Wheel Bearings & more.

Level 2 User Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 57

Hi lads
Just need a straight answer to a few questions really

I've got a noise when I go over say 20mph.
If I turn to the left say anything like the 10'oc posisiton I get a rumbling noise.
I've jacked each wheel up and felt for play, nothing in none of them. I've tried spining the front two wheels the left hand side one is silent the right hand side one sounds louder can't really remember how it sounded but put it this way you could hear the right side spinning you couldn't the left.
Now I was wondering if the RHS wheel bearing was shot wouldn't it make a noise when going to the right? as your preloading the right shock.

So basically what I'm asking is when I turn to the left I get a grumbling sound can it be caused by a right hand side wheel bearing?

Another thing worth asking.

If the RHS wheel bearing is fcked I'd want to replace it obviously, It's a 1.4 RT would the hub from a 1.2 RN fit it?
Failing that I'd get the bearing and get it pressed by a garage.

Final question (I promise) I think I've cooked my brake fluid, I'm really hard on the brakes and they just don't feel very responsive anymore the pedal has gone a lot harder than what it used to be and theres hardly any play in it, what fluid would you recommened and does that sound like the fluid needs replacing?

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

As I said on cliosport mate - the 1.2 hub will fit if the hub to strut bolts are the same spacing (either 52mm or 54mm).

As for the bearing etc I'll let someone else answer that as I'm not totally sure.

Level 2 User Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 57

Sorry mate you might as well speak to a brick wall when you get all technical 52mm/54mm? TBH I don't know how to tell it's my mate whose going to repair the car for me.
Does anyone on here know the spacing on the 1.4 RT 1996 model; and 1.2 RN 1991 model.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

Thats the problem with the Mk1 non-16v/williams clios as they are totally random. Basically if you look behind the wheel (just turn to full lock) then you should see the suspension strut coming down from the top of the arch. At the bottom of the strut you will see two bolts and if you measure the distance between the centre of the two bolts it will either be 52mm (5.2cm) or 54mm (5.4cm) and as long as the spacing is the same on the 1.2 the hub is off and the car the hub is going onto (the 1.4) then it will fit fine.

Level 2 User Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 57

That I can manage nice one mate cheers.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

the rhs is loaded when turning left so if it makes noise going left its a problem on the right hand side like you say.

Get another hub on there or if it won't fit due to spacing get another bearing put in.

If you boiled the fluid the pedal would go to the floor with little resistance.

What calipers do you have on the front? If they are bendix then this is normal, they work then stop working they are shite, get girling son there.

dot 4 brake fluid, halfrods own, castrol etc all good.

Level 2 User Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 57

Thanks Chris that summed it all up lovely.
Just standard calipers afaik, basically the pedal feels really hard like it would without the servo assist but not to that extreme. Will prob get some new pads fitted anyway as they are getting a bit low.
Hopefully do what most people do and thats go to a scrappies and get a braking system of a 16v.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

girlings off a 1.4 so equiped are a big stepforward in braking despite using the same discs. The bendix are very poor.

The rsi discs are thicker but same diameter as the 1.4's so will fit under 13's etc. You need the discs and calipers though.

Level 2 User Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 57

Yeah I've got Bendix Sad

Also going to replace my pads as they're getting quiet low.
Doesn't help that I've been doing loads of emergency stops which you tend to do if your not confident with your brakes.

Site Subscriber Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 502

The pads get hard with age + use I find.

Just changed mine, as the pedal had to be pushed really hard to get any bite.

Hard use over a small period time, (hard long down hill), cooks the pads.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

been a long time since I saw glazed pads.

sandpaper on them sort it out for a while though.

Level 2 User Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 57

In regards to my bearing being shot...
theres no play in the wheel does that mean the bearing isn't that far gone and is still safe to use?
Seriously for the life of me cant feel any play in it at all I can hear a weird noise when I spin the wheel though.

Also if theres no play can it be something else, but I know the wheel is making a weird noise when I spin it not like a brake rubbing noise either.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

yes they can make noise and not have play.

Pop the wheel off and spray a little wd-40 in the bearing, do this from the back. I need to do this occasionally to shut up the red 19's bearing which is new and done less than 200 miles!

Level 2 User Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 57

So it might not need replacing?

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

it will need replaced. This will just pinpoint it to make sure it is the bearing.

if the noise changes when you squirt it then its deffo the bearing.