Replaced hubs and hum turned into squeak!

[jaysend5.0]

Perhaps someone can help me figure out what is wrong with my 2000 ranger 4x4

I just replaced my cv shafts, hubs/wheel bearings, brake pads and shoes. The cvs were starting to clunk and one was spitting grease. There was a hum and a bit of a rhythmic squeak.
All gone now.

A couple months ago I replaced the ball joints, tie rods and sway bar bushings.

Now I have a high pitch squeak. It is constant. It doesnt seem to get louder. I does not matter what speed I am going. It only starts to slow down right before I stop. I cut the engine and coasted and is was still squeaking. Road noise overwhelms it quickly at 30mph or so. but I have 33 mud tires.

I am hoping it is the new brake pads. I have drilled and slotted rotors and they were glazed over pretty good so I lightly scotch brited them. new pads are brembo sports. Or maybe the new shoes are a bit too tight?

I did not have this problem before brakes, hubs and cvs were replaced. But the squeak is very loud and it sounds bad.

Any ideas? I used timken bearings, new not rebuild cardone cvs, moog ball joints. all quality stuff. Tires are relatively new.

 

[gijoecam]

Dust Excluder Seals would be my guess. They go between the outer CV joint and the knuckle where the hub assembly mounts. There's a TSB out on the issue (has been a problem since '98 if not longer).

-Joe

 

[jaysend5.0]

I have the RCD kit on there which puts a spacer between the cv and the hub.
If the seal is the culprit is it a matter of greasing it up? Perhaps I could throw a bit of bearing grease on either side of the spacer.

Thanks I will give that a shot.

 

[jaysend5.0]

I disassembled everything on the squeaky side and sprayed some silicone grease on both sides of the spacer and reassembled making sure that the dust excluder seal was seated properly and viola.. no more squeak.

Big thanks gijoecam!! Odd I have never run into that before. I have put probably a dozen cvs into this truck!

 

[jaysend5.0]

Ok well the noise came back. I am going to try some bearing grease next.

 

[BK_89iX]

Ok well the noise came back. I am going to try some bearing grease next.

Yeah, I wondered about greasing up those seals when I replaced my bearings a few days ago. I left them dry, but now I see that I really should have greased them up good. I cleaned out a fair amount of old/dry grease, but I assumed that it came from the bearing or the CV joint, but now I see that was not the origin. Nobody seems to mention greasing the seals in the bearing replacement writeups!

BK

 

[Turdle]

Where is the best place to buy these seals? is there an after market alternative-
or better yet
a modification?

 

[pjm]

same here

I have a 96, just finished both axle shaft and hub replacement. I was very careful and thorough, and now I have the darn squeal now too!

The shafts are new Cardone's from Rock Auto, the hubs are new Federal-Mogul from eBay.

Wouldn't the shafts have had the revised seals on them? Is it just a matter of greasing up the seals?

I haven't read that step in any of the write-ups either - but if you guys think that would do it - I guess I'm tearing it back down.

If I need to drive it in the meantime, will I damage the seals?

thanks

 

[pjm]

Just found the TSB write-up elsewhere on the site, and sure enough, the service procedure calls for greasing the seals - 3mm thick all the way around.

I'll tear it back down tomorrow night to fix and hope I don't trash the new seals in the meantime.

 

[jaysend5.0]

I have replaced cvs and hubs many times and never run into this problem. This time I used the new not rebuild cardone lifetime warranty cvs and I cant get the squeak to go away. I put a light amount of grease on and it was quiet for a few days. I guess I need to lather them up good, so I can attract more dirt and sand in there to do it all over again! Yay.

 

[pjm]

Just to close this out: I took it back apart, greased the heck out of the seals, put it back together, sound gone.

 

[gijoecam]

Let us know when it comes back.... it will.

 

[pjm]

follow up - one year later

stale thread I know, but fwiw, it's been quiet since 4/08, now it's almost 7/09, and that's through a long cold Minnesota winter as well. fingers crossed...