slight Grinding/vibration during light braking

[The_EE]

I have been trying to track down my problem for about 3 weeks now and spent way too much money to not solve it.

Perhaps you might know. Sound might be coming from rear, hard to pin point.

Symptoms: slight Grinding/vibration during light braking

Things replaced/fixed: Lateral arms, turned rotors, did brakes, struts/shocks, alignment.

Checked: Rotors, brakes ( no metal on metal ), axles, driveshaft not hitting exhaust, transmission/transfercase/rear diff fluid is fine, no loose bolts anywhere. All hub bearing appear to be fine, no play at all.

One small problem found, left bushing on rear center member that connects to the rear diff is slightly torn

Only things left to be, frozen calipers/pins, bad rear diff, transfercase or transmission.

 

[Deadly BlaZe]

I have been trying to track down my problem for about 3 weeks now and spent way too much money to not solve it.

Perhaps you might know. Sound might be coming from rear, hard to pin point.

Symptoms: slight Grinding/vibration during light braking

Things replaced/fixed: Lateral arms, turned rotors, did brakes, struts/shocks, alignment.

Checked: Rotors, brakes ( no metal on metal ), axles, driveshaft not hitting exhaust, transmission/transfercase/rear diff fluid is fine, no loose bolts anywhere. All hub bearing appear to be fine, no play at all.

One small problem found, left bushing on rear center member that connects to the rear diff is slightly torn

Only things left to be, frozen calipers/pins, bad rear diff, transfercase or transmission.

Is it more of a clanking sound rather than grinding? is it most noticeable when coming to a stop?

 

[1gcrazy]

Fubar wheel bearings?

 

[Deadly BlaZe]

Fubar wheel bearings?

I was thinking this too but I'd think he'd mention the loud howling noises too if it were the bearings.

 

[The_EE]

Is it more of a clanking sound rather than grinding? is it most noticeable when coming to a stop?

No clanking, just a slight grind/vibration. Its only noticable when I come to a stop and not all the way through the braking process. Only during the lower speeds. If I mash the brakes, it goes away and if I brake from say, 5 mph I dont feel it at all.

 

[The_EE]

I was thinking this too but I'd think he'd mention the loud howling noises too if it were the bearings.

I dont hear the bearings so I dont think they are going out. I did the pull test on the wheels and they dont budge so I dont think its the bearings.

What about Lower control arms?

 

[Deadly BlaZe]

I'm thinking it has to do with your calipers/pins or possibly driveshaft u-joints. I'm having a similar problem and i've narrowed it down to one of those two.

 

[The_EE]

How would I go about testing out the driveshaft ujoints? ( i am going to do some searching for the answer as well ).

Ok, found some info on testing it out, will do so after it warms up a but and report back.

 

[Hyland33]

does the pedal vibrate or pulse at all?

 

[The_EE]

does the pedal vibrate or pulse at all?

yes. I feel it through the brakes and clucth and slightly through the steering wheel.

 

[The_EE]

Ok, Checked the drive shaft. I am getting no play from it. I went from the rear diff back, twisting each and every joint and it is solid like a rock. I checked the rear hub bearings again, solid as a rock. I did notice the things that hold the driveshaft up have play in them. I even spun the tires with the E brake off and its as easy as can be to spin.

I went to the front, locked the wheel in position and started pulling and stuff again on the front end. Trying to pull out with the wheel in or out shows no play. However, if I try to twist the wheel side to side, I get a little. If I put my hands at 10 and 4, I get a little play. If I put my hands at 12 and 6, I get done. Its not the wheel moving so much as looks like the rotor is moving a tad.

The last time I checked the hub a couple days back, I tried pulling in and out but decided to try some other things.

I do not recall if I tried with only one front wheel up in the air or not.

I did not check for the pins, I totally forgot.

 

[Deadly BlaZe]

Ok, Checked the drive shaft. I am getting no play from it. I went from the rear diff back, twisting each and every joint and it is solid like a rock. I checked the rear hub bearings again, solid as a rock. I did notice the things that hold the driveshaft up have play in them. I even spun the tires with the E brake off and its as easy as can be to spin.

The things that hold the drive shaft up are the carrier barrings. It's ok if there is only very little play but i don't think that has anything to do with the sound you're hearing. And it's normal to be able to spin the tires easily with the e brake off. Check your pins and let me know how it works out.

 

[The_EE]

I wont be able to check the pins until Saturday. I may end up going to Mitsu sometime in January if I cannot find the problem next weekend.

I want this done so I can focus on getting the laser to stop smoking. Wondering if turbo seals are out now.

Was running pig rich, changed TB and put in the injectors from my vr4, its no longer running rich but it still smokes. smells like oil. The car has been sitting for about 4 or 5 months since I got it, no telling how long it sat before I got it. Did an oil change ( old oil smelled like fuel ).

any idea's?

new ecu, head, plugs, wires, o2 sensor. compression was done on cold engine, 150 across the board. going to warm it up this weekend and do another compression check but it held steady at 150 the last time I did it.

