Odd Creaking Noise From Driver Side Front Wheel

[steve1479]

I've had this noise come up fairly recently (last couple of weeks) and was wondering if any of you could possibly know what it could be.

It only happens when you come to a complete stop and the car gives that slight shake from stopping, during that shake, the driver's side front wheel makes this slight creaking noise, and I can't diagnose what is making it.

The car has coil overs that a one year old and are still working perfectly, when I try and bounce / shake the car on that side, I hear nothing.

I'm yet to take off the wheel and try to see if anything is lose BUT it sounds like when a brake pad isn't fully clamped on a rotor and the rotor is moving with despite the pad being on it (if you know what I'm trying to describe)

Could the pads be in need for replacing? If so, why would it only be on that one side?

I'm just throwing things out there, do you guys know of anything or have had this happen to you??

 

[mkiiichip]

There are too many variables to start guessing without any initial inspection. in my opinion.

 

[steve1479]

I know, but generally speaking out of experience, what do you think would be the main cause of it?

My old crown vic used to have the same problem when it needed the rear pads replaced. With your foot on the brake, when you put it into reverse and the car lunged, it would make the same sound. It's like the brakes are holding but the rotors are still slightly slipping because the pads are old.

But it's more of just a sudden creak when the car jolts at a complete stop, and only from that one wheel.

I know it sounds odd and hard to diagnose because no one has looked at it, I'm just doing my best to explain it so I can perhaps get some feedback on what to do to single out things.

 

[supra0022]

the shake part sounds reminiscent to a warped rotor possibly? The slippage could be due to worn out rotors. You should check it and see if the measurements are with in tolerence.

 

[steve1479]

Hmm that could be true. I find it odd that it only comes from the one side though, and it just started happening fairly recently. It literally sounds like the Titanic breaking in half in little creaks. If I'm on an off ramp facing downwards and I just keep letting on and off the brakes and repeatedly stopping the car, it will continue to creak.

I'm going to say it has something to do with the brakes on that one side but I'm not sure. I'm going to be doing some hard braking on the way home and seeing if the issue persists even after I get the rotors & pads hot. Traffic isn't too bad by the time I leave so I may be able to give them a slight bedding as well if traffic is light enough. I'll have to look into it more today when I've got a sec.

 

[Who]

Quite the coincidence that you have this problem. I had a similar problem yesterday on my Suburban that sounds the same as you describe. One of the bolts that holds the caliper assembly to the hub bearing was missing and the other one was loose. The whole caliper assembly was just dangling there but it only made noise when you apply and released the brake. The entire assembly was shifting, biting and grinding the rotor. Your description...."But it's more of just a sudden creak when the car jolts at a complete stop, and only from that one wheel." was a dead on description.

 

[T701jz]

Sound like the same problem I have which is the sub frame bushing are worn out.

 

[TripleC]

I agree with statment above. Check the Bushings on the lower and upper control arms. My lower control arm Bushing is making the exact sound you describe. check this as soon as you can. YOu can purchase just the lower control arm bushing for around 50$ from horsepowerfreaks.com. I plan on doing this very soon so i will post if it was a difficult process to remove the bushings with the car on jack stands. You can also here the Bushing a little when you move the steering back and forth quickly.