Front end squeak

Baker7888

G-Body Guru
Dec 3, 2021
698
124
43
36
Maine
Hey guys, possibly a dumb one but i have a squeak on my 78 Malibu that starts around 15 or 20 mph and increases with vehicle speed. Doesn’t get louder, just faster. Doesn’t appear to be driveline related (does it in neutral) or brake related (pumping brakes doesn’t affect it). Just wondering if anyone has any insight. Will be pulling wheels this weekend looking for clues.
 
Check your steering knuckle wheel bearings... either needs greasing or replacement.
 
Check your steering knuckle wheel bearings... either needs greasing or replacement.
Are you saying steering knuckle and wheel bearings as two separate things?
 
Are you saying steering knuckle and wheel bearings as two separate things?
My mistake... i meant the wheel bearings in the rotor that ride on the steering knuckle, they could use repacking or need replacement, depending on condition.

Best to wipe away all the wheel bearing grease, check the condition of the bearings and race, look for any loosness, excessive wear or pitting, if everything looks satifactory to you, repack the bearings thoroughly with high temp bearing grease. Lightly tighten the castlenut till theres a slight drag on the rotor and theres zero back and forth play, then line up the hole in the steering knuckle and castlenut, use a cotter pin and bend the open ends around the nut itself to lock the nut into place.
 
Alternator bushing, waterpump impeller shaft bushing, Power steering front pulley bushing, pretty much anything that spins when the engine is running and the vehicle is moving can be a source of an intermittent chirp or squeak. Could even be something as odd as a worn out shock absorber upper shaft mounting rubber biscuit or one of the bushings in the upper or lower control arms, although these two not so much if the noise occurs even with the vehicle in neutral or idling.


Nick
 
Alternator bushing, waterpump impeller shaft bushing, Power steering front pulley bushing, pretty much anything that spins when the engine is running and the vehicle is moving can be a source of an intermittent chirp or squeak. Could even be something as odd as a worn out shock absorber upper shaft mounting rubber biscuit or one of the bushings in the upper or lower control arms, although these two not so much if the noise occurs even with the vehicle in neutral or idling.


Nick
Have to remember in neutral but still rolling and increasing with speed but not brake related. Any of the wheel bearings or u-joints. Unless it’s a bent backing plate rubbing a high spot on docs or drums.
My head started going in the same direction Nick until I reread it.
 

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