Sorry, figured you know a bit more then me, I would shoot this question at ya, might give me a couple more idea's on that car as well.

 

[Deadly BlaZe]

I wont be able to check the pins until Saturday. I may end up going to Mitsu sometime in January if I cannot find the problem next weekend.

I want this done so I can focus on getting the laser to stop smoking. Wondering if turbo seals are out now.

Was running pig rich, changed TB and put in the injectors from my vr4, its no longer running rich but it still smokes. smells like oil. The car has been sitting for about 4 or 5 months since I got it, no telling how long it sat before I got it. Did an oil change ( old oil smelled like fuel ).

any idea's?

new ecu, head, plugs, wires, o2 sensor. compression was done on cold engine, 150 across the board. going to warm it up this weekend and do another compression check but it held steady at 150 the last time I did it.

Sorry, figured you know a bit more then me, I would shoot this question at ya, might give me a couple more idea's on that car as well.

What color is the smoke and when does it start smoking?

 

[The_EE]

Hard to tell against the fence but it appears gray maybe blue, which leads me to believe its oil. When I first got the car, it smelled like fuel, I think one of the injectors was stuck open. Now it doesnt smell like fuel with the GVR4's injectors in it. It does it at idle and a plume comes out if I rev the engine.

Only a leak down test will really tell me what it is. No water and oil mixing so I dont think its a HG and the exhaust doesnt smell like coolant.

Maybe its just because the car has been sitting for a while, I dont know.

 

[sawnuoff]

i would say that the brake pads are giving you that grinding noise,some do and some dont, does it do it after you drove threw town or just as soon as you drove it out the driveway, trying to find out if its when the brakes have been warmed up or not

 

[The_EE]

i would say that the brake pads are giving you that grinding noise,some do and some dont, does it do it after you drove threw town or just as soon as you drove it out the driveway, trying to find out if its when the brakes have been warmed up or not

Its at all times, when the brakes are cold and when they are warm. It was happening before I did the brakes and the rotors. Thats why I changed the brakes and turned the rotors.

It started happening after the ball joint failure. Could it be caused by the lower contol arm, if it were bent however slightly?

 

[Deadly BlaZe]

Its at all times, when the brakes are cold and when they are warm. It was happening before I did the brakes and the rotors. Thats why I changed the brakes and turned the rotors.

It started happening after the ball joint failure. Could it be caused by the lower contol arm, if it were bent however slightly?

doubt it, check those pins

 

[The_EE]

Well, Went to Mitsu to have a safety inspection done.

The cause of my grind, transfer case. I am starting to feel it while I drive at slow speeds.

Total list of repairs needed.

Transfer Case ( Suspected it )
Left Front Hub ( knew it )
Left and Right inner tie rods ( explains the clank when I go over bumps )
Starter going out ( Knew that )

So.. thats everything. Time to check on pricing. At least I can do all the work myself.

 

[Deadly BlaZe]

Well, Went to Mitsu to have a safety inspection done.

The cause of my grind, transfer case. I am starting to feel it while I drive at slow speeds.

Total list of repairs needed.

Transfer Case ( Suspected it )
Left Front Hub ( knew it )
Left and Right inner tie rods ( explains the clank when I go over bumps )
Starter going out ( Knew that )

So.. thats everything. Time to check on pricing. At least I can do all the work myself.

Wow sucks to hear that it was your transfer case. You said the noise sounded like it was coming from the rear so i disregarded that option.

 

[awall811]

can bad control arms also cause vibration in the steering wheel ### im having that problem?

 

[The_EE]

Wow sucks to hear that it was your transfer case. You said the noise sounded like it was coming from the rear so i disregarded that option.

My brake guy suspected it was coming from the rear but could not find anything wrong with the brakes.

 

[The_EE]

Front left wheel hub replaced, Transfer Case replaced, problem is still there.

Starting to get annoyed.

Also.. its not only during braking, whatever it is, I can feel it while its in nuetral as well. between 30-20mph coast down.

 

[The_EE]

Drivers side front axle replaces, still there.

sigh

at least I can pull the axle tomorrow and get my money back.

Guess next down the list is half shaft and control arm.

I just feel like I am banging my head against the wall.

 

[The_EE]

Problems I found that didnt fix anything. One nut from the downpipe came off, exhaust hitting transfer case. Replaced nut, no change.

Hole in my Apexi N1 exhaust at the weld for the second hanger from the rear. I know this cannot cause that problem.

I did have someone in the car with me today to try to locate where the sound is coming from. They think it was coming from the front right of the car. I am going to replace the hub bearing just because. Going to do the tie rod ends as well. We will see where that gets me