let you know if sand from the dunes was the problem. So you think the problem lies between the brakes and rotors? best place to spray?

lfhoward · **Posted:** Sun Jun 29, 2014 3:14 pm

upnorthMI17 wrote:

So you think the problem lies between the brakes and rotors? best place to spray?

Probably. Do you have a self-serve car wash near you with the high pressure spray? That might work better than a garden hose. Best place to spray, is everywhere? :lol:

I don't always practice what I preach, but it is a good idea to get into the habit of spraying off the undercarriage after every off-road trip. If you're dealing with beach sand, it'll also wash away salt that will cause corrosion.

upnorthMI17 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 24, 2014 8:48 am **Posts:** 10

lfhoward wrote:

upnorthMI17 wrote:

So you think the problem lies between the brakes and rotors? best place to spray?

Probably. Do you have a self-serve car wash near you with the high pressure spray? That might work better than a garden hose. Best place to spray, is everywhere? :lol:

I don't always practice what I preach, but it is a good idea to get into the habit of spraying off the undercarriage after every off-road trip. If you're dealing with beach sand, it'll also wash away salt that will cause corrosion.

There are a few touchless automatic car washes around town that I take my rig to if I don't clean it myself. Unfortunately those haven't solved the squeaking. I did just take my garden hose with high-pressure attachment to the rotors and brakes for a few minutes each at different angles and then took it for a short spin around the neighborhood and I haven't heard a peep yet so, fingers crossed

On another note, do you know of any efficient ways to clean the engine bay up a bit? When I bought her a few months ago the whole rig was spotless except for a pretty dirty/dusty/dingy engine and engine bay. Just don't want that important part of my rig to be an eyesore anymore. Maybe a few old rags and some Windex? That may take a while...

Ted15 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:23 pm

I had some pebbles in the rear drums that got caught up by the pads that made a nasty screeching noise. I had to remove the calipers then move the e-brake pads and house it out.

Rear Wheel Bearings

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