chirp from front wheel bearing?

[northern piper]

Just came back after driving my wife's 2000 windstar 3.8. I haven't driven if for a while and it sounds like the driver's front wheel bearing is on it's way out. It doesn't make the classic whirr or marbles in a tin can sound but more so a chirp sound. Definitely increased and decreases with speed, isn't a rotor or belt problem.

Has anyone experienced a chirping bearing?

[12Ounce]

I've experienced a chirping cam position sensor synchronizer. It can eventually shut down the engine.

[northern piper]

I wondered about that but wouldn't a cam position sensor chirp when the motor is running but vehicle is in park? This chirping only happens while driving and increases/decreases with speed, but not when running at while stopped at an idle.

I'm just kinda thinking the typical metallic ball crunching in the can sound hasn't started yet...

[12Ounce]

Yes, your analysis is correct ... I wasn't sure from your earlier description. Of course, brake systems can offer such noises ... but the bearing is a good candidate. Does the noise change if you are turning left or right?

[northern piper]

so I put the van up and did the 12 o'clock - 6 o'clock push pull test and everything seems solid. The 9-3 also is good and as I did the lca's, inner/outer tie rods, quick struts, brakes not too long ago I know they're pretty solid. It definitely isn't chirping from any belt, idler or cam position sensor. So, I go out for a drive, and low and behold, the noise is completely gone... wtf? Oh, there was a slight difference when turning left when it happened earlier but again... no sounds now at all so I can't really say I've done an exhaustive review.

Anyway, I'm going to monitor it and get my 10 yr old son to monitor it.. (he's the only 1 out of the 4 regular riders in the van that notices anything mechanical... don't ask about the gender of the other 3 )

I'm still thinking it was bearing but if I don't have to do it right now that'd be great.

the saga continues ..

[12Ounce]

I haven't done one yet on my '99 ... but I understand these are the new style cartridge bearings, similar to ones I have done on the Escape ... not too bad to deal with. Not like the old days.

[northern piper]

ya, they're a bolt off, bolt on type repair. Assuming you've got the hub nut socket and a big breaker bar you're good to go.

I'm kinda happy that the noise is gone (for how long??) as I've got a half built 6 x 10 utility trailer on my lift that hasn't got the axle welded in. Had I needed to do the hub, the first step is weld on the suspension for the trailer, install axle, remove from lift.. then start the hub... a lotta work at the end of a long hot day at my "real" job

[Windstartled]

Originally Posted by northern piper

ya, they're a bolt off, bolt on type repair. Assuming you've got the hub nut socket and a big breaker bar you're good to go.

Those bearings are very easy to replace on the rear wheels especially those with drum brakes but the front wheels is a whole different story. For some reason Ford had the genius idea of positioning one of the three fastening bolts at a spot where access is completely blocked by the steering knuckle so you have to remove the knuckle and everything attached to it: caliper, strut, the whole shebang. So it's worth making sure the bearing is really bad before spending a whole day doing this especially in this blistering heat. One life-saving tool for this job is a three-prong gear puller aka "spider" otherwise the old bearing will hang on with a death grip that even a mini-sledge won't budge. Spider costs about $30 and worth every penny. Pulls out rusted wheels as well, not always an easy task with a hammer especially in winter.

[scubacat]

This really sounds like squeaky brakes to me and not the wheel bearing. Next time you hear the noise, see if turning the wheels to the right and then to the left changes the noise at all.

Bearing noise, in my (albeit limited) experience, sounds more like a loud washing machine spin cycle as it speeds up and slows down.

[Windstartled]

Originally Posted by scubacat

Bearing noise, in my (albeit limited) experience, sounds more like a loud washing machine spin cycle as it speeds up and slows down.

Mine sounded like a friggin' prop plane lol

[olopezm]

Hi northern,

some time ago, mine did the same; the funny thing is that it started making the sound weeks AFTER replacing one bad wheel bearing. This was done at a shop and I was so angry...

I inspected it myself and wheels were tight, everything else was too, and the noise stopped after that and never came back! Just like yours...

I don't know what happened, maybe the lug nuts weren't properly tightened or who knows. From that day I keep special attention to any single noise any of my rides makes; I think I'm being overly paranoid, but with all the things that have happened to my family and me, I don't want to risk it.

If it ever happens again and I find the cause, I'll let you know...

Oscar.

[northern piper]

thanks for that Oscar. I'm with you on the listen to every little noise tho... I've had too many things happen over the years to just shrug them off..

I'm kind of thinking that the cheep/chirp sound I heard might have been a stone caught in the tire tread .. anyway, I'll keep my eyes and ears open as they say!

[northern piper]

well, the chirp is back and it's definitely something rubber. This time when I heard it the temp was higher than before (is that possible this summer???) and it's got that rubber rubbing on something sound. I'm going to put the van on my lift tonight and take a peak. I think it's safe to say it isn't the hub bearings, I'm thinking maybe cv boot or something along those lines...stay tuned!

[Windstartled]

Originally Posted by northern piper

well, the chirp is back and it's definitely something rubber. This time when I heard it the temp was higher than before (is that possible this summer???) and it's got that rubber rubbing on something sound. I'm going to put the van on my lift tonight and take a peak. I think it's safe to say it isn't the hub bearings, I'm thinking maybe cv boot or something along those lines...stay tuned!

Rubber expands in the heat does it not? Lots of rubber parts must be in a permanent state of expansion this summer then

With regards to vehicle noises while driving I find it useful to drive along quiet narrow streets with windows down and radio off and listen to my van's sounds as it is reverberated off buildings and parked cars. For high speed diagnosis I use a portion of highway that's under construction, the lanes are only 12 feet wide because they are separated by "walls" made from 36-inch tall concrete blocks that stretches for about a quarter mile I would say. I can clearly hear even faint sounds emanating from the van as it cruises down the 'tunnel'.

[kevink1955]

When the wheel bearing on my 96 went the clue was a chirping noise, I put the front end up in the air and pulled the wheels. I put the lug nuts back on to hold the rotors and ran the engine at idle.

I found the Pass side rotor and hub were not running true and as a result the brake caliper was rocking back and forth on the slides, thats where the chirp was coming from.

When I replaced the bearing it was realy bad, could hardly turn it by hand and it was rough when it did turn.

On the 96 the bearing is pressed into the kunckle and the hub, not a fun job at all, I think the 2000 has a 3 bolt cartridge bearing, much easyer to change.