I have started getting a grating noise form the left side rear of my car. Not all the time but mainly when accelerating up a rise or going around a curve. It sounds a bit like the noise I was getting before I renewed the coils spring seats a few months ago. I have checked those, still OK. Thought it might be the wheel bearing, jacked car up, checked wheel for movement, all OK there. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Try pumping grease into the nipples within all 4 Universal Joints. See if this makes a difference.

 

Do you know how to check for wheel bearings?

 

I agree with PK, and sadly, I'm getting the same noise.
I replaced all four U joints some weeks ago and for other reasons hadn't driven the car much since... On driving, and I'd associated it with a transmission problem at first (I'd recently placed a new engine and transmission-hence the layup) I was afraid that the sound was coming from the trans. When driving, at a fairly predictable acceleration point and as the car reaches upper gears, I get the "grating" sound (perfect word) you describe... It's unsettling.

Back under the car is in my future and I hope I didn't preload the U joint and have fried one of them, it's not a fun job. I thought that I had greased them up pretty good. Fingers crossed!

Good luck and I'd like to hear what you turn up.

 

I also think dry wheel bearing or UJ are the most likely culprits but failing A Frame bushes can also produce similar noises of tortured metal-to-metal contact.







You have to jack the body to check for this as lifting the suspension in the usual way loads the A Frame and movement cannot be detected.

Graham

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I jack the car so wheel is off the ground, then hold the wheel firmly at top and bottom and push wheel in and out. Only slight normal movement detected.

 

You shouldn't feel any movement at all, so that could be your problem. On older cars that had a specific end float for wheel bearings, there would be a slight normal movement (eg, if you were looking at an XJS), but not on this car.

 

Thanks, I didn't know that. I previously owned a 1991 XJS convertible and I was thinking the XK8 wheel would be similar.
Maringa