Grease in the wheel well
wagslick
05-09-2011, 09:07 PM
I have a 2007 Silverado z71 and it's swell. Just bought it a couple months ago. Has 95k on it. After coming home from work I noticed a little bit of grease in the wheel well as well as a tad of grease on the body of the truck. I'm not 100% it's mine but I dont know where it may have come from. Took the wheel off and looked at the brakes, and grease fittings. There aren't any signs of splatter there or on the inside of the wheel. Just the wheel well. Any idea what my have caused this?
Something that may possibly be related is that the brakes in this particular wheel (front passenger) have been crazy squeaky, but they only squeak when i'm NOT breaking. If I tap the brakes, the squeak goes away. Sounds like a clip is loose but I checked things out and cant find anything loose. Any ideas? I posted the brake squeakyness in another thread.
Something that may possibly be related is that the brakes in this particular wheel (front passenger) have been crazy squeaky, but they only squeak when i'm NOT breaking. If I tap the brakes, the squeak goes away. Sounds like a clip is loose but I checked things out and cant find anything loose. Any ideas? I posted the brake squeakyness in another thread.
KaIIen
05-10-2011, 01:03 AM
I have a 2007 Silverado z71 and it's swell. Just bought it a couple months ago. Has 95k on it. After coming home from work I noticed a little bit of grease in the wheel well as well as a tad of grease on the body of the truck. I'm not 100% it's mine but I dont know where it may have come from. Took the wheel off and looked at the brakes, and grease fittings. There aren't any signs of splatter there or on the inside of the wheel. Just the wheel well. Any idea what my have caused this?
Something that may possibly be related is that the brakes in this particular wheel (front passenger) have been crazy squeaky, but they only squeak when i'm NOT breaking. If I tap the brakes, the squeak goes away. Sounds like a clip is loose but I checked things out and cant find anything loose. Any ideas? I posted the brake squeakyness in another thread.
Xenia eh? Hi neighbor. :smile: Well, the squeak behavior you mention, my first thought would be worn brake pads. I would definitely look closely at the pads and consider a quick swap on those. While you're in there, wipe off any excess grease and keep an eye out for any new grease. Looking at your pics, I am pretty certain that you drove through something because it's slung up the fender. There's no real way that if it came from the inside side of the tire like from a joint, that it could get slung up the outside like that...but I would monitor that just in case..
Something that may possibly be related is that the brakes in this particular wheel (front passenger) have been crazy squeaky, but they only squeak when i'm NOT breaking. If I tap the brakes, the squeak goes away. Sounds like a clip is loose but I checked things out and cant find anything loose. Any ideas? I posted the brake squeakyness in another thread.
Xenia eh? Hi neighbor. :smile: Well, the squeak behavior you mention, my first thought would be worn brake pads. I would definitely look closely at the pads and consider a quick swap on those. While you're in there, wipe off any excess grease and keep an eye out for any new grease. Looking at your pics, I am pretty certain that you drove through something because it's slung up the fender. There's no real way that if it came from the inside side of the tire like from a joint, that it could get slung up the outside like that...but I would monitor that just in case..
jdmccright
05-10-2011, 09:17 AM
If you had driven over a blob of grease it would have penetrated into the tire tread and you should see some residue embedded in there. From the pic of the underside, it's almost as if it was squirted onto the underside, like you ran over a packet of grease and it got squeezed out of a tube or something.
It looks to be alot of grease, but the only other possibility is that one of your ball joint rubbers split and squirted grease...trouble is that it would work its way around the inside of the wheel, not the outside like you show.
I'm going with theory #1...drive over anything recently?
As for the squeaking, also check that the inside and outside pads are wearing equally and evenly. If the caliper isn't sliding free, it can wear one of the pads too fast. Remove the caliper from the wheel bracket and check/replace the slide pins and use a good amount of grease.
It looks to be alot of grease, but the only other possibility is that one of your ball joint rubbers split and squirted grease...trouble is that it would work its way around the inside of the wheel, not the outside like you show.
I'm going with theory #1...drive over anything recently?
As for the squeaking, also check that the inside and outside pads are wearing equally and evenly. If the caliper isn't sliding free, it can wear one of the pads too fast. Remove the caliper from the wheel bracket and check/replace the slide pins and use a good amount of grease.
kahjdh
05-10-2011, 11:05 AM
Representing Akron here..
I would also check the cv boots. If there is just a pin hole in the boot the grease will fling out. The heat from the bearings thins it out and the centrifical force flings it all over the wheel well.
On the brakes just pop the caliper off and make sure the anti-rattle clips are not hitting the rotor as well as the squeelers on the pads. I always put a line of permatex ultra black hi temp silicone on the backs of the pads and rip off the little plate that clips on to the back of the pads. Let us know what you find.
I would also check the cv boots. If there is just a pin hole in the boot the grease will fling out. The heat from the bearings thins it out and the centrifical force flings it all over the wheel well.
On the brakes just pop the caliper off and make sure the anti-rattle clips are not hitting the rotor as well as the squeelers on the pads. I always put a line of permatex ultra black hi temp silicone on the backs of the pads and rip off the little plate that clips on to the back of the pads. Let us know what you find.
4x4junkie
05-10-2011, 10:27 PM
Occasionally mistaken a wheel bearing can sound similar to brakes squeeking.
Just a possibility. These trucks have a sealed wheel bearing inside so this is a highly unlikely thought for it to be dispersing grease, however if the temperatures are high enough in the wheel bearing due to a prior failure on the vehicle that is unknown, its possible the grease can be liquifying and traveling across the center hub of the wheel and being slung outward....the loss of grease in the wheel bearing cound be casuing your noise......VERY UNLIKELY CIRCUMSTANCE! (million to one odds) but if the wheel is being removed to check brakes note any location of grease found becasue it may help determine the answer. Its a fact that cv joints sling grease when the boot is bad, has a hole, torn or if the clamp is missing or broken.
Just a possibility. These trucks have a sealed wheel bearing inside so this is a highly unlikely thought for it to be dispersing grease, however if the temperatures are high enough in the wheel bearing due to a prior failure on the vehicle that is unknown, its possible the grease can be liquifying and traveling across the center hub of the wheel and being slung outward....the loss of grease in the wheel bearing cound be casuing your noise......VERY UNLIKELY CIRCUMSTANCE! (million to one odds) but if the wheel is being removed to check brakes note any location of grease found becasue it may help determine the answer. Its a fact that cv joints sling grease when the boot is bad, has a hole, torn or if the clamp is missing or broken.
gremlin96
05-14-2011, 09:07 PM
welcome to the open road. your grease is from a semi. chances are you got fling off from one going down the road. it happens all the time. i have some on my truck about once or twice a month.
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