Can you name that sound (squeaking)?

[SJ-Chris]

I have a 2013 Coachman 210qb Leprechaun. It has a Ford v10 e350 Super Duty engine. It has 111k miles on it and it hasn't been giving me any issues until now. It has recently started making a squeaking/rubbing noise that I cannot identify. Looking for suggestions....


Here are the symptoms.... After sitting parked for many hours/overnight, when I start it up and start driving there is a rubbing/squeaking noise that starts at about 15mph and continues up to about 40mph. Once up to about 20mph, the noise happens while accelerating, and/or while coasting, and/or while braking. It doesn't matter what gear it is in. The sound stays constant between shifting gears and also if applying a slight pressure on the brakes. After about 1.5 miles of driving, the sound goes away and it doesn't happen again until the car has been sitting parked for many hours (or overnight).


It sounds like something is possibly rubbing (brakes??) during this time and I suspect it has something to do with the rotation of one or more of the wheels. To me, the squeaking noise sounds like it might be related to the tires rotating (...the noise is kind of rhythmic and the speed of it seems related to how fast the car is going). Maybe it goes away because something has warmed up after 1.5 miles???


I did one additional test. I let the RV sit overnight. In the morning, I turned on the car and let it idle for 10 minutes so that the ENGINE itself was warmed up. I thought maybe if the sound is going away once some component of the ENGINE is warming up that I would be able to do this test (get the engine warm and THEN drive it...maybe I wouldn't hear the noise). But when I drove it I got the same noise (rubbing/squeaking) starting at about 15mph for about 1.5 miles and then it once again went away.


Here is a video where you can hear the noise. Turn up your speaker. In this video, it starts at about 2 seconds and goes away at around 8-12 seconds.

Leprechaun engine squeak 1 - YouTube

(Note: The "D" (drive) flashing in the video isn't real...it doesn't flash/blink like that. For some reason it just looks that way in the video)


Here is another video where you can hear the rubbing/squeak louder right up to about the 20 second mark.

Leprechaun engine squeak 2 - YouTube



Any thoughts?


A friend of mine who is mechanically inclined thought it might be the "indicator clips"(?) of the brake pads making the rubbing/squeaking noise. I'm not convinced that is the issue since the noise is happening NOT because I am braking...it just starts making that noise once the vehicle goes from being cold started and then gets to about 15mph. Could indicator clips cause/behave something like this?


"indicator clips" are the small clips on the brake pads that will hit the rotors (and make noise) before your brake pads get too low.


Let me know what you think.


Thanks!
Chris

[David 70]

It sounds exactly what the brake sqeakers sound like. Once you get up to speed they won't do it because the wheels are turning too fast to squeak.
I can't get your videos to work, it says they are private.

[SJ-Chris]

Originally Posted by David 70

It sounds exactly what the brake sqeakers sound like. Once you get up to speed they won't do it because the wheels are turning too fast to squeak.
I can't get your videos to work, it says they are private.

Thanks David!


I updated my video settings so they should be Public now. Let me know if you still cannot watch them.


Question: Regarding the brake squeakers, would it make sense that the sound goes away after ~1.5 miles? I drove it the other day for 100 miles and didn't hear it squeak again after the ~1.5 miles, until the RV was parked and sat for many hours overnight (cooled off). Next morning, squeakers for the first ~1.5 miles then it goes away. Is this typical behavior of these clips?



-Chris

[David 70]

First, I can't hear anything squeaking on your video but my hearing is not much good because of my Army time. Those squeakers could very well be acting like that. It is very easy to check so it would be the first thing I would check out. Just jack up the wheel when cold and see if they make that noise then. Good Luck

[Russ Silber]

Brake squeal tabs. When was. Last brake job. Thought it might be fan belt or idler pulley, but that would y on acceleration.

Sent from my moto e6 using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

[SJ-Chris]

Thanks for your comments. I will start with the brakes and let you know how it goes.


-Chris

[Lt46]

I wouldn't think brake squealers. Once the pads wear to that point the squeal would be consistent and have nothing to do with warm, cold. What I heard seems to be a rotational sound, check the belt idler.

[donr103]

Shine very good flashlight down into calipers and you can many times see how much brake pads are left on them.. use cellphone if you have to.. you should be able to see with out taking off wheels.. also when cold and engine off.. try to spin the engine fan.. see if bad fan clutch.. note.. I did not listen to vid..
Good luck and keep us posted

[Parafango]

Originally Posted by Russ Silber

Brake squeal tabs. When was. Last brake job. Thought it might be fan belt or idler pulley, but that would y on acceleration.

Sent from my moto e6 using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

I agree with Russ. I listened in headphones and that's what it sounds like to me.
if you're in a spot to jack one front wheel at a time, you could spin it to listen closer. Sometimes calipers don't slide/release equally so wear occurs faster on one side than the other.

[SJ-Chris]

Quick question about front tire jack point...


Over the last couple years, I've gotten much more comfortable jacking up the REAR of the RV for various projects. It occurred to me yesterday that I've never jacked up the FRONT of the RV. I did some googling and youtubing and saw some warnings about "bending the frame", etc. Made me a little nervous.


Question: Where is the proper jack point for the front end of the RV? Here is a picture underneath...





Is the spot in the yellow circle a good jack point? Will a bottle jack be fine there?


I'm very safety conscious, especially when climbing underneath an RV. I set the emergency brake AND block all the tires so it cannot roll. Anytime I jack up an RV (with a 24 ton jack) I immediately put 3 ton jack stands (2 of them) underneath whatever is jacked up.


Just not sure WHERE to put the jack on the front end.


Thanks!
Chris

[Parafango]

I did a search on Ford E-350 which I think is your frame.
I found the manual and within the manual was this tip for jacking the front.


It looks like you're close to the correct location. It's the pin just above your spot.

I have the whole E350 manual if you would like, I can send it via PM. let me know.

[SJ-Chris]

Originally Posted by Parafango

I did a search on Ford E-350 which I think is your frame.
I found the manual and within the manual was this tip for jacking the front.
Attachment 381217

It looks like you're close to the correct location. It's the pin just above your spot.

I have the whole E350 manual if you would like, I can send it via PM. let me know.

Perfect! Yes, there is a pin in my photo and I will jack from right underneath that.



Yes, please PM me the manual if you can. Thanks!


-Chris

[Parafango]

PM Sent. BTW I wasn't able to find a way to attach a file to a PM, so I sent a link to the page.
Cheers!

[Pablohoney]

Chris what kind of rims do you have? Do they have chrome wheel covers on them? I had a noise that took a while to track down sounded like a brake or bearing but it was not. It’s was not happening all the time ,, off and on,, it was loose lugs nuts on the wheel cover (not the wheel lugs)that make the wheel cover rattle or have a vibration that was making the noise off and on. The lugs nuts were tight but not enough. I did tightened them and like magic gone. Might be something to look at.