Itinerant Air-Cooled

I'm starting to notice a squeak linked to wheel rotation speed. I think it comes as the wheel begins to warm up. Drove a couple of miles this morning (cool) and did not hear it. Before I pull the wheel off...what should I be looking for-wheel bearing do you think?

Jivermo wrote:I'm starting to notice a squeak linked to wheel rotation speed. I think it comes as the wheel begins to warm up. Drove a couple of miles this morning (cool) and did not hear it. Before I pull the wheel off...what should I be looking for-wheel bearing do you think?

Next time you hear this squeak, gently apply the brake pedal with your left foot while you keep the accelerator applied to maintain your speed. Does the noise instantly disappear?
Colin

I'll do that, and post result. Thank you.

Drove 15 miles this morning, and no squeak. Ain't this always how it goes?

Jivermo wrote:Drove 15 miles this morning, and no squeak. Ain't this always how it goes?

Brake pad/brake disc glaze issue. Many do not know that there is a brake pad recipe to allow:
braking (duh)
water shedding
disc polishing
heat dispersal

Some of these ingredients work against each other.
Heat dispersal emphasis sometimes includes metal flakes that exacerbates squealing.
Disc polishing compounds sometimes leave a glaze that exacerbates slow speed groan (chatter).
Anti-dust pads/high performance pads sometimes trade in sacrificial dust generation for eating your disks alive.

Our VW bus brake pads often have incorrect or missing shim plate installation, the pistons may have rotated in the calipers, the pads may be cheap crap, etc.
Colin

When your symptoms crop up, and whether they can be manipulated, will help us figure out the next step.
Colin

The squeak came back a tiny bit and, yes, when I apply the brake while keeping my speed constant, the noise goes away. I was reading about the front wheel bearings, and see that lubrication is recommended every 18,000 miles.

Jivermo wrote:The squeak came back a tiny bit and, yes, when I apply the brake while keeping my speed constant, the noise goes away. I was reading about the front wheel bearings, and see that lubrication is recommended every 18,000 miles.

Troubleshooting aspect to this thread is now closed.

OK, I see that wheel bearings are on your mind . . . we have a write-up

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=3149#p47475

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=3150

I do my front wheel bearings only once per year on my main ride, I guess that is about every 25,000 miles.
There are two elements behind the need . . .
1) mechanical wear from driving .
2) environmental conditions. One trip through a very deep puddle - I'm doing the bearings.
Discovering that the speedo cable has come out of the dust cap or that the cable grommet has worked loose from the inside of the steering knuckle when I am in the desert - I'm doing the bearings.
ColinItIs6*Here,Mr.FloridaMan

Ianitis50hereandIcanstilltakeanoutdoorshowerinthemorningMr.Snowbird