Squeal when turning left...

[Mone]

Ok, so since I don't know what the problem is, I don't know exactly which section to put this in. Here's the situation:

My car makes a grinding/squealing noise when turning to the left. I can almost swear that its coming from the left rear wheel, but that makes little sense to me.

I have bypassed my PS, so I know its not a PS belt squeal that just sounds like its coming from somewhere else. And its not an alternator squeal, as I have that too when the motor is cold, and its a different sound.

Also, it might not be completely accurate to say that it only happens when I turn left. The more proper way of putting it is that it only doesn't happen when I turn right. Sometimes I still hear it when I'm driving straight (you know, that slightly turning a little each way kind of straight).

My brakes appear to be fine, as they don't squeal when I hit the breaks. It also doesn't do it unless I'm rolling (at least 1-2mph). My initial thoughts would be either messed up rotors on the left side (either front or back, I can't exactly tell from in the car) or perhaps a metal dustgaurd that I didn't know existed on MkIIs rubbing against the rotor (I had this on my 'teg and its a very similar sound).

Any thoughts? I haven't had too much time to diagnose the problem, or to get the car off the ground to check things out (my apartment complex won't even let me put a jack on the ground).

[frobozz]

Rear wheel bearing?

Duncan

[silverton]

wheel bearing is my thought too...

[dannymk2]

hmm, wheel bearings howl or humm, not really squeal. plus it really wouldnt make a difference when hes turning.

[Mone]

hmmm, that could have something to do with when I swapped the diffs. I don't remember if it squealed with the 4.30 in it, but now it has the 3.73. Since I've never dealt with the particular part before, where is the wheel bearing exactly? How could swapping diffs affect it? Is it in the diff?

[Tanya]

Ohh, better hope it's a front wheel bearing and not the rear, or else you're gonna curse the day Toyota put e-brakes on these cars :x

[Mone]

well, like I said, I think that it started happening after I swapped the diff, and it does sound like its coming from the back left. If I have the squealing now, how long til it makes the car undriveable?

[frobozz]

hmm, wheel bearings howl or humm, not really squeal. plus it really wouldnt make a difference when hes turning.

Turning is THE classic scenario for bearings to make noise in! They get loaded to one side or the other depending on the turn direction.

Duncan

[CJSREDPRA]

Since I've never dealt with the particular part before, where is the wheel bearing exactly? How could swapping diffs affect it? Is it in the diff?

Tim,

The wheel bearing is NOT inside the rear diff. Think "It's behind the rear brake rotor & hub assembly"

Start reading here. Have fun. And yes... The rear rotor & parking brake shtuff has to come off 1st.

Oh yeah.... Let us know which bearing(S) it possibly is.... TSRM says there is a inner bearing race set & a outer bearing race set.

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TSRM/MK2/manual.aspx?S=RA&P=5

[Mone]

ok, I'll start looking there. Sounds like I've still got some investigating to do. If anyone more experienced with it wants to stop by my place in bellevue one of these evenings, just pm me. I just love working on these cars, so I'm almost kinda happy when things go wrong. Having a backup supra also helps, that way I don't go through supra withdrawls.

[CJSREDPRA]

Tim,

Slow down & look above. Also look @ the TSRM link.

[Mone]

wait a minute, .... (sorry for the fast posting again, but I want this in a seperate post), from the diagram, it looks like the bearing(s) are in the axle itself. I have a second set of axles. Could I just replace them? Or is what I'm looking at the spindle side of it? I think the 4 studs were on the spindle side.

[CJSREDPRA]

Yes to all.

Trust us.... Their are NO bearings going inside the diff pumpkin. The wheel bearings are "on the other side of the halfshafts" where the wheels/brakes stuff is located.

If the wheel bearings were inside the diff pumpkin, we would have said something.

[Mone]

Yes to all.

Trust us.... Their are NO bearings going inside the diff pumpkin. The wheel bearings are "on the other side of the halfshafts" where the wheels/brakes stuff is located.

If the wheel bearings were inside the diff pumpkin, we would have said something.

hehe, I think somewhere in our last 5 posts, at the same time, I realized that the bearings were not in the diff and you told me as well. Well, if I can just swap my axles then that's that. On the list for the long weekend then.

[StanS]

Try locating the squeel. Get a tape recorder with a remote wired microphone. Tie the mike to a magnet and put the magnet sequentially on each fender near a wheel and drive and turn left to generate the squeel. The loudest squeel is the correct wheel.

[Mone]

Try locating the squeel. Get a tape recorder with a remote wired microphone. Tie the mike to a magnet and put the magnet sequentially on each fender near a wheel and drive and turn left to generate the squeel. The loudest squeel is the correct wheel.

wow, thats so nerdy. And while I am a nerd, I think that's overkill. I'd really just need to slowly go past someone outside the car to tell me front or back. lol, but I love your suggestion.

Further investigation of the TRSM has led me to believe that the problem can't be solved by just swapping out my axle. It looks like a messy, greasy removal and installation is ahead of me. I shall welcome it with latex gloves waiting.

[dannymk2]

i still dont think its the wheel bearings. they are a big project and i would really suggest being 100% sure they are out fault before you start this. ive been in cars where the wheel bearings were shot. you cant tell at 1-2mph. actually you really dont start to hear it until about 25mph when they are really bad. also, when they are really bad, you get bad vibrations in the car. the rear pass side wheel bearing in my car is on its way out. you cant hear it until 70mph, thats when you get the humm. as they get worse, it starts happening at a lower speed. i dont drive my car at that speed anymore because its annoying. my friends wheel bearings went bad and the car was unbearable to be in they howled so much.

you said you started hearing the noise after you swapped the diff. thats where id be checking first. try changing the fluid. or, if you have a known good spare, swap it in and see if the noise goes away. also, check your e brake.

[ddd228]

Been there and I've done that! Please don't tell us it is the dust guard touching the rear rotor OR the hard ware in the caliper touching the rotor. I think I know without hearing the noise 'cause you described the sound so well: MY GUESS: The sound is a dried out rear axel seal that protects the rear hub. The differential oil usually doesn't "see" the rear hub so it's on it's own. Sneak some small amout of light oil in that area behind the rotor and cross your fingers. GREASE the seal if the noise goes away and you will not burn up the seal. This is just a guess from one of the armchair quarterbacks,worldwide. Diagnostics is the most difficult job there is.Especially where we are. Blind auto technicians:OK. Deaf ones are non-existant. Wordy as usual. Dave in Seattle.

[Mone]

well, like I said, the squeal didn't happen before the diff swap, and now it's happening. I've done no other wheel work, and I don't know how I could've bent the dust guard into the rotor (that happened to my Integra, and I KNOW what that sounds like).

Also, the noise doesn't get any louder as I speed up. Its just as loud at 5mph as it is at 50mph. Also, there's no shaking, rumbling or anything like that. Just sound. Its not harder to turn one direction than the other (although not having PS makes it harder to turn PERIOD).

I drive the car so little that its not a huge deal to me right now (I work about 2.5 miles from home, 5 days/week). I'm sure I'll get around to further diagnosing it one of these weekends.