double post

 

Ive learned that although the noise comes from the brakes, its not caused by the brakes.

With my stoptech BBK installed now, after driving in the canyons for one day I can hear that same ticking sound slowly coming back!

Recap: After changing the wheel bearings again, the noise went away but slowly started to come back with the AP's. This led me to believe that the brakes are not the cause. Installed the AP bbkl on a buddies car and noise was absent.

Guess I should start looking at changing my front end suspension bushings. My upper/lower control arm bushing are original but they feel fine. No harm in changing them, but its hard to see that as the cause.

 

The inner barrels of your wheel rims look seriously bent.

Have you checked if the noise goes away with another set of wheels?

If it was bent wheels the vibration would be worse after the bearings wore in a bit and it could cause 2ndary vibrations in things like your brakes. It sounds like a 2ndary vibration to me because it is not in perfect sync with rotational speed.

 

My wheels are bent, your right. Rpf1's are extremely weak. But im still able to fully balance them and there is zero vibrations what-so-ever. The ticking is solely noise and nothing can be felt, even while turning+braking.

 

Get some new wheels for safety sake.

 

Its on the to-do list. But its not related to this noise which is my #1 concern at the moment.

 

But its not related to this noise which is my #1 concern at the moment.

How did you determine this?

You could be right, but it wouldn't be too hard to swap out to some other wheels to see if it stops the ticking.

With the inner barrels bent and the outer lip not bent or much less bent you are going to have a different balance/shake putting the tire flat on the load bar with the balancing machine than when the wheel cambers up from caster when turning the wheel and the inner tire only is riding on the ground.

That (visible) shaking could be rattling your pads back and forth or against the caliper through bolt/pin or whipping your SS brake line against something.

 

I just assumed if the wheel was balanced nicely on the machine it wouldnt rattle things much on the car. But you have a point. Unfortunately I dont have any wheels to swap with my bbk installed. And I think I found the cause of the noise anyways....


I was at lucky7 to get my fuel filter changed (done it once at home and ill never again tackle that mess of a job again). Fris and I were just staring at the wheels/brakes thinking what the problem could be. Then, Fris asked if it could be my diy center caps? It made perfect sense since they are plumbing washers with like 20 small tabs grabbing the inner wheel. We took them off and sure enough the noise was gone. I need to do a thorough test on some windy roads to be sure.. But this really was one of those moments. After all this time it was just some stupid caps.. I knew was going to be something stupid and sure enough... It is. Lmao!!!

 

That is good.. now get some wheels.

 

Kinda makes you want to kick yourself, doesn't it???

 

Believe it or not....


The noise is back in full effect. Everytime I pull my brakes/wheel bearing off the noise goes away for a short time. I assumed it was my DIY wheelcabs but no. Even without them on, the noise came back after a hard canyon drive.

I have changed my brakes, wheel bearings, wheelcaps, swaybar endlinks, steering rack bushings..

Looking for different wheels to try up front. Considering my balljoints, coilovers, etc also. Even though the noise is distinctively coming from the brakes and I cannot feel it in the steering or brakes with use. My A-arm bushings are original (65k miles) and they are solid.

I dont usually make posts seeking help, but seriously I am at a loss here and this sh*t is f**king annoying. Any constructive advice is welcomed.

 

Just give the car to me and you won't have to bear hearing the noise anymore.

What do you torque your wheels to? You you have 2 piece rotors? If so are they fixed or floating? My CTS-V has 2 piece rotors and there is a TSB for wheel clicking and it is related to wheel torque. I'd try some different wheels. I have some you could try, I think they'd work.

 

Im debating that....

85-90ft/lbs.

I have the stoptech kit with 2 piece floating rotors. Before i had AP racing with 2-piece floating rotors also. I recently threw on the srews to fasten the rotor hats to the hub. Noise still there after a few hard drives.

Winter break is coming up, maybe we will bump into each other at Willow springs or something.

 

Try 110 ft lbs on the lugs and see what happens. I still wonder if you getting some pad knock back or shifting or something.

Let me know, I should be around.

 

Ill try that out.
I thought about pad knock back but the noise doesnt change when I apply brakes.

 

May have missed it but have you closely looked at the backing plate(s) for evidence of contact? Just thinking out loud...a sensor lead or brake line influencing the plate during hard turns.

 

I'm thinking ball joints or tie rod end since the noise only occurs when steering - i.e. when the ball joints and tie rods are being turned.

If you have a GoPro or something, duct tape it to one of the control arms and get some video with sound.

Also, what sway bar and sway bar mounts are you using?

 

Ive checked everything and anything that could possibly rattle and there is nothing. Ive checked and re-checked. I thought about tie-rods but I would certainly feel something through the steering. They are original so guess it wont hurt to change them.

I have widefoot swaybar mounts with a tanabe bar. Gopro on the suspension is a good idea, ill do it soon.

Besides everything I said, Im 99% sure its coming from my wheel bearings. The noise is LOUD now and sounds like a failed bearing rotating. Its so loud that people think my car is falling apart when I pull into a parking lot. If you touch the rim while turning you can literally feel the ticks. How can something this loud, that you can feel through the rim not be felt from inside the car ie steering, brakes, wtv. Only the wheel bearing could act like this imo?

When I change the bearings, the noise goes away completely but slowly comes back over a course of 2ish weeks. So why would an OEM wheelbearing fail so quickly? Maybe my spindles are jacked up? When I take the rims off/on and re-torque them the noise fades for a few hours and returns. Ive tried torquing my wheels different ft/lbs but no change to this pattern.

 

interesting...

take pics of you spindles when you have the hub off

 

Do you know if it is one or both front wheels?

 

Both, which makes it more interesting. Almost equally but the front left is a bit worse.

Most certainly. Never heard of FD spindles wearing out but we'll see what they look like.

 

What happens when you retorque the front hub and nothing else? Are you sure you are torquing it correctly?

After changing wheel bearings my FC sometimes needs a retorque, but the FC has tapered bearings.

 

Would be interesting to see what the bearings look like when you get the hubs off. Here is a good write up for taking them apart if you are so inclined.
Repacking_Hubs.doc - Mazda Racers

 

Same deal.. Noise will get less but quickly return.



The link for disassembling the bearing isnt working. Getting an error.

 

Any evidence of rub on the left lower arm about 5" from the rear pick-up?