We are squeaking

[Mags52]

Just after our annual service and MOT our 2004 Hymer B774 on a Fiat 2.8 jtd started squeaking. We took it back and they checked the brakes and released some tension on the handbrake and said 'you're fine' so we went to Europe for 90 days and squeaked all the time. We're still squeaking. It is getting worse. We are thinking take it to a different garage but my worry is that it will take hours of faffing about trying to find out what the problem is with the inevitably huge bill to follow.
All we know is that it starts after going around a roundabout or turning right and it is loud enough to cause pedestrians to stare as we drive by. We had a front spring replaced earlier in the year after the old one broke and we're wondering if it could be that.
A log shot but can anyone give any advice or thoughts about this?
Mags

 

[Reallyretired]

Mice or possibly UJ or wheel bearing most likely front right

 

[DBK]

Assuming you haven't been invaded by mice my suspicions are either a wheel bearing on the way out or possibly a sticking brake caliper. Drive belts can squeak but if it happens after roundabouts then bearings may be most likely.

 

[Martin How]

Is it engine of just speed related?

My 2000 it’d always squeez at start up.

 

[Just smiffy]

Hopefully it’s just the brake pads that need looking at and I wonder if they didn’t put some copper grease on the backs before fitting them… another thing is that a piston may be sticking…. After a run go round and feel the wheels and see if any are hotter then the rest but be carful as they can be very hot if the brakes are binding, that is easy for you to do and will eliminate a cause and will tell us a lot if one is hotter..

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[Taran_Las]

Does the squeak go away when you press the brakes?

 

[PP Bear]

You say you had a front spring replaced, they must be changed in pairs, so did they do both sides or just the one?

 

[donkey]

Could be global warming in the form of current heat wave. Cart spring bushes will have dried out and can squeak for England.
Either try spraying springs and bushes with a hose or wait until next week, when rain is expected.

Geoff

 

[Cornish Crew]

Almost certainly a brake pad squeak. Have had personal experience of the same problem on vans of the same era.

Could just need some copper slip on the backs, or as suggested by others a slightly sticky caliper. There is probably a tiny bit of play in a wheel bearing, most of them have it, which is causing it to happen more on turns than other times. Don't worry about the wheel bearing unless it has excessive play, focus on the caliper & pads.

 

[Mags52]

Thanks all. I'll reply to each of these points in turn:
1) Too loud and long lasting for mice
2) We've had wheel bearings go on a previous van and this noise is different. More of a long squeal and no early warning sounds
3) No very hot wheels after long drive
4) We thought the squeak went away after pressing the brakes but only for about 3 seconds
5) They only replaced one spring at a large national commercial garage where we were unceremoniously dumped by the AA after it went. I don't think they wanted the job and seemed unsure if the replacement is even the correct size. Our fron right end (where the spring went) is now noticeably lower than the left side. I think this sounds like the culprit - will get it checked.
6) We live in Scotland. We've had some rain and it hasn't made the slightest bit of difference.

So, Thank you everyone as always. Great creative thinking and especially PP Bear - we had no idea they should have done both. I think I've read somewhere that we should have heavy duty ones fitted.
Mags

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[pagey]

Top mount on the front spring

 

[Sapper520]

Think I’d get your springs sorted, even if they aren’t the cause of your squeal. One new and one old one fitted?

I’m sure someone more knowledgeable may say different, but I thought they are usually changed in pairs.

 

[Mags52]

Top mount on the front spring

I've no idea what this means but it sounds good. We'll book it in as soon as possible and ask for heavy duty springs. She's a big beast.

 

[pagey]

I've no idea what this means but it sounds good. We'll book it in as soon as possible and ask for heavy duty springs. She's a big beast.

Sorry mags the front springs sit in mounts on the front suspension, there is a bearing there which starts to break up and causes noise maybe the wrong spring has speeded up its demise

 

[tonka]

Could be global warming in the form of current heat wave. Cart spring bushes will have dried out and can squeak for England.
Either try spraying springs and bushes with a hose or wait until next week, when rain is expected.

Geoff

Thats my first thought as well.
Our very first motorhome was an Eldiss and we took it to Spain, It squeked almost all the way there and back.
Tried to spray with WD40 no effect.. After a week home and some English rain it all stopped.
So with this current dry weather i would just hold off a while till things dampen up a bit

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[Lenny HB]

They only replaced one spring at a large national commercial garage where we were unceremoniously dumped by the AA after it went. I don't think they wanted the job and seemed unsure if the replacement is even the correct size. Our fron right end (where the spring went) is now noticeably lower than the left side. I think this sounds like the culprit - will get it checked.

Uprated front springs has always been a Hymer option I suspect they replaced it with a standard spring.
As said should always be replaced in pairs.

 

[Dunslow]

5) They only replaced one spring at a large national commercial garage where we were unceremoniously dumped by the AA after it went. I don't think they wanted the job and seemed unsure if the replacement is even the correct size. Our fron right end (where the spring went) is now noticeably lower than the left side. I think this sounds like the culprit - will get it checked.

If possible, use a local AA approved garage to check, but I would keep reason for check quiet until the garage has put reason in writing. If the AA dumped you at a garage after a "breakdown" as I see it they should underwrite the garages work, and if done incorrectly you may have recourse.

