Weird metal on metal noise when driving and braking

redjeeper

redjeeper

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Jan 10, 2021
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Connecticut
Hey guys, so I’ve noticed a weird metal on metal noice ever since I went to the car wash coming from the front driver side on the Jeep. I notice it a little when I’m cruising and sometimes more when I brake and it sounds like metal is being scraped.
I think it’s coming from my driver side wheel and the rotor looks fine but I haven’t taken it off. I lifted the Jeep to spin the front driver side wheel and I’ll post a video of the sound. Not exactly sure what it could be.
Just to see a difference I lifted the passenger side tire and spun it and I didn’t hear the noise.
 
Take the wheel off and inspect. Sounds brake pad / rotor related. It could also be the u-joint or unit bearing.

You need to take it apart though to inspect. At this point we're all just taking shots in the dark.
 
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I agree with Chris about jacking up the Jeep and removing the tire to inspect the brake pads, caliper and rotor assembly to see if the caliper is not retracting the pads or if the pads are worn out.
Spin the hub and listen to bearing housing to determine if the sound is coming from the bearing assembly.
 
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Check for movement in the tire before you take it off, 9 and 3 and 6 and 12. Everything should be nice and tight. If it’s loose at 9 and 3 it’s your wheel bearing. Loose at 6 and 12 it’s going to be tie rod or ball joint. Check behind the wheel as someone moves the wheel around as well, the problem might be a bent dust shield or something too.
 
So I’ve lifted the Jeep and and checked for movement in the front left tire at 9 and 3 and 6 and 12. It does seem loose. I compared it to the right tire and the right doesn’t budge. Since it seems loose at all points how can I determine if it’s a ball joint/tie rod issue or wheel bearing?
 
redjeeper said:
So I’ve lifted the Jeep and and checked for movement in the front left tire at 9 and 3 and 6 and 12. It does seem loose. I compared it to the right tire and the right doesn’t budge. Since it seems loose at all points how can I determine if it’s a ball joint/tie rod issue or wheel bearing?
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Update: 9 and 3 seem more loose so I’m assuming wheel bearing?
 
Rubisohoe said:
Check for movement in the tire before you take it off, 9 and 3 and 6 and 12. Everything should be nice and tight. If it’s loose at 9 and 3 it’s your wheel bearing. Loose at 6 and 12 it’s going to be tie rod or ball joint. Check behind the wheel as someone moves the wheel around as well, the problem might be a bent dust shield or something too.
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Would a bad wheel bearing make a metal on metal noise?
 
Luke Markham said:
Yes a bad wheel bearing can make all sorts of racket. Also, 6-12 would more likely indicate a wheel bearing and 9-3 would be more indicative of steering linkage issues.
Click to expand...
Luke Markham said:
Yes a bad wheel bearing can make all sorts of racket. Also, 6-12 would more likely indicate a wheel bearing and 9-3 would be more indicative of steering linkage issues.
Click to expand...
There’s movement at all points and there is noise when moving the tire either direction which I believe indicates the tire hub but I guess I’ll find out after replacing it
 
My guess is the hub/wheel bearing since it has the movement and grinding sound.

I would do both sides. Same as you would ball joints, u joints, brakes and so on.

I used timken last time I did mine.
 
Rubisohoe said:
Oh and once you get to hub, spin it by hand to see if it’s still making noise.
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Yup it still makes a noise. I’ve disconnected everything to take off the hub and it won’t budge. I’ve been whacking on it with a hammer, torching it, everything and it still wont move.

Any advice on removing old wheel hubs? Mine probably hasn’t been touched in 15 years.
 
It’s a pretty easy job, my only advice is to do both sides and to be careful if using air or impact tools on the bolts that hold the calipers to the knuckle. I’ve stripped out two of these and had to replace the knuckles on both sides of my old jeep because of it.
 
If it’s your daily driver and the job is being a pita, then you may want to just check the other side and do it when you get free time or not at all.
 
Thanks guys for all the help! I will admit, removing the assembly hub was a pita...took hours and a lot of cursing. But it was in fact the wheel hub, not more unsettling metal on metal noises
 
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I feel ya, sometimes the simplest jobs can turn into a nightmare.

“if it ain’t broke don’t fix it“. Is a saying for a reason.
 
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