ArkLaTexSC

I'm utterly confused. I have tried every option.

But I still have a scraping noise with my driver's rear wheel rotating.

Before, the axle nut was untightening itself and causing play in the wheel (due to stuck caliper). I could tighten the nut and it would go away.

New wheel bearing, rebuilt the caliper.

Worked for one run to the store before developing again. So, I figured the nut untightened again or the caliper stuck again.

Wheel had no play and the nut was tight. I decided the noise was a rotor imperfection.

As a last ditch effort due to wanting to drive the car tomorrow, I removed the brake rotor and rebolted the caliper - it clamped onto nothing, but with fairly new pads, it wouldn't push the piston out.

Out of the driveway and the noise is immediately there and I am astounded.

Does anybody have a suggestion?

SexCoupe

iTrader: (6)

are you lowered? do you have aftermarket wheels?

OG Dada

iTrader: (10)

Check for wheel play again. Because if you replaced the wheel bearing and the axle nut was already loose, there's a huge chance it damaged the hub as well. And that means you're gonna need to replace both wheel bearing again and hub. It happened on mine a long time ago.

ArkLaTexSC

I did, none. The nut hasn't been loose since the bearing was replaced. Plus - the old bearing wasn't bad when I removed it. The hub had no sign of an issue upon visual inspection.

Yes, it is quite lowered, but currently on simple 16" Mustang wheels. No sign of damage or odd wear, checked for rubbing on fender well, caliper, and fender, and there is none. Even raised a quarter of an inch (which is how it now sits) to see if it'd make a difference and none.

picodroid

Does the noise start immediately, or does it take getting up to a certain speed to start?

Is the scraping sound periodic, increasing with speed? Similar to the effect of clipping a baseball card into bicycle spokes to get the "flick--flick--flick" as the wheel rotates?

If it's something that starts at a higher speed, it makes me wonder if it could be a loose wheel well guard that's only being pushed into the tire at speed, and it's bouncing on and off as wind moves through.

It might be best to get it off the wheels and put it in gear/drive to inspect it while the wheel is spinning under power. Then again, I'm not a mechanic and not sure how great of an idea that'd be but I'm sure with the right equipment it isn't too much of a risk.

I wouldn't focus 100% on just the driver side rear. Acoustics can be deceptive, it could be echoing off that area from somewhere more near the center, right, and/or rear of the vehicle.

ArkLaTexSC

Happens at any speed, but it used to be worse with brakes applied. Increases with speed. Had a friend listen outside earlier and he identified it also as being driver rear.

SCereal

iTrader: (4)

so you rolled out without a rotor in place so we know its not pad dragging on rotor. no evidence of anything scraping on the rims or fenders. maybe something in the half shaft? any binding in the joints or something there?

Tabaka

iTrader: (8)

Dust shield or even worse....the e-brake drum shoes are my guess.

ArkLaTexSC

I suppose that could be it, having to do with the axle nut and all - though I didn't notice anything odd when I removed the hub, and it fit like a glove right back on. Plus I imagine that noise would be constant and not based on a part of the rotation?

When I did the wheel bearing, I removed the brake dust shield, and also removed the Ebrake on that side since the shoes had 1-2 mm left. Haven't pulled the ebrake since then, and the cable I secured away.
Edit: That does raise the thought of the other side's shoes being similarly or more worn and just resonating to the other side?

SexCoupe

iTrader: (6)

i think there is a problem on the other side or your drivshaft

Candela

iTrader: (1)

you put a cotter pin back right?

Ramblerman

Had a scraping noise on left rear of my 96 SC400. Found out I had wore out the brake pads on that side. caliper & slides fine. Found out bearing is shot causing rotor play to wear the pads out. going to pull knuckle & rebuild hub. If the bearing is not installed correctly you can easily ruin a brand new bearing. First time doing one on a SC, so maybe you guys can help us both out with a bit of info.

ArkLaTexSC

So, both my front bearings are giving out. Probable reason on the noise. Ordering new hub/seal/bearing on 16th. Although, it sounds more like a creak now, and one person suggested rear suspension bushings.

ArkLaTexSC

Oh, lord.

I must have lost the big washer that goes under the nut on the UCA holding the bushing in when I replaced those. Nut was eating through the bushing, but only went a mm or two. Anyone know where I can get one alone?

ArkLaTexSC

Got a new UCA just for that washer. Grr.

But good news is the new axle half shaft fixed it.