 

[Mags52]

Sorry mags the front springs sit in mounts on the front suspension, there is a bearing there which starts to break up and causes noise maybe the wrong spring has speeded up its demise

Thank you - that's really helpful. M

 

[berni109]

Seems strange it only started happening after the mot (if that's what your saying?)
I had a very annoying squeak on my car recently which I almost convinced myself was a wheel bearing. In the end it was the brake backing plate that had got bent and was fractionally catching on the brake disk.
It was a rotational squeak got worse with speed rather than a suspension up and down squeak.
As already suggested could be sticking brake caliper.

 

[Azzie]

Just after our annual service and MOT our 2004 Hymer B774 on a Fiat 2.8 jtd started squeaking. We took it back and they checked the brakes and released some tension on the handbrake and said 'you're fine' so we went to Europe for 90 days and squeaked all the time. We're still squeaking. It is getting worse. We are thinking take it to a different garage but my worry is that it will take hours of faffing about trying to find out what the problem is with the inevitably huge bill to follow.
All we know is that it starts after going around a roundabout or turning right and it is loud enough to cause pedestrians to stare as we drive by. We had a front spring replaced earlier in the year after the old one broke and we're wondering if it could be that.
A log shot but can anyone give any advice or thoughts about this?
Mags

Does it speed up and slow down depending what speed you are doing? If you drive slowly and I mean slowly and put some tension on the handbrake does it go away?

If any of the above then it’s likely your the mechanism for your handbrake in the wheel hub.

Cost is about £45 for a replacement kit and about an 1 1/2 labour. Do’able yourself if you are mechanically competent.

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[Mags52]

Does it speed up and slow down depending what speed you are doing? If you drive slowly and I mean slowly and put some tension on the handbrake does it go away?

If any of the above then it’s likely your the mechanism for your handbrake in the wheel hub.

Cost is about £45 for a replacement kit and about an 1 1/2 labour. Do’able yourself if you are mechanically competent.

Yes it's a rotational squeak. Yes it gets louder with speed. When foot on brake it stops but as soon as foot is off it's back. We are definitely not mechanically competent!

 

[Mags52]

Seems strange it only started happening after the mot (if that's what your saying?)
I had a very annoying squeak on my car recently which I almost convinced myself was a wheel bearing. In the end it was the brake backing plate that had got bent and was fractionally catching on the brake disk.
It was a rotational squeak got worse with speed rather than a suspension up and down squeak.
As already suggested could be sticking brake caliper.

They did work on the brakes before MOT as they would have been a failure. Thank you.

 

[ctc]

Several mentions of copper slip, I vaguely remember it being banned for some reason.

 

[Johnthebike50]

Thanks all. I'll reply to each of these points in turn:
1) Too loud and long lasting for mice
2) We've had wheel bearings go on a previous van and this noise is different. More of a long squeal and no early warning sounds
3) No very hot wheels after long drive
4) We thought the squeak went away after pressing the brakes but only for about 3 seconds
5) They only replaced one spring at a large national commercial garage where we were unceremoniously dumped by the AA after it went. I don't think they wanted the job and seemed unsure if the replacement is even the correct size. Our fron right end (where the spring went) is now noticeably lower than the left side. I think this sounds like the culprit - will get it checked.
6) We live in Scotland. We've had some rain and it hasn't made the slightest bit of difference.

So, Thank you everyone as always. Great creative thinking and especially PP Bear - we had no idea they should have done both. I think I've read somewhere that we should have heavy duty ones fitted.
Mags

I suspect the front Disc brakes pads are the culprit, my 2.8 jtd sent me mad with it,
Good news it's an easy fix, clean up or renew the pads and use cooper grease on the rear of them.
No more meece noises!

 

[Zakattak]

I would go with front brake caliper/pads, trapped stone or rust between pad and disk, anti squeel shims missing. plus above suggestions

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[MOHO Mike]

My first thought would be to get the odd springs sorted out. Whilst is all apart, get the garage to check the wheel bearing for excess play and also check that the disc is not warped. It's probably a combination of all three.

 

[MarionK]

I've no idea what this means but it sounds good. We'll book it in as soon as possible and ask for heavy duty springs. She's a big beast.

See if they can simply match the new ones to the remaining original. (Obviously the replacement is not up to snuff.) Kind of a good job that they did only replace one, or you might not have noticed!

 

[MarionK]

DBK and Reallyretired , so funny you both mentioned mice at the same time.

 

[Just smiffy]

Firstly the springs should be replaced in pairs and you should get that done as the van is now not balanced, not dangerous unless you drive like a boy racer which I suspect you don’t but get it done asap…

100% you have a sticky brake calliper that’s why is disappears when you brake, wheels off and a good clean up of the system WILL cure it and should only cost labour and no more then an hour…

Speaking as an engineer and mechanic…

 

[Mags52]

Firstly the springs should be replaced in pairs and you should get that done as the van is now not balanced, not dangerous unless you drive like a boy racer which I suspect you don’t but get it done asap…

100% you have a sticky brake calliper that’s why is disappears when you brake, wheels off and a good clean up of the system WILL cure it and should only cost labour and no more then an hour…

Speaking as an engineer and mechanic…

Thank you! That sounds right and we're going to book it in pronto. Mags

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