Squeal from front wheel

[Richard Kolb]

So I'm driving in today and I get this split second squeal while I'm driving down the highway. Then about a minute later it happens again. At this point I thought it was just the radio because it was so quick. But then I get off the highway, drive a few miles, and then turn right into work. Then it starts to squeal and doesn't stop. It doesn't stop until the truck stops, and it doesn't change, other then to slow down, when I apply the brakes. I'm thinking it's the bearings, but I'm not sure. Any opinion? The squeal is kind of like a metal on metal sound.

 

[Michael Cacioppo]

Could be a pebble or other road debris between your pads and rotor. Check rotor for any new scratches. It caould also be the pad wear indicator chiming up.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

If they are squealing, then they went past the normal stage of grinding and or humming as they were going bad.



Once a bearing starts to squeal, it is a sign of metal on metal with no lube...

 

[Tom Schindler]

One other thought. This happened to me. It took me an eternity to figure it out.



Long story short, I had a squeak in the rear end. Tore it apart and found what was squeaking. Put it back together and I still heard a squeak. Ended up driving myself crazy trying to figure it out. Realized I had 2 squeaks. One from the frount (loud) and one from the back (louder). Once the rear squeak was gone, the front had a squeak I could hear.



The culprit? On the caliper bracket, there are some clips that the pads rub against. The center section between the two sides was rusted. The clip, ever so slightly, was rubbing on the rotor. Nt enough to cause any noticable wear on the rotor, but enough that you could not put your finger on it.



It would sometimes squeak when you hit the brakes, other times hitting the brakes would make it stop. It would squeak when turning left or turning left would make it stop. It would squeak over bumps or it would stop squeaking when going over bumps.





Tom

 

[Richard Kolb]

If they are squealing, then they went past the normal stage of grinding and or humming as they were going bad.



Once a bearing starts to squeal, it is a sign of metal on metal with no lube...

If what are squealing the brakes or the bearings? This is the first noise I've had ever out of the front end. I can't imagine that I would be able to miss any grinding or humming. This was all of a sudden with no advance warning.



I have 50k (it's a 2003) on it and was about to get the brakes done, maybe I'll go ahead and do that now.

 

[EddieS'04]

Anytime I have had a squeal on the front of a 4x2 rear wheel drive. It has been a bearing race spinning in side the hub. It has always required a new hub. The new race will do the same. Hub clearance wont hold the new race tight enough..

 

[Richard Kolb]

Hmm, well I don't know what it is. It stopped all of a sudden on the way to the shop, but they're checking it out anyway.

 

[Richard Kolb]

Nothing wrong, not a thing. They think maybe rock or dirt between the pad and rotor. I like the shop I went to, they don't charge me anything to look.