95 windstar squeak sound
tjgalvez
05-22-2008, 06:05 PM
There is a squeak sound, drivers side, only when it is in motion. I,m not sure if the squeak is from the front or the rear, but I think the sound is loudest on the front. When on low speed the squeak sound is slow and it goes faster when the van is running fast. It's not a thump sound but a squeak sound, like an old washing machine on final spin. I went to a tire/brake shop and had the brakes inspected and also the wheels rotated. The tire tech also did the top and bottom/side and side check to see if the bearings are intact. He said all looks good, brakes are okay and no play on the front wheels. The belts are good because when I rev it up while in park, there is no squeak sound. I bounce the front end of the van to check if the springs is the source of the squeak but it's not. Where do I start? If the wheel bearings are bad, how do I test it other than the top and bottom and side to side check. Please help. It's a 3.8L, auto, 125k
tripletdaddy
05-28-2008, 03:44 AM
Much to my surprise, I am your first responder, but I will give 'er a go.
Typically, when someone says squeaking in the front end, one thinks of lower control arm ball joint and outer tie rod end ball joint and sometimes maybe the inner tie rod ball joint. Then there are the rubber bushings in the lower control arm and the joints and rubber bushings of the sway bar and links. Lastly there is the bearing plate of the strut at the top of the strut tower. However, most of the time you only hear them when something is moving up and down or the steering is turning and not at all tied directly to the rate at which the wheels are turning. So for now, all of those things can be ignored.
Believe it or not, it could be as simple as a noisy hub cap, so whatever caps are on your wheels, take the suspected one(s) off and hopefully that will be your problem. Sometimes rocks, gravel, or other debris can get caught between the rotor disk and the disk shield. Although, usually it is so hideously screeching loud you are too scared and annoyed to drive, you wouldn't go a foot more until you fixed it.
Are the tires correctly inflated?
Do you have any vibration in the front? You might have a bad rim if it is steel. Are the lug nuts correctly torqued?
Are all of the fasteners for all of the things bolted to the knuckle assembly good and tight? caliper, lower control arm, rotor sheild, brake hose bracket, abs sensor, 3 strut tower nuts under hood,...
Will this sound go away if you coast downhill with the engine off or in neutral, indicating more to the axles and wheels rather than the engine and trans if it still exists?
A bad bearing could dry up but still be reasonably tight and only with use will it become more loose, noisy and obvious. You could raise just one tire off the ground and with wheels secured, spin the tire by hand and in drive. You should raise the whole wheel, knuckle assembly to normal driving level to eliminate any extra noise created by having it hang low, putting the axle at a sharper than normal angle. You might try hand spinning the wheel at that angle to see if it is noisy. You may have a dry cv joint. You could run the axle under power at that angle, but I wouldn't too much.
I hope that helps some. Let us know where that gets you and if you have anything new that might help us diagnose this. Good luck! :)
Typically, when someone says squeaking in the front end, one thinks of lower control arm ball joint and outer tie rod end ball joint and sometimes maybe the inner tie rod ball joint. Then there are the rubber bushings in the lower control arm and the joints and rubber bushings of the sway bar and links. Lastly there is the bearing plate of the strut at the top of the strut tower. However, most of the time you only hear them when something is moving up and down or the steering is turning and not at all tied directly to the rate at which the wheels are turning. So for now, all of those things can be ignored.
Believe it or not, it could be as simple as a noisy hub cap, so whatever caps are on your wheels, take the suspected one(s) off and hopefully that will be your problem. Sometimes rocks, gravel, or other debris can get caught between the rotor disk and the disk shield. Although, usually it is so hideously screeching loud you are too scared and annoyed to drive, you wouldn't go a foot more until you fixed it.
Are the tires correctly inflated?
Do you have any vibration in the front? You might have a bad rim if it is steel. Are the lug nuts correctly torqued?
Are all of the fasteners for all of the things bolted to the knuckle assembly good and tight? caliper, lower control arm, rotor sheild, brake hose bracket, abs sensor, 3 strut tower nuts under hood,...
Will this sound go away if you coast downhill with the engine off or in neutral, indicating more to the axles and wheels rather than the engine and trans if it still exists?
A bad bearing could dry up but still be reasonably tight and only with use will it become more loose, noisy and obvious. You could raise just one tire off the ground and with wheels secured, spin the tire by hand and in drive. You should raise the whole wheel, knuckle assembly to normal driving level to eliminate any extra noise created by having it hang low, putting the axle at a sharper than normal angle. You might try hand spinning the wheel at that angle to see if it is noisy. You may have a dry cv joint. You could run the axle under power at that angle, but I wouldn't too much.
I hope that helps some. Let us know where that gets you and if you have anything new that might help us diagnose this. Good luck! :)
tjgalvez
05-30-2008, 07:05 PM
Tripletdaddy, thanks for your reply and thorough diagnosis. I followed your first and simple advice, check your hub cap first. Yes, that was the main source of the squeak sound. I removed the front and rear hub caps, driver side, test drive it and the squeak sound is not there any more.
Why didn't I think about that, I don't know, but before your reply, I went to the forum and searched for squeak sound and the threads direct me to front end parts. So, my thoughts was focused on the bearings, tie rods, springs, ball joints, expensive repairs that I can't do. You know, I did not drive my van for 5 days because the squeak sound is getting louder and was scared that the damage might get worse and more expensive to have it fix.
Tripletdaddy, Thanks again
Tj
Why didn't I think about that, I don't know, but before your reply, I went to the forum and searched for squeak sound and the threads direct me to front end parts. So, my thoughts was focused on the bearings, tie rods, springs, ball joints, expensive repairs that I can't do. You know, I did not drive my van for 5 days because the squeak sound is getting louder and was scared that the damage might get worse and more expensive to have it fix.
Tripletdaddy, Thanks again
Tj
tripletdaddy
05-31-2008, 03:13 AM
You're very welcome. I'm really glad I could help, and it was so easy for your sake.
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