Front wheel squeaking

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by Clotus

Hey all,


I have rotational squeak in the front driver-side wheel. It sounds like a suspension squeak/creak when a car rocks back and forth, like a horror movie door opening, but only when the wheel turns. Its gets faster as the wheel turns faster and slower, more horror-movie-like when going slow. I have ruled out the brakes as it is present with the brakes engaged or not. It also seems to occur whether going straight or turning in either direction.


I jacked the wheel off the ground and when I spin the tire it is perfectly quiet and spins freely.


Any thoughts?

I have a thought. It would be helpful if we knew the year, make, model, type, etc. of the vehicle you are working with.

[Unplanned Tourist]

Originally Posted by LETMGROW

I have a thought. It would be helpful if we knew the year, make, model, type, etc. of the vehicle you are working with.

Bio says it's a Winnie 31K Winnebago

Clotus, pull that wheel off and reinstall it with proper torque, then go for a drive and report back.

[kwftlaud]

I also recommend taking the wheel covers off and taking it for a drive.
That's what makes my noise, but I only notice it going slow with windows down.

[Clotus]

When I get a chance, likely next week, I will pull the wheel cover off and drive it home from storage. If the sound is gone it will be a circle trip right back, otherwise I will follow all of your great suggestions and start hitting it one by one. I will report back what I find. Fingers crossed its simply the wheel cover.

[Unplanned Tourist]

Good idea to do one thing at a time. Otherwise you don't know what cured it.

[ChrisDParise]

I doubt it's the front anti rattle clip I suggested earlier. I thought your Class C was a Ford E-450 or E-350 chassis. Looks like a MB.

[Clotus]

Originally Posted by ChrisDParise

I doubt it's the front anti rattle clip I suggested earlier. I thought your Class C was a Ford E-450 or E-350 chassis. Looks like a MB.

I totally should have put this clearly at the beginning, my bad:

2017 Minnie Winnie 31k built on 2016 Ford E-450 chassis

I appreciate all the suggestions and help!

[ChrisDParise]

Originally Posted by Clotus

I totally should have put this clearly at the beginning, my bad:



2017 Minnie Winnie 31k built on 2016 Ford E-450 chassis



I appreciate all the suggestions and help!

Not to worry. I Googled it and it showed a Mercedes Benz front grill.

As an E-450, the anti rattle clips are in play as a source of rotational squeaking then - my noise was only at one point where the clip touched a bit of rust on the outer edge of a rotor. Annoying, a little worrying, a little embarrassing not wanting to be "that guy who doesn't maintain his brakes".

[emoji38]

[Steve Cie]

I had the exact same problem on my 2018 Freedom Elite 26HE Class C. Drove me nuts. Turned out to be a collapsed roller (just one single roller) in the wheel bearing. I changed the bearings on both sides and the problem was solved. (42,000 miles)

[Clotus]

Originally Posted by Steve Cie

I had the exact same problem on my 2018 Freedom Elite 26HE Class C. Drove me nuts. Turned out to be a collapsed roller (just one single roller) in the wheel bearing. I changed the bearings on both sides and the problem was solved. (42,000 miles)

So I finally got a chance to pick the RV up, but not time to really tear into it. Of course, as I drove to and from storage the creak/squeak was gone. I am not naive and experience has taught me it will be back, I am not that lucky. When your roller was failing, would the sound come and go?



I am suspecting my issue may be heat related.

[Clotus]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I started off checking the wheel for any play and I noticed a more than normal top/bottom play indicating the axle nut needed to be tightened (well re-seated). Before I dealt with that I removed the wheel simulator and wouldn't you know, it made the same creaking sound as I pulled it off. A short test drive revealed the sound was gone, but it has done that to me in the past.


I followed the proper procedure (man youtube is helpful) for tightening the axle nut. Went very smoothly and now it has just a little top/bottom play, which per my research is correct for the E450.


Went on a 200 mile trip with no wheel simulator and zero creaking, yay! Put the wheel simulator back on for the 200 miles back and again all quiet.


Once home, the next day I went to take it back to storage and what do you think I hear? That's right, the darn creak



Luckily I was stopping for fuel before storage, so out comes my trusty crowbar, pull the simulator off, and bam! the sound is once again gone. Shout out to twinboat, ArtJoyce, nodine and kwftlaud, you guys called it!



Seems like I have finally found the creaking culprit, the wheel simulator! I am definitely glad its not a more expensive issue or an actual failure, but I am at a loss on how to fix the sound. The rig looks a little off without the simulator.


Thoughts or suggestions on how to get the wheel simulator to stop creaking. Its the press-on friction style.

[twinboat]

Take pliers and bend the outer flange away from the tire, all the way around.

[Clotus]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Take pliers and bend the outer flange away from the tire, all the way around.

Will do, thanks!

[canelo56]

Hey there , very funny I had same problem, took my weel simulator off and guess what noise ( tick tick tick screech tick ) gone . I am not sure how to fix it except buy a new wheel simulator must be a manufacturing flaw in the wheel simulator.