Strange Squealing - Moving At Low Speed

[OldSkoO1]

I can't figure this one out - neither can the garage, even though they have only looked once.

When i move at low speeds, say in a queue of traffic i get a squealing, very similar to brake squeal as i move along. Imagine you mark the wheel with an X, let the wheel rotate a full 360 and everytime the X is passed it squeals. This is totally consistent, so as you quicken up so do the squeal, vice versa.

There doesn't seem to be much relation between braking and squealing (btw my brakes dont really squeak). For example, i apply the brakes to slow down, dont come to a complete stop and just coast and i hear it. Then i can completely stop, start going again at slow speeds and the squeal continues.

Then it seems to go away once you quicken up (unless the road noise or engine noise cancels it out). There doesn't seem to be any noticeable resistance i.e. the car happily continues forward. The garage checked and the brakes are in good condition with no abnormal wear and plenty of life left and they dont seem to be sticking. They took them off, cleaned them / greased them etc.

The noise seems to be coming from the front of the car, so right now i'm lost on this one.

[balli hi]

I can't figure this one out - neither can the garage, even though they have only looked once.

When i move at low speeds, say in a queue of traffic i get a squealing, very similar to brake squeal as i move along. Imagine you mark the wheel with an X, let the wheel rotate a full 360 and everytime the X is passed it squeals. This is totally consistent, so as you quicken up so do the squeal, vice versa.

There doesn't seem to be much relation between braking and squealing (btw my brakes dont really squeak). For example, i apply the brakes to slow down, dont come to a complete stop and just coast and i hear it. Then i can completely stop, start going again at slow speeds and the squeal continues.

Then it seems to go away once you quicken up (unless the road noise or engine noise cancels it out). There doesn't seem to be any noticeable resistance i.e. the car happily continues forward. The garage checked and the brakes are in good condition with no abnormal wear and plenty of life left and they dont seem to be sticking. They took them off, cleaned them / greased them etc.

The noise seems to be coming from the front of the car, so right now i'm lost on this one.

I googled this question : What could cause squealing noises from the front of car? and got this answer " LOW AIR PRESSURE IN YOUR TIRES " and " loose accessory belts such as alternator can squeal "

I have also read that if your wheels are out of alignment , as in toe in or toe out , then this could also cause squeal .

The rather tedious report is copied below :

Why

Car tires only squeal if the front end of the vehicle is out of alignment. To better understand the term, an illustration is in order. Hold your left hand out in front of you and make a fist. Cover your left hand with your right hand. This will be used to describe the steering mechanism for all vehicles no matter what make or model. As you look at your left hand, the fist represents a steel ball from which a stud with threads and a lock nut are attached. You wrist is the stud. This stud is the part attached to the spindle (on the wheel). This is the direct link to the wheel for steering.

How

Your fist is in a cup or socket that holds it so that it cannot come out. It holds the ball securely and is greased so that it will swivel without any wear to the inside surface of the socket or right hand. The right hand or socket has a neck about 3 inches long (the first part of your wrist) and it screws on to your forearm--this is the tie rod. This rod is a little longer than a forearm and the other end is attached to the steering gear, which moves with the steering wheel. This is how the car's steering works.

Alignment--Toed Tires

This is the biggest culprit in tire squeal. The ball, usually through lack of lubrication, tends to wear the socket out to the point that the ball becomes loose in the socket. This looseness allows the ball to have freeplay. The freeplay allows the tires to move in and out without turning the steering wheel. When this happens, the "toe in" or "toe out" on the vehicle is out of specifications. To illustrate toe in and toe out, stand with your feet pointing straight forward. That stance is normal. Now, turn the toes outward; this is toe out. This is what happens when the tie rod ends wear out. Turn the toes in like in "pigeon-toed." This is "toed in."

These angles must be straight or the tires will squeal because they are being slid as the car moves forward. When the tires are moving at an angle (\ /) down the road, the problem becomes apparent. Care must be taken to replace tie rod ends that become worn for safety reasons also. Imagine what happens when the ball pops out of the socket--no steering.

Alignment--Caster and Camber

The other angles in an alignment are not as likely to show up in a sound like squealing but will dramatically affect tire wear and handling. They can also cause the car to pull moreso than the toe in. The first is the camber. This is the angle of the tire from the vertical. If the tire is leaning out at the top and away from the car or in toward the car, the outside wear of the tire is greatly increased and the handling in the curves is reduced as well as tracking in a straight line.

Tire pull is generally cause by the amount of caster the steering spindle has. Caster is easier to illustrate by considering a bicycle. Sitting on a bicycle, turn the handlebars to one side and then the other. Notice how the bike tends to rise in the front when the handlebars are turned. When the handlebars are brought back to a straight position, there is much less effort than turning the handlebars.

Now look at the bike's front forks--a slight angle can be seen. This is caster. Turning the steering wheel to one side or the other tends to lift the vehicle slightly and the steering wants to return to center or straight ahead because this is the lowest position.

Another example is: Imagine a bike with the tire and handlebars straight up and down directly under each other. There would not be anything to keep the wheel going straight down the road and you could not let go of the handlebars. In a car, if one side or the other is not adjusted with the right caster, the car will pull to one side. These angles need adjustment when there is evidence of tire wear or a pull to one side that is not caused by a separated tire. This is usually caused by wear in the components or striking a curb or pothole.

[OldSkoO1]

Thats v.much for this info

The toe in/out makes sense, i had tyres rotated recently and at speed the car is a bit skittish on corners too - so there is a slight handling problem.

Thanks, i will take this up with them