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Re: 93 Corolla rear wheel noise
"Ralph" <nospam@thanks.com> wrote in message
news:4388a0b9$1_1@news.cybersurf.net...[color=blue]
> 1993 Corola LX at 265 000 km - Left rear wheel
>
>
> Thanks for your helpful ideas. The stuck wheel came off with a few days'
> penetrating oil on the hub and a short trip with loosened wheel nuts.
>
> My questions are, what is the cause of tire cupping, and is the wheel
> bearing ok.
>
> The tire is badly cupped - looks like it was shaved with an axe! Would
> this be caused by the very old, off-balance brake drum? The drum had big
> hunks of metal flaking from the outside. The distribution of missing
> metal was uneven. You can chip lose rust off with a hammer. This drum is
> probably original and is worn almost to max. specs. (ID 201 mm). The
> shock is working properly - I put gas shocks on in 2003. On casual
> inspection, various suspension parts nearby don't seem to be missing or
> damaged.[/color]
Cupping or scalloping refers to a scalloped edge, which can be cause by bad
or worn shocks/struts, improper wheel mounting, loose lug nuts, bad wheel
bearings.
If one outside edge is smoothly worn more than the rest of the tread, then
that is a sign of improper camber.
If one side is feathered, then that is a sign of improper toe.
If both outside edges of the tread are worn, that is a sign of low tire
pressure.
If the inside of the tread is worn more than the outside, that is a sign of
excessive tire pressure.
[color=blue]
>
> The wheel spins freely without noise or play. If spun with the tire and
> rim on, it keeps rolling for a dozen turns or so. The hub alone (drum
> removed) spins freely, but is stopped in a few turns by friction. Is this
> acceptable? Should I remove the hub to look at the bearing, and perhaps
> put a bit of grease on it for old times sake?
>
> Will a cupped tire wear smoother e.g. through rotation? Or does the
> cupping remain forever?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jack[/color]
The wheel on a vehicle with drum brakes should not spin freely. When raised
off the ground, it should spin once or twice and stop if the rear brakes are
properly adjusted. Improperly adjusted rear brakes will cause more rapid
front brake wear and longer stopping distances.
If you are getting a growling noise from the rear, that could be from the
brakes or from the wheel bearing. If you are going to go through the
trouble of removing the wheel bearing, you might as well re-pack it
properly, not just apply grease on the outside. To re-pack it properly, you
should remove all the old grease with a solvent, dry thoroughly (do not spin
the bearings with compressed air!) and re-pack with a good quality
high-temperature wheel bearing grease (not lithium grease). There are
devices to speed up the re-packing process and some even force out the old
grease while replacing it with new grease. If you have a wheel bearing
packer, then the process goes a lot faster.
--
Ray O
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