Intermittent screeching sound from back wheel

[olddriver]

Intermittently, there is a fairly high frequency intermittent screeching sound coming from the back offside wheel. The sound is reminiscent of something touching a spinning disc.  I assume that if it was the wheel bearing it would make a noise all the time?

 

The sound occurs at slow speed up to 30 or 40 mph particularly on left hand bends, and can be silenced by turning slightly to the right.  I have not heard the noise when turning right or traveling above 50 mph, and yesterday, I traveled about 10 miles along a mainly straight road, at 40 to 60 and never heard anything.

The council is laying stone chippings on local side roads and the stones have spread out onto the main road on which I have driven at 50 to 60, so I wondered if there is a stone in the brake drum?  I don't think that I have braked when it is making a noise.

Anyone have a suggestion for the cause?

I am away from home and have damaged the tendons in both my thumbs so looking to do the minimum of work to find the cause, hence the post.

[fordulike]

Yeah, could be a stone in the drum. I'm no expert, but I wonder if there is a small gap at the rear of the drum, where you could use a garden hose to flush out any foreign objects.

[oldcodger]

Assume your model is drum only on the rears, not disc and drum like the later models ?

Cannot see how any grit could get inside the drum, more likely its jammed up against the outer surface of the drum.. ?

You do not mention if pressing the brakes or applying the handbrake make any difference ?

How long since the shoes were checked and the drums cleaned out ?

Cannot really see how you can identify things without taking the wheels off  or perhaps take it to a garage with a post lift so you / they can inspect everything from underneath if you are unable to work on the car yourself; shouldn't cost that much if they are a friendly /helpful garage

[olddriver]

Thanks oldcodger.

Yes, drums at the back, discs at the front.

I have not applied the brakes or handbrake during the sound in case of damage to the shoes if it was a stone.

I cleaned out the drums last summer before the MOT as I do every year, the outside of the drums is fairly rusty and flaky.

Additionally:-

On Wednesday I drove 100 m over an unmade-up and the sound disappeared, but back again yesterday.

 

[oldcodger]

With your thumb problem think you are best asking a garage to whip off the wheels and drums and do a quick inspection, it may be some stuck gravel or a problem shoes spring etc.

Don't be fooled by the 'rear' sound, it could easily be the front discs, as where noises come from can be very deceptive, plus its easier for gravel to get stuck in the front discs, pads, disc shield.

[olddriver]

Thanks, I need to get the front tracking checked, so it would be easy to check all round at the same time.

[olddriver]

9 minutes ago, oldcodger said:

Don't be fooled by the 'rear' sound, it could easily be the front discs, as where noises come from can be very deceptive, plus its easier for gravel to get stuck in the front discs, pads, disc shield.

Thanks, I need to get the tracking checked, so it would be easy to check all round at the same time.

[Dols653]

6 hours ago, olddriver said:

Thanks, I need to get the tracking checked, so it would be easy to check all round at the same time.

Just had the same problem on my car I thought might be a stone stuck in it checked brakes all around had to change rear handbrake shoes anyways

and the front disc sheild was rubbing against the disc I only noticed the noise at slower speeds 20 - 30 mph 

theres a rear sheild that can rust and bits  can fall inside the drum if this helps..

[olddriver]

Ah well thanks all, but it was much worse than I anticipated, apparently the left front piston is ceased and the right front piston is very tight!

 

Strange really, as I drove about 30 miles at 30 to 50 mph on Monday and no noise or screech, and 10 miles today and no screech, just a very low level singing noise from the front at about 10 mph leading to the garage.  So I don't really understand what the noise was.  They are only going to replace the callipers, and clean the pads up, even though I said I was happy to pay for new pads.  The callipers are £90 + VAT  each, so that sounds reasonable.

[oldcodger]

Are they replacing all 4 calipers or just the 2 sized ones; its good practice to do axle pairs, like when renewing discs, pads and shocks.

[olddriver]

5 minutes ago, oldcodger said:

Are they replacing all 4 callipers or just the 2 sized ones; its good practice to do axle pairs, like when renewing discs, pads and shocks.

There is only one piston per disc, and yes they are replacing the 2 front callipers.