Philip Hubbard wrote:
>
> I hear an intermittant "chirp" from the front end. Only while in motion,
> but both while braking and not braking. It's not loud, it's not constant.
> In fact, I usually can only hear it at speeds of about 25 mph and below.
> Otherwise road and wind noise drown it out.
>
> Three thoughts:
> 1) Wheel bearings - what do those sound like when they are not right? I
> did replace them at the same time as the bushings and brake job and there
> doesn't seem to be that much you can do wrong in installing them.
> 2) Brake pad squeal - to get a better fit, I had to file down the backing
> on one pad on each side. There is now no anti-squeal coating on the back
> of these pads nor are there any shims. I'm betting on this one and may get
> the shims or new pads from a better source so I don't have to file them
> down so much.
> 3) Some totally unrelated metal rubbing against metal up in the front
> somewhere.
>
> Any thoughts list?
In my experience continuous chirruping is a wheel bearing.
> Second issue. Now the car pulls to the left as one goes down the road.
> It's not a matter of pulling left while braking. Seems like I need my
> front end aligned. With a Midget, how much adjustment can one do? I'm
> almost afraid that I've brought this upon myself as the driver's side is
> the one that had the funky bushings in it - the holes for the fulcrum pins
> on the inner A-arm being off center on the bushings. If I take it to a
> decent shop - not necessarily an MG specialist, will they be able to
> correct my alignment problem?
The only adjustment on the front suspension is to the toe-in and this will not
correct pulling to one side while driving along. Something in your suspension
is
either worn, bent, or otherwise misaligned. A good alignment place (that can
measure
things like camber and castor as well as toe in) should be able to tell you
what is
different from one side to the other, but unless you know what the angles are
supposed
to be you will not know which one is wrong. Of course, they both could be
wrong by
different amounts.
Good luck,
PaulH.
>
> Thanks for any further advice on these issues.
>
> BTW, I =really= need to get those rear bushings changed up - the car
> literally jumps from lane to lane on hitting bumps and I can see the rubber
> almost completely deteriorated. Maybe this weekend.
>
> Philip
> Burgundy 1974 Midget
|