Loud groan in reverse?

[jeffcoslacker]

I remember seeing a post about the exact same thing quite a while ago, but I can't find it now. Weird thing is, now mine does it.

A very startlingly load groan from the front when backing slowly in reverse while turning the wheel. Seems to come from the brakes, but not sure. The sound is so "big" and out of character for a car, it almost seems impossible. Sounds like that loud grunt that semi's airbrakes make just before it stops.

Weird.

[cadgear]

Its 2am, only thing that comes to mind right now, simple as it is. Sure your tires aren't runnin on the fenderwell/fenders?

[jeffcoslacker]

Yes. That was the first thing that came to my mind also, although the sound is even louder and more ominous than that. but there are no clearance issues, no contact marks, nuttin'.

[jeffcoslacker]

Ya' know what? You just made me think of something. the last time I heard a sound like that in a car, I'd put some new Rally wheels on my old mercury, and clearance was so tight, the inside wheel would contact the caliper due to bearing drift when I turned (ended up using some 3/8" spacers). this is the same side that I have suspected for a couple of years now as being responsible for that rumble I hear/feel when driving down the road. I wonder if these LS wheels are close enough to the caliper to make contact in reverse if the hub gets sloppy? I'll take a look tomorrow. Or not. Depends how I feel

[Manny_boy]

Is it a loud creeeaaaaaakkk type groan? Might be your hubs going bad. I had to replace my front hubs, and that was the symptom.

Initially, I thought my rims were rubbing the caliper brackets, so I shaved them some more (more than the shop who installed the rims, and made sure there was no rubbing.

Still made the moan. Didnt go away, until i replaced my hubs.

If you do decide to replace your hubs, please, please, use threadlock red on your caliper bracket bolts. I didn't initially, and one of mine came out while I was driving.

[paulfischer]

I'm not sure how loud your noise is but...
I've a had few GM cars, Grand Prix, and grand AM, and my Lumina.
And at some point they all made a grunting noise when in reverse. and it would happen when you first start out in reverse. Took 2 of them in under warranty and was told it was the bushings on teh sway bar that was casuing it. Was told that from the salt in the winter that it drys out the bushing, and that causings the grunintg noise. So the fix was to take them out, clean them and put a lubricant on them.
So now twice a year I clean and lube the bushing, and have not had that annoying grunt in my Lumina.
Again not sure how loud or what yours sounds like. But I hope this might help a bit.

Paul

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by paulfischer

I'm not sure how loud your noise is but...
I've a had few GM cars, Grand Prix, and grand AM, and my Lumina.
And at some point they all made a grunting noise when in reverse. and it would happen when you first start out in reverse. Took 2 of them in under warranty and was told it was the bushings on teh sway bar that was casuing it. Was told that from the salt in the winter that it drys out the bushing, and that causings the grunintg noise. So the fix was to take them out, clean them and put a lubricant on them.
So now twice a year I clean and lube the bushing, and have not had that annoying grunt in my Lumina.
Again not sure how loud or what yours sounds like. But I hope this might help a bit.

Paul

Yeah, I have the standard grunts and scrunching sounds when the wheel is turned or driving slowly. This is a very loud sound, like it makes people around you in a parking lot turn and look, wondering what the hell is wrong with your car

Like I said, in decibels it is more like what you'd expect out of a heavy truck. It's really loud.

I need to do what you said, too. I've got the scrunches when I turn the wheel when sitting still. My sense is that it comes from the upper part of the front struts. We lived out in the country for a while, the car ate a lot of dust and gravel, I'm sure it doesn't help anything.

Thanks, Paul

[decollect]

my '90 does the same thing occasionally. Though it has never gotten worse through numerous sets of pads and rotor changes (approx 60k I've managed to put on the car since I've had it) ... it's never gone away. Now that its no longer my daily driver I may be able to get to it. I'll holler out if I find the dern noise.

[paulfischer]

have you found the groan yet????

[Fulkrum]

My '97 LS needed new pads on the front end a couple of years ago and, when I was installing the inner pad on the passenger side, I noticed that the retaining clip that snaps into the brake piston was very slightly loose; a minor manufacturing defect. I examined the clip carefully and, after I determined that it was otherwise permanently connected to the pad backing plate, I went with it anyway. The result? Well, nothing bad in terms of braking performance or abnormal wear, but moving the car in reverse with light brake pedal pressure would often produce the most heinous groan! Increasing the pedal pressure would eliminate the noise. As I back into parking places most of the time, I would hear the noise on a near-daily basis. I concluded that the loose clip allowed the pad to vibrate when the piston pressure was light enough not to squeeze it firmly against the rotor and this vibration produced the loud groaning noise.

I just had the front pads and rotors replaced, and the noise is gone.

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by Fulkrum

My '97 LS needed new pads on the front end a couple of years ago and, when I was installing the inner pad on the passenger side, I noticed that the retaining clip that snaps into the brake piston was very slightly loose; a minor manufacturing defect. I examined the clip carefully and, after I determined that it was otherwise permanently connected to the pad backing plate, I went with it anyway. The result? Well, nothing bad in terms of braking performance or abnormal wear, but moving the car in reverse with light brake pedal pressure would often produce the most heinous groan! Increasing the pedal pressure would eliminate the noise. As I back into parking places most of the time, I would hear the noise on a near-daily basis. I concluded that the loose clip allowed the pad to vibrate when the piston pressure was light enough not to squeeze it firmly against the rotor and this vibration produced the loud groaning noise.

I just had the front pads and rotors replaced, and the noise is gone.

This sounds most familiar to me....when I back up, I usually put it in reverse, tap it to get it rolling, then pop it into nuetral and coast through the backing. I always have, that way I use less brake pressure to stop, and can hit drive the instant the car stops moving.

It's just an impatience thing, I guess. I hate stopping, then waiting for the shift from reverse to drive. I drive like I'm on my way to a fire all the time But as you said, because of that, I use very little brake pressure as I'm rolling in nuetral, and it's always just as it stops that the noise occurs. I think it happens only with the wheel cut pretty hard.

I guess I'll have to do some looking. It comes from the same wheel I suspect of producing the "rumble" it makes when moving forward. It's been doing that for years, never getting any worse, so I ignore it.

But the last time I went down to my mom's and back (400 mi round trip, 85 mph+ the whole way), while cleaning the car after I got back I noticed a large amount of black dust had appeared in the openings of that same wheel, just since I took that drive. So something isn't happy in there.

It's just too damn hot out to take it apart....