1. Home
  2. Audi Cars Forum
  3. squealing rear wheels

squealing rear wheels

I have a 1997 A4 1.8t quattro with 130000 km on it. For the 2 years after a long drive, I start to hear squealing from the rear right tire i believe. It sounds like metal on metal - very high pitched. I have replaced the tires and rims but the noise persists. It goes away if i pull the parking brake up slightly and then release it. The noise comes when i'm driving at highway speeds or city speeds in a straight line or in turns, whether im braking or not. As soon as i let the wheels cool down tho it goes away. im thinking its a wheel bearing but not sure.

If anyone has advice - please post a reply - but preferably if you could email me at hitman247 at hotmail dot com

Thanks alot guys G

Reply to
G
Loading thread data ...

G, That sounds like more of a problem with the brakes - either the calipers are dragging on that side, the parking brake mechanism or cable may be dragging the brake, the guide pins may be stuck, etc. A wheel bearing that is going usually makes a grumbling noise, that gets louder when you turn away from the offending side. I'd pull the brakes on the noisy side, and check them for tolerance (pad wear/rotor thickness and wear) and to make sure it is moving freely. Lube the guide pins and use some pad adhesive on the pads. Cheers! Steve Sears

1987 Audi 5kTQ 1980 Audi 5k 1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes (SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)
Reply to
Steve Sears

i have been stupid enough to have driven about 5-10minutes with the parking brake on a couple years ago. dont know if that is what caused it - since that is when it started approx. i got brand new rotors for the car a few months ago and have been debating selling them or keeping them. i will test the pins like u said and hopefully itll solve the problem. the noise seems to completely disappear when i pull up the parking brake - so odd. but while driving - it can get quite high pitched and loud. driving a premium car - i hate craziness like that.

cheers G

Reply to
G

G, Make sure that after you disassemble and clean/relube the pins, that the boots are in good condition, and then use some of that blue brake pad adhesive on the backs of the pads. I'd say that the squealing sounds to me to be a partially applied brake caliper, and using the parking brake increases the pressure on the pads and re-seats them. You might try measuring the pad thickness with a set of calipers to see if any one is different driver's to passenger side. BTW, if you think your car sounds funny, I've dealt with sticky lifters (sounds like the engine is crushing gravel), exhaust leaks (muffler and manifold), squeaky springs, howling alternator bearings, buzzing fuel pumps, squeaky brakes and growling wheel bearings over the years with my 5ktq. It sometimes feels like I'm driving a sound effects machine so I know how it feels to be slightly embarassed about the sounds the car makes, but they're all fixable. Please keep us posted. Cheers! Steve Sears

1987 Audi 5kTQ 1980 Audi 5k
Reply to
Steve Sears

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.