wheel barely spins, Droning noise, hot caliper , what is the problem here ?

[Rightboy91]

Hi all.

My car is a 57 plate 1.9 cdti 120 bhp Vauxhall Vectra with almost 200 k on the clock (199,215 miles )
For a while now I have been hearing a droning noise and I think the noise is coming from the front of car.
The noise seems to be a bit louder since I replaced all 4 of the car wheels a few days ago.

can someone please tell me what you think the problem might be with my car ?

1 - Front wheel barely spins ( other side spins freely )
2 - side to side movement on wheel (quite a lot of play )
3 - Caliper get's hot after a drive ( stays cool on the other side )
4- droning noise


Thanks and as always much appreciated

edit ( I changed the front brake pads 3,000 miles ago without the discs as the caliper bolts are rounded so will do that shortly, the discs are scored so need changing I will do them when my rounded off bolt remover kit arrives

 

[Mottie]

What about top and bottom movement at wheel?

 

[Rightboy91]

What about top and bottom movement at wheel?

hi ! so great to see you. Thanks for stopping by

No, I don't think I can feel any movement top-bottom, only side to side

 

[Mottie]

Top to bottom play normally indicates wheel bearing or bottom ball joint. Side to side play normally indicates track rod end or steering rack wear. Neither will make your wheel tight to turn so you could Could be looking at two faults. The stiffness of the wheel sounds like a sticking brake. Remove the pads and see whether that makes a difference.

 

[Burnerman]

A couple of issues here, methinks.....
Droning noise, which may change its tone on cornering one way or another - wheel bearings 99% of the time;
One hot caliper means that the brakes aren’t releasing on that side.
Check for play as per Mottie.....side to side play is a bearing or track rod end, up and down play is a bearing or bottom suspension joint.
I’ve sorted numerous wheel bearings, 80k seems to be their average limit for life so if yours are original thats bloomin’ good!
John

 

[Burnerman]

Ps Mottie and me seem to be telepathic.....peace, man.
John

 

[Rightboy91]

A couple of issues here, methinks.....
Droning noise, which may change its tone on cornering one way or another - wheel bearings 99% of the time;
One hot caliper means that the brakes aren’t releasing on that side.
Check for play as per Mottie.....side to side play is a bearing or track rod end, up and down play is a bearing or bottom suspension joint.
I’ve sorted numerous wheel bearings, 80k seems to be their average limit for life so if yours are original thats bloomin’ good!
John

Hi, it's nice to see you ! you guy's are familar faces now or should I say familar names lol.
Thanks for your input advice here.

I am not sure if the droning noise alters between left and right, I just hear it when driving and equally when braking but it has progressed, the noise was noticably fainter a week or 2 ago and before fitting the 4 replacement wheels going back to a size 16 wheels ( which it was originally ) after putting on 17's.

I only replaced front brake pads 3,000 miles ago, I put them on the old scored discs as the caliper bolt was rounded off so will replace them before MOT. I used lots of vaseline on the slider pins.
Is it worth taking out the slider pins again and putting more vaseline on them ? anything else on the brakes I should consider/look for wile they are off ??
Could the hot caliper be a result of a failed wheel bearing over heating the componenets on that side ?

I replaced the wheel bearing on my previous car ( mk2 ford focus 1.8 tdci) did it myself other than pressing the old bearing out the hub. Is the process almost identical per any car on the road such as on my current car, vectra ?

Not sure if they are the original wheel bearings, could well be . The mileage sure is adding up now at almost 200 k

thanks

 

[Burnerman]

I think the piston is sticking in the caliper due to corrosion, maybe because of water ingress due to failed seals, failure to renew the brake fluid or whatever.....either way, an exchange or rebuilt caliper is the likely way to go here. If the slider pins are free then this reinforces my opinion.
Try forcing the pads back in....the wheel will be free. Then, stand on the brake pedal and try again. If the wheel is difficult to rotate its a sticking caliper right enough.
John.

 

[Rightboy91]

I think the piston is sticking in the caliper due to corrosion, maybe because of water ingress due to failed seals, failure to renew the brake fluid or whatever.....either way, an exchange or rebuilt caliper is the likely way to go here. If the slider pins are free then this reinforces my opinion.
Try forcing the pads back in....the wheel will be free. Then, stand on the brake pedal and try again. If the wheel is difficult to rotate its a sticking caliper right enough.
John.

Hey
It could be a caliper piston problem, the car has covered very almost 200 k miles so it is likely.

When you say try forcing the brake pads back in and the wheel will be free, what did you mean by force them back in ? they go in easily enough they are not a tight fit, do you mean take them out, rewind the piston back in and then put the brake pads back in and step on the brake pedal ?

how did you mean by the wheel will be free by taking out and putting back in the brake pads ?

do you still think there is a wheel bearing problem as well as ? thanks

 

[sxturbo]

Your brake caliper is seized. The heat generated by this has caused the grease to melt away and the bearing failed.

It could just be the collapsed wheel bearing and the excessive play is causing the disc to rub against the brake pad.

Either way, it's a wheel bearing and a set of pads and discs and a caliper

 

[Rightboy91]

Your brake caliper is seized. The heat generated by this has caused the grease to melt away and the bearing failed.

It could just be the collapsed wheel bearing and the excessive play is causing the disc to rub against the brake pad.

Either way, it's a wheel bearing and a set of pads and discs and a caliper

Hi, nice to meet you.

Thanks for the interesting input.

Could it just be the slider pins ? ( I did have the brake pads changed 3000 miles ago but the caliper bracket bolt was rounded so the old scored discs were not changed ) but the sliders were coated with vaseline .

Would a bad wheel bearing potentially cause a brake caliper to be hot to the touch ?

Does the other symptom appear to be a wheel bearing problem ?

thanks

 

[Burnerman]

No need to go to much trouble.....lever the pads in a fraction with a screwdriver and the wheel will come free. Pressing the brake pedal will likely cause things to seize up once more, indicating a replacement caliper.
The drone is nearly sure to be a wheel bearing.
John

 

[Rightboy91]

No need to go to much trouble.....lever the pads in a fraction with a screwdriver and the wheel will come free. Pressing the brake pedal will likely cause things to seize up once more, indicating a replacement caliper.
The drone is nearly sure to be a wheel bearing.
John

Hi
Thanks for your advice , as always Its apprecieted.

I am just really confused, are you saying take out the brake pads or leave them in ? what do you mean by lever the pads in and the wheel will come free ? the brake pads are sat in the brackets now on the car. are you saying the wheel won't spin freely because the brake pads are in place ?

sorry if I am missing something I am sure I am but please specify, do you mean leave pads in or take them out ??

 

[Burnerman]

With the wheel off, use a broad blade screwdriver to lever the pads away from the disc, just a small amount will do.
I generally get a screwdriver in between the piston and the pad backing and lever away!
John

 

[JohnD]

the sliders were coated with vaseline

that sounds very odd. It will melt, drip and burn away. You normally use a heat-resistant compound on brakes.

I don't do my own any more, but it used to be Copaslip, more recently ceramic grease

Vaseline also causes rubber to perish, e.g. on seals, dustcaps, condoms. There is a special red grease for rubber, made from vegetable oil.