That phantom noise again!

[MrRegieRitmo]

A couple of years back when I was using the R14 daily I would sometimes encounter a peculiar noise emanating from the front wheel area which I mentioned on here at the time as sounding a bit like a a seal sounding off. A sort of rubbing, chaffing sound which sounded like it was coming from one of the front wheels & could be vaguely felt through the steering wheel. Anyway, having thought the replacement drive shaft might sort it - it didn't. I never did get to the bottom of it but as the sound would only occur very sporadically; it would start during a journey then continue for the duration of that journey but then be gone when I next used the car, & as nothing came to grief from it I didn't really worry about it....it was just a funny noise that sounded disconcerting but didn't affect the driving at all. Anyway during the last 2 or 3 journeys this same noise has now started occurring in the R9 so it very definitely must be some kind of weird old Renault affliction! Again, same scenario, the noise will begin after a while travelling at motorway speed then continue to sound off for the rest of the journey but tends to be gone the next time I use the car, although saying that it's now happened twice in 3 journeys, so this one may be a whole lot less 'sporadic!'. The car still drives ok & it doesn't sound or feel like the wheel is about to fall off or anything, it just sounds like a chirping, rubbing, friction type sound which again I can vaguely feel through the steering wheel. Due to the fact I have experienced this before without any harm done that I can tell, I'm tempted to think 'live with it' but on the other hand I don't want to be too blasé about it in case the noise is malignant not benign & it's trying to tell me something! There's also the inescapable fact that I've now owned / driven two old Renaults in my life and they've both presented me with this noise which either means I'm very unlucky or this is a common thing for old Renaults. If it's the latter then surely at least one of the rest of you Renault guys on here must have experienced this noise at some point? I've never had it on another car! The nearest thing I've had on a non Renault was when the Alfa nearly lost a front wheel completely after the badly worn brake disc caused so much friction against the new brake pad that 3 out of 4 wheel bolts sheared off & I nearly didn't make it home that day! That was a much louder, stronger noise & vibration through the steering wheel though!

 

I had to have a front calliper freed off just after collecting the R9 as it was sticking & causing the brake fluid to boil & leave me with next to no stopping power. So possibly it might be brushing up to close to the wheel again? Although my braking ability hasn't reduced & also my braking was not affected when this noise was occurring in the R14 so search me!

[Rocket88]

Disc warped?

[Richard]

It's not much help but my 9 did it too. I cured it by buying a moneypit 505GTI Family.It's a long time ago but I remember it as the kind of noise you'd expect rubber to make. I wonder if it's something in the anti roll bar.

[Hertz]

Like most noises in my shite, just turn the wireless up

[mouseflakes]

Yes - I had that same noise on a Mk 1 R14 I owned! How about the wheel bearing Reg - though I know it's an odd one 'cos it was just an occasional thing?I know the R14 had sat unused for quite some time - not sure how that might affect a bearing, but was the R9 unused for a while too - mr_reno_139 might know some of its history.

[hotford00]

Yes - I had that same noise on a Mk 1 R14 I owned! How about the wheel bearing Reg - though I know it's an odd one 'cos it was just an occasional thing?I know the R14 had sat unused for quite some time - not sure how that might affect a bearing, but was the R9 unused for a while too - mr_reno_139 might know some of its history.

I would tend to agree.It might be in need of changing

[Mr Lobster]

I've had this too!!Was about 12 or so years ago in an R11 TXE (B267 VND where are you now? Answer - dead) and it made that noise from the f/n/s wheel at motorway speed.It had a new CV joint and wheel bearing which seemed to cure it although I seem to remember replacing the front engine mount at the same time as well, not sure how that could be connected though!

[pogweasel]

It's not a bent backing plate on the discs is it? You know the bit that curves up and over the disc to prevent damage? I had this on my old BMW, the guard got bent and was ever so slightly touching the disc. When driving at lowish speeds with the window open a bit you could hear it making contact. Pushed it back to where it should be so it didn;t foul, no more noise...

[Richard]

It's possible, and I had replaced the discs on mine. I remember it as a sort of chirp, not really a metal on metal kind of noise.

[Split_Pin]

Best thing to do is to whip the wheel off and have a look.Sounds like a sticking caliper, and the fact that it occurs during a journey suggests that its sticking as it heats up. Brakes make weird noises, my Vectra is currently off the road as the pads are shot and make a loud grinding noise which is a pisser as its meant to be the winter shitter.I wouldnt ignore any noises coming from the wheels or brakes until I was sure they werent due to faulty brakes or bearings etc.

[tatmeister]

I had a Mk1 Golf with a similar noise. I replaced what I thought was a faulty wheel bearing (twice). Finally found it was the wheel bearing housing. Turns out the housing expanded as the temperature went up, and the bearing turned in the housing. Managed to get a new housing (spares place called it a "hub"). Problem solved.

[Richard]

That does sound plausible. Did the Golf chirp or was it more of a constant squeal?

[tatmeister]

Driving further (=getting hotter), the noise became more constant, but still a rubbing sound.When I tried to replace the bearing again, the old one just fell out of the housing, and I thought something was wrong.Looking at the housing, I could see the surface was kind of damaged.When I found out I could get a new one (cheaply), just went for it and the problem went away. Previously, I had dismantled, cleaned and regreased the CV joints and checked the brakes.Even called out the AA once, but when they turned up, the noise had gone , probably because it had cooled down.Whatever, heat is probably key here...

[AnthonyG]

Any noise that you can 'feel' through the steering wheel I would definitely check